Is Laser Hair Removal Right for You? What to Know Before You Book

People who want to ditch messy waxes and avoid razor stubble are enjoying a lot more freedom following laser hair removal – a treatment that’s popular for good reason.

Balcones Dermatology & Aesthetics specializes in laser hair removal to eliminate unwanted body hair.

Board-certified dermatologist, David A. Bushore, MD, coordinates your laser hair treatment with Kayla, our skilled aesthetician. They ensure you’re a candidate for laser hair removal by evaluating your skin’s health and your goals for treatment.

Dr. Bushore also offers guidance to help you care for your skin after a laser session to prevent dryness, flaking, and sun damage.

What to know about laser hair removal

Laser hair removal is a treatment that uses light energy to destroy hair follicles in the active growth phase.

Balcones Dermatology & Aesthetics offers Forever Bare Broadband Light (BBL)™, a light-based technology that targets unwanted hair on nearly anywhere on the body, including:

• Underarms
• Legs
• Arms
• Chest
• Back
• Bikini line

The technology is powerful but also gentle enough to treat delicate areas of the skin, such as the upper lip, neck, and chin.

Kayla can target large areas of hair simultaneously, shortening treatment times while optimizing your results. Forever Bare BBL™ technology also has a continuous cooling feature to minimize discomfort during your treatment.

Considerations to make before undergoing laser hair removal

Laser hair removal is appropriate for individuals with generally healthy skin that’s free of infection and open wounds. 

The laser technology can treat different hair types and colors but is most effective on those with dark hair and light skin. This is because the laser targets the pigments in the hair follicles, so darker hair is easier to treat.

Other considerations to make before booking your laser hair removal appointment include:

A commitment to the process

Laser hair treatments are effective and provide fast results. However, we can only treat hair in the active growth phase.

This means that you need a series of sessions to target all areas of unwanted hair. Kayla can also help you schedule maintenance appointments to keep the treated areas hair-free in the long term.

A tolerance for discomfort

Laser hair treatments aren’t invasive, but you can experience some mild discomfort when the laser cycles on. First generation lasers used for hair removal could be uncomfortable with sensations of a snapping rubber band. However, Forever Bare Broadband Light (BBL) does not deliver all the energy in one pulse. Instead, it is moved back and forth over the skin to gradually build to the desired temperature inside the hair follicle. This building temperature can feel like a hot rock massage.

A need to increase skin protection

After a laser session, your skin is more sensitive than usual, especially when you’re in direct sunlight. It’s important that you wear sunscreen whenever you’re outdoors and stay out of the sun for several weeks to prevent serious burns.

We can recommend high-quality creams to lock in moisture and prevent your skin from flaking. You should also consider using cleansers and other products that are designed for sensitive skin and are free of harsh chemicals.

If you’re interested in laser hair removal but aren’t sure that you’re a good candidate, contact our office to ask our staff for additional information.

If you’re ready to book your first laser hair removal appointment, call Balcones Dermatology & Aesthetics in Austin, Texas, or book a consultation online.