Laser Hair Removal with Palomar Laser Icon

Countless patients come to me who are tired of removing hair through waxing, threading, shaving, or using questionable chemical applications. Luckily, there’s a new, safe alternative with laser hair removal.

Laser hair removal uses a combination of energy and heat to abolish follicles without damaging the skin around them. After a series of sessions, my patients experience permanent hair reduction. Razor burns, skin irritation, and ingrown hairs will become a thing of the past. After a laser hair removal treatment, you’ll have the confidence to put on that new summer swimsuit and show off your smooth and soft skin.

It’s no surprise that the demand for intense pulsed light (IPL) hair removal and laser hair removal treatments are at an all-time high. Old-fashioned hair removal techniques can be painful and expensive. Light-based hair removal permanently reduces undesirable facial and body hair, in fewer treatments and with more comfort than is possible with traditional procedures.

For over a decade, FDA-approved Palomar lasers have been the industry standard.  Lasers, although clinically effective, have limitations regarding skin color, hair color, and hair thickness.  Because of this, Palomar developed a new pulsed light technology that improved clinical outcomes for more skin types and colors.

Although laser hair removal successfully slows hair growth, it doesn’t guarantee everlasting hair removal. It typically takes several laser hair removal treatments to provide an extended hair-free period. Periodic maintenance treatments may be needed as well.

One thing to understand is that you have millions of hair follicles on your body, all of which cycle through diverse phases. The limitation of laser hair removal is that it can only treat a certain percentage of those follicles at any given time, so it must be done at different stages. Because no two bodies are the same, your treatment plan will be personalized for your particular needs. I typically recommend that my patients receive a minimum of six laser hair removal sessions that take place four to 10 weeks apart.

The lasers generate rapid pulses that feel and are tolerated differently for each patient. Luckily, each session only takes a few minutes. Most clients describe the sensation as a mild “hot pinch,” similar to the feeling of being snapped with a rubber band. In most cases, the sensation goes away almost immediately. For those with a low threshold for pain, I usually recommend taking Tylenol a few hours before the procedure, but under no circumstances should anyone take pain medications that might thin the blood.

For more information on laser hair removal or to schedule a consultation please contact our Scottsdale Plastic Surgery office at (480) 890-0600.