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| Laser
Hair Removal |
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For centuries,
women and men have been fighting
side-by-side in a battle against
a common enemy; body hair.
This struggle has spawned
a variety of solutions to
the problem including razors,
hot wax and electric needles.
Now at last, there is a technology
that is relatively painless
and long-lasting: laser hair
removal. A related alternative
treatment utilizes non-laser,
bright filtered light and
is based on premise that when
dark hair absorbs the energy
of the light, the energy is
transmitted to the hair follicle
which is destroyed; it is
ineffective on white or gray
hair.
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| The
Procedure: |
Laser
hair removal can be done on virtually
any part of the body. It is most commonly
used for the face, upper and lower lip,
chin, sides of the face, brows, back,
shoulders, under arms, bikini areas, groin
and legs; it can be used on almost any
body part. Because hair goes through many
different stages during growth, not all
follicles can be affected at one time
by this method as the light only affects
a certain percentage of hairs while they
are at the highest stage of growth. This
necessitates repeating the procedure every
two or three months until most of the
hairs have been affected. Ultimately,
up to 80% of the hairs can be permanently
removed and the remaining ones will be
weaker and less noticeable. |
The
Healing Process: |
Some
people experience mild reddening of the
skin immediately following treatment,
a condition which normally subsides in
a day or two. |
| Potential
Complications: |
| Like
any medical procedure, there are potential
complications associated with this
technique. They include: |
1. |
Change
in pigmentation of the skin. Darkening
of the skin is more prevalent than
lightening of the skin. |
2. |
Potential
complications such as scarring and
ulceration are quite rare. |
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| Pain: |
Very little pain is
associated with this procedure. Some
areas such as upper and lower lips and
brows could be more painful than others.
No injection of anesthetic procedures
is necessary to perform this procedure.
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Preparation: |
Stop
all non-prescriptive medication, diet
pills, herbs, and garlic two weeks before
surgery.
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| Length
of The Procedure: |
Depending
upon the area to be treated, the procedure
can take between 15 and 30 minutes for
small areas such as the face and up to
2 to 3 hours for the entire back or legs.
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| Fees: |
The
cost for laser hair removal varied depending
on the area of the body that is treated.
Average costs for the face are between
$150 and $300; larger areas such as the
entire back or thighs cost between $400
and $800. Most insurance companies consider
this treatment to be cosmetic and do not
routinely cover the costs. |
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