Laser hair removal is a good possibility for those people who want to get rid of unwanted body hair. Common treatment areas are the following: legs, armpits, upper lip, chin and bikini line. In spite of that fact that laser hair removal can not guarantee permanent hair removal, it does extend the "hair-free" period, which can range from several months to several years. Long-term hair removal is possible when multiple treatments are applied.
The target of a laser is melanin. The more melanin an individual has in his/her hair, the more effective a laser will be. People with gray, red, or blonde hair are not good candidates for laser hair removal.
Melanin influences the color of the skin. The more melanin in your skin, the darker it looks. Melanin exists in hair and skin. Since the laser does not distinguish between melanin in hair and melanin in skin, the more melanin present in the skin, the more the laser is going to strike the skin rather than the hair. Therefore, people with darker skin are not good candidates for laser hair removal.
Someone with light skin and dark hair is the best patient for laser hair removal. The more closely an individual's skin tone matches his/her hair color, the less likely he/she has good results from laser hair removal.
Avoiding Laser Hair Removal
There are people who should avoid laser hair removal:
1) patients who got recently dark tan;
The risk of side effects increases when a person has a tan. Such complications as blistering and discoloration can be observed. Due to the fact that on a tanned skin, the laser tends to target the surrounding skin rather than the hair, scarring of the skin may also occur.
2) blondes or redheads with any recent tan;
3) people of color with fine, light hair;
The Impact of Diet on the Treatment
Diet is generally has no impact on the laser hair removal treatment, except for Beta-carotene, which interferes with the treatment. Beta-carotene, which is normally exist in carrots, vitamin A supplements, squash, and other vegetables, accumulates in the skin, producing a subtle orange or yellow color in the skin. This pigment increases the absorption of laser energy in the skin, because it absorbs laser energy, preventing it from reaching the hair follicle. Beta-carotene persists for months after ingestion. Patients interested in the best results from laser hair removal should stop using all forms of beta-carotene.
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