It is sometimes possible to practice it on adolescents and children aged 12 and over. However, treatment at this age cannot be considered permanent hair removal. Additionally, due to the many hormonal changes that affect hair growth during puberty, laser hair removal used too early can have the opposite effect and stimulate hair regrowth.
Apart from these special cases and the hair growth being hormone-dependent, patients are generally treated from the age of 18, after the stabilization of hormones after adolescence.
IS HAIR REMOVAL REALLY PERMANENT?
Laser hair removal is considered permanent and long-lasting. Indeed, depending on the areas treated, after approximately 4 to 8 sessions, 90% of the hairs have been destroyed and will have completely disappeared. The remaining 10% remain but are almost invisible because their diameter will have been considerably reduced: at the end of the treatment, fine and clear downs remain, almost invisible.
On the other hand, it should be noted that maintenance sessions are recommended because hairs may reappear. Hair growth being hormone-dependent, it happens that a hormonal upheaval (pregnancy, menopause, etc.) triggers the appearance of new hairs. In general, these interview sessions are necessary once a year or once every two years.
Some patients remain resistant to laser hair removal; this is estimated at around 5% of the population. An unfavorable genetic background or hormonal imbalance are often responsible for this resistance.
WHAT LASERS ARE USED IN HAIR REMOVAL? FOR WHICH SKIN TYPES?
Class IV medical lasers used for laser hair removal are only found in medical offices or medical care centers. They must be used under the control and responsibility of a laser doctor expressly trained in their use.
The lasers used in Dr. Kobaiter’s office are the latest generation devices in these two categories: Alexandrite and Nd-YAG. They allow you to obtain optimal results on brown to black hair, with progressively permanent hair removal, on all skin types.
The Alexandrite laser, the most widespread in the world, emits a wavelength of 755nm, is strongly absorbed by the melanin contained in the hairs. It thus makes it possible to treat dark hair on light skin (phototypes I, II and III). Remarkably effective, it has the property of volatilizing most hairs during the session.
The Nd-Yag laser emits a longer wave, 1064nm, suitable for hair removal on dull, dark, mixed-race and black skin (phototypes from IV to VI). It is able to distinguish the different amounts of skin and hair pigmentation, in order to heat only the hair, without burning the surrounding skin.
Note that white and red hairs cannot be treated because they are not pigmented enough to be recognized by the laser.
laser hair removal Paris
HOW MANY SESSIONS ARE NEEDED? AND WHY ?
Each patient is different and the number of sessions varies depending on different factors:
On average, 4 to 8 sessions, spaced 5 to 6 weeks apart, will be needed to permanently remove hair from an area. The younger the patient, the greater the number of sessions.
What justifies the need to perform several sessions is the hair cycle. Indeed it is divided into 3 phases called anagen, catagen and telogen. Only hairs in the anagen phase can be destroyed during a laser session. It is estimated that 20% of the hairs in an area are in this phase. This is why the sessions must be repeated every 6 weeks in order to treat all the hairs in the area, for a minimum of 5 sessions.
During the first mandatory consultation, Dr. Kobaiter will be able to specify the number of sessions necessary, as well as inform you of the pre- and post-procedure precautions to follow.