What Is Full Legs Laser Hair Removal?

When comes summer, comes the season to wear cute dresses, skirts and shorts. However, nothing ruins the ambiance more than rebellious hair, ingrown hair and unwanted hair in general. Look at your legs. Sure, you waxed, but it is already growing back. And you will have to wait a good four weeks before doing it. What you need is full legs laser hair removal.

Leg hair can quickly become annoying. If you wear a midi skirt or linen trousers, you are good. However, what about when you go to the beach? While some do not care about their body hair, others do. It all comes down to personal preferences and know that full legs laser hair removal will help you be leg hair-less for a very long time should you decide to go for it!

How does laser hair removal work?

Laser hair removal is a hair removal method that first came to be back in the 1960s. The FDA had then approved the first ND: YAG lasers but the technique was left behind for some time as it needed more refining. It is in the 1970s that laser hair removal really improved and started to become very popular. Nowadays, a lot of men and women undergo full legs laser hair removal or even remove hair on their whole body.

The procedure uses a laser set on a specific wavelength and pulse duration. The light energy emitted by the laser targets the pigment in the hair. It will then travel down to the hair follicle. There the light energy will transform into thermal energy and damage the follicle beyond repair.

The goal is to damage the hair follicle enough so that it does not regenerate nor produce any new hair. The combination of repetitive full legs laser hair removal treatment will contribute to reducing hair growth by up to 90%. Laser hair removal is not permanent as per the FDA definition. However, a lot of patients experience permanent hair removal after six to twelve sessions.

Does it work on everybody?

The core principle behind laser hair removal is selective photothermolysis. The light energy will selectively target pigment rich objects on the skin. In order for the laser to specifically target the hair, there had to be a sharp contrast between skin and hair. Therefore, the ideal candidate for a long time had pale skin and dark hair.

Dark skin would prove trickier to treat since the laser would not always be able to differentiate between skin and hair. However, new technology such as new ND: YAG lasers and alexandrites helped overcome that obstacle to laser hair removal for darker skins. Indeed, such lasers do not rely too much on melanin to get through the dermis to the follicle. It therefore provides a safe solution for dark skins.

While the contrast between fair skin and light hair would also not make laser hair removal as efficient for blonde hair, ND: YAG also solves that issue. People with very light blonde hair may need more sessions for satisfactory results. Furthermore, not all blonde hair is very light so bikini and armpit hair will be easier to remove. Laser hair removal will not work on grey and white hair however.

What is full legs laser hair removal?

Full legs laser hair removal is a hair removal treatment that will treat hair from the ankle up to the top of the thighs. Thus, it includes the lower legs, knees, upper legs and inner thighs as well as extended bikini. However, it does not include the bikini line. One session will take between 30 and 40 minutes to complete.

A package for full legs laser hair removal at Spektrum Laser Spa includes six sessions and costs $798. The full legs are not hormonal and therefore are faster to provide results. Expect to see a significant hair growth decrease from the second session.

Full legs laser hair removal is not painful. The sensation is close to rubber bands snapping at the skin very fast but it will not hurt. It is not the most pleasant sensation however. The technician will adjust the intensity of the laser for each patient. Should the laser feel too hot, the patient must inform the laser technician.

How many sessions of full legs will I need?

The number of full legs laser hair removal a patient needs will vary on different factors. Dark skin and blonde haired people may need additional sessions. While six sessions is the industry minimum, people can need up to twelve. Each individual is unique and so will be their treatment. Skin complexion, hair color, hair texture, past hair removal history, medication, genetics, may all impact the results of laser hair removal as well.

However, the biggest factor influencing laser hair removal is the hair growth cycle. Laser hair removal only works when the hair is in the anagen phase of growth. Indeed, it is the only time when the hair and the follicle connect, allowing the energy to travel from the former to the latter. Unfortunately, only 20% of all body hair is in the anagen phase of growth at any point in time.

Therefore, the laser will be able to treat 18% up to 20% of body hair on a specific area. This explains why patients need several sessions. Furthermore, to let time for the skin to heal after a session and for hair to move into their next phase of growth, each session is spaced out six weeks.

How do I prepare for my laser session?

There are a few things a patient can do prior to coming in for their full legs laser hair removal session. They will need to shave the evening before or morning of their appointment. Laser hair removal on unshaven hair reduces the effectiveness and safety of the treatment. Clean your skin with soap and water to remove any creams or lotions.

Try to stay out of the sun the week prior to your appointment. While natural pigmentation does not make the procedure any less safe or efficient, tanning and artificial pigmentation do interfere. Indeed, the sun puts the skin in an “excited state”. If you end up exposed to direct sunlight, make sure you use a physical sunblock with a SPF 30 or above.

Make sure to report any medication you may be on. Indeed some drugs increase photosensitivity while others are contraindicated for laser hair removal. A patient must wait ten days after they stop taking antibiotics prior to their session. They will need to wait six months if taking Accutane. Hormonal treatments (such as birth control or hormone therapy) may interfere with the treatment since hair growth is mostly determined  by hormones.

After your full legs laser hair removal session, remember to stay out of the sun for at least fourteen days. You must also apply a physical sunblock. Do not take a hot shower nor work out in the 24 hours after as the heat will still be under your skin.