Laser hair removal Croydon

Are you tired of every-day shaving? Can’t bear the pain of waxing? With Lightsheer DESIRE laser hair treatment, you can enjoy a permanent reduction in hair growth. This procedure offers an easy way to remove hair from your face and body, so you can get on with your day-to-day life without having to worry about unwanted hair!

How does Lightsheer DESIRE laser work in Croydon?

The laser works to attack hair follicles by travelling through the pigment in the hair, down to the root, where the energy is absorbed by the bulb. During this process the follicle is destroyed and thereby unable to produce hair. Thus, the skin is hair free and smooth. During one session about 20% of follicles are destroyed. We need to remember that hair grows in cycles and for our method to be effective, we need to make sure that we treat hair in its growth stage (anagen) since that is when it is attached to the blood supply and will respond to the treatment. Therefore, to get rid of all unwanted hair, the patient needs to undergo a whole series of sessions.

Before	After	Before	After

Before	After	Before	After

What are indications to laser hair removal?

• cosmetic reasons – desire to get rid of unwanted hair on chosen body parts
• excessive hairiness in people with hormonal imbalance
• treatment of ingrown hairs that cause painful infections sometimes followed by permanent scars - using a laser destroys the hair thereby treating the cause and limiting re-occurrence
• hypertrichosis, where the treatment destroys the hair follicle
• patients with hyper-sensitive skin, who experience inflammation after other hair removal procedures

What are the advantages of Lightsheer DESIRE laser?

• the most effective and most technologically advanced treatment available on the world market
• removes unwanted hair permanently
• it is very precise - damages only the hair follicle whilst minimally affecting the surrounding skin
• increased comfort - a unique cooling handpiece with a chill-tip to cool the epidermis of the skin during treatment minimises skin irritation

What are the contraindications to laser hair removal in Croydon?

• pregnancy and breastfeeding
• suntan (1 month)
• sun-sensitizing drugs (retinoids, tetracyclines)
• herbs (St John's wort, calendula, stop using 2-3 weeks before the treatment)
• unstable diabetes
• autoimmune diseases like Vitiligo, Lupus or Scleroderma
• history of melanoma
• psoriasis (active phase)
• epilepsy
• blood coagulation disorders, use of medicines reducing blood coagulability
• skin prone to the formation of keloids
• skin colour – grey and red hair do not respond to laser and can’t be removed

How should the patient prepare for the procedure?

• avoid sunbathing or self-tanning at least 4 weeks before the treatment
• do not remove hair before the laser hair removal treatment (waxing, tweezers); you may shave the target hair or use chemical depilatories
• it is advised to stop using creams containing retinol a month before your scheduled treatment
• peeling - do not use for at least a week before the treatment
• the target hair should be shaved on the day before the procedure and the skin should be dry – can’t be treated with any cream and moisturiser, in case of armpits – no antiperspirants or deodorants can be used on the day of the procedure

What happens during the procedure?

Before the treatment of Laser hair removal in Croydon, you will be given a skin patch test which involves testing a small area of skin to see how it responds to laser. Generally, patients can be seen 48 hours later to assess the effect on the skin, and this can be used as a guide to optimise treatment.

The procedure itself is very precise, performed with a 9mm x 9mm handpiece tip. The laser is equipped with a chill tip which is continuously cooling the skin and thereby reduces pain and discomfort. There may be a slight smell of burning, but it is quite normal and treatments can last from a few minutes to an hour or more, depending on the size of the area to be treated.

What are the post-treatment recommendations?

Immediately after the treatment, the area may be red and may feel slightly sunburnt. Therefore, the skin needs to be treated gently. Soap and alcohol-based lotions should be avoided. Do not wipe the treated skin with sponge or towel, use hot showers. For at least two weeks after the treatment, patients are recommended to avoid sunbathing and should protect the skin with sunscreen. In between procedures, hair can be shaved but can’t be removed by plucking, waxing or depilating.

How many treatments are needed to get rid of all unwanted hair?

Hair removal in Croydon is a gradual process. To achieve satisfying results a minimum 4-6 treatments is usually recommended. The final amount of sessions depends on client's expectations. After each session hair becomes thinner and weaker, and after 3 sessions about 90% of unwanted hair can be removed. The number of sessions can be higher in case of fair hair (but not white or grey – it doesn’t respond to laser treatment at all). In case of a tendency of excessive hair growth in patients with endocrine disorders, extra laser hair removal sessions will also be necessary.

What are the possible adverse effects?

At the very moment of laser shot on the skin, patients may feel discomfort, whose intensity will vary: stinging, burning, itching (sometimes persisting up to an hour after the procedure). Redness and swelling may occur after the procedure and last from a few hours to a few days after the procedure. Immediately after the procedure, patients may experience itching, especially around nose and cheeks. Skin abrasions - there may occur blisters and scabs, which take about 10 days to heal. Changes in skin pigmentation - discolouration or depigmentation, usually in patients who are tanned or with dark complexion, in some patients hyperpigmentation may occur even though the skin was protected against the sun (usually disappears within 3-6 months).