Beauty Byline with Sanah: Should You Opt for Laser Hair Removal?

Sanah Sayani

Did you know on average, women spend seventy-two days of their lives shaving their legs and men spend fortyfive days shaving their face and neck? Those stats are for just one part of the body. Add in the rest and all I can say is too much time wasted! It almost feels like a curse to have body hair. In my profession, I see countless numbers of people spending time and money on hair that never seems to go away. Through time, people have tried to make hair removal easier and more cost effective, but there really isn’t a permanent solution. The closest you get to permanent hair removal is electrolysis which is a dying technique because it takes too long and is expensive. A very fine needle is inserted into the opening of the hair follicle and an electrical current destroys the hair growth cells. The FDA considers this method to be the only permanent hair removal, but even with electrolysis, multiple sessions are needed to achieve that result.

The next best method is laser hair removal which should really be called laser hair reduction because the purpose is to damage the hair follicle enough to slow down hair growth. Most people see results after every session but the number of sessions is determined by the level of hair growth and underlying health conditions. It is possible to be almost hair-free but laser hair removal doesn’t work for everyone.

According to experts, the best results are seen on pale skin with dark and coarse hair because the laser is targeting melanin which is what gives the hair its color. Blonde and white hair cannot be targeted by lasers so this method doesn’t work on them. Darker skin tones with dark hair also may not be the best candidates because the laser doesn’t differentiate skin from hair, it only sees color. The main complaint I hear is, “It didn’t work on me.” It’s important to know why it didn’t work. Maybe the settings weren’t right or the candidate has an underlying condition which causes hair growth. It could be a number of things so it’s important to do your research and ask the right questions. Ask the provider if they have had successful results on others with your skin tone and hair type, ask to see before and after pictures of other clients, and be honest on your consultation. The main reason why laser doesn’t work or may cause a superficial burn to the skin is the provider doesn’t have all the information needed to select the correct settings. They need to know your ethnicity and how your skin reacts to the sun. Up until recently only lighter skin tones with darker hair could receive effective laser treatments. Darker skin would get damaged by the heat but now there is technology that works on darker skin tones, it just may take longer.

I had laser hair removal almost twenty years ago on my underarms, legs, arms and pubic area. I went through eight treatments in each area and saw about a fifty percent reduction in hair growth. The treatment was pretty expensive so I did not do more sessions. I’m sure if I had a few more, I would have been down 80-90%. It feels like a rubber band snapping and there is no downtime. It is pretty impressive to see the hair has not come back in twenty years and I may actually get more treatments now that services are a little bit more affordable. If you have any questions or need guidance on what to ask, feel free to send me an email! Happy Holidays! Sanah Sayani is a master cosmetologist and owner of Thread Beauty Spa (4426 Hugh Howell Road in the Tucker Publix shopping center). Her monthly column seeks to answer readers’ beauty concerns; write to her at threadbeautyspa@gmail.com or drop by the shop to ask her in person!

Money Available When You Need It

With a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC), you can use the equity you’ve built in your home for major purchases, repairs and renovations, debt consolidation or other unexpected expenses. Whatever your needs may be, we are here to help you take the next step forward.

This is banking at its best. This is Banking Forward.

Brian C. Moon

AVP, Branch Manager • NMLS# 1934368 9353 Lavista Road • Tucker, GA • O: 404.297.2238

SouthStateBank.com/HELOC

All loans are subject to credit approval. Equal Housing Lender. NMLS# 403455. Member FDIC.