Aesthetically the face is probably one of the most troublesome and noticeable areas of the body to have excessive and/or unwanted hair. Facial hair is all too often noticeable and causes embarrassment particularly for a woman. The pattern of facial hair growth on a woman typically affects the upper lip and chin, areas easily accessible to and treatable by laser hair removal techniques. Both laser and IPLsystems can achieve good results on the face. Some women may have unwanted hair growth around the eyebrows and forehead areas these may be tidied and removed using laser hair removal.
Men can also be dissatisfied with their facial hair. Usually men are more concerned with their eyebrows and untidy beard lines. Laser hair removal can help tidy up and define hair lines on the face. Laser hair removal can be very effective for thick dark beards. Nostril hair removal is a treatment that few practitioners will be willing to complete.
The type of laser or IPL equipment used and the suitability of your skin and hair type for treatment will be advised by your chosen practitioner. Light skin and dark hair traditionally gives the best results for laser hair removal.
More traditional methods of hair removal such as threading, waxing or electrolysis can be much more painful and irritating when used on the face. Laser hair removal can be a much softer option and can also avoid any aggravation such as folliculitis.
The class 3b and 4 lasers used for laser hair removal can be very dangerous and cause deep burns to the skin this of course can be catastrophic particularly for the eyes. Retinal damage can be caused by direct or indirect exposure to the laser beam and can be permanent. Eye protection is mandatory during treatment and the protection used must be valid for the wavelength of the laser being used. Many clinics will not use the laser for treatment below the top of the eyebrow as the eye socket can internally reflect radiation. It is very important that your practitioner be trained and experienced.
Treatment sessions times are generally short, the facial areas concerned are generally small and hence quickly treated. Repeat treatments may be necessary and results vary from person to person usually a 50% or more reduction in hair growth is the norm after a few sessions. Costs vary between clinics, a treatment for a chin or upper lip may cost around 50.00.