When looking forward to summer months and hitting the beach, many people think about looking their best in less clothing and removing visible body hair. Shaving everyday is a chore, as are hair removal creams and painful waxing. These treatments are also time-consuming and costly, so we think a better alternative is laser hair removal, for safe and permanent elimination of fuzz almost anywhere on the body. At Philosophy of Beauty, we offer laser hair removal treatments year-round, but we strongly recommend scheduling the treatments during the winter, as there are many benefits.
There is no doubt that compared to summer, avoiding sun exposure in the winter is more likely and practical. Excessive sun exposure can damage laser treated skin, result in the formation of blisters and/or burns, and cause it to look worse than before because of the skin’s increased sensitivity. Hence, after-care instructions for a laser hair removal session include avoiding sun exposure on treated areas for two to four weeks. The winter time makes this recovery step a much easier process.
Furthermore, a decrease in sun exposure during winter helps you achieve the best hair removal results possible because the laser which targets the melanin in hair, works best when there is a sharp contrast between hair and skin. The lighter the skin tone and darker the hair, the easier it is for the laser to identify and target the melanin in the hair follicle. Hairs may lighten in the sun, and skin which is darkened due to sun exposure can potentially lead to complications such as blisters and burns, as well as compromise the results of your treatment.
Related to the previous statement for minimizing sun exposure, winter time makes it easier to stay covered up in long-sleeves and pants. Covering up helps protect the treated areas from unnecessary sun exposure until they are recovered, and you do not have to miss out on wearing your light, summer wardrobe.
Additionally, prior to a laser hair removal session, the hair in the treatment areas need to be grown out slightly. Waxing and even shaving can reduce the effectiveness of laser treatment but during the winter months most people find it easier to skip shaving and waxing for a while.
At Philosophy of Beauty, we use the Lightsheer Diode laser, developed by Lumenis, and a leader in laser hair removal technology, as well as the state of the art Fotona laser systems. Laser hair removal requires multiple sessions in order to eliminate all the hair and produce the desired results. Hairs are present in different phases of their growth cycle at all times and only the anagen, (actively growing) hairs respond well to laser hair removal. A treatment plan can take approximately four to six sessions that span over a course of six months. Therefore, if you begin your laser hair removal treatment in the winter, there is plenty of time to undergo a series of applications before revealing the amazing results at the start of summer.