Laser hair removal

Available in Pittsburgh, PA, Columbus, OH, and Cleveland, OH

What is laser hair removal?

In Pittsburgh, laser hair removal treatments are one of the most requested med spa treatments. Eliminating unwanted hair on the body saves both time and money and results in smooth, nick-free skin. Equally as popular at The Skin Center located in Columbus, laser hair removal can be performed on almost any area of the body where unwanted hair exists.

Laser hair removal in Pittsburgh offers unsurpassed results in fewer sessions and are ideal for all skin types, including darker complexions. Our hair removal laser targets the pigment in the hair follicle, not the pigment in the skin.

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Reasons For Hair Removal

Laser Hair Removal is an effective treatment to remove unwanted facial hair growth caused by hormonal fluctuations, age, genetics, or other medical related conditions.

Hair Removal Candidates

In Pittsburgh, Columbus, and Cleveland, our latest laser hair removal technology offers unsurpassed results in fewer sessions and is ideal for all skin types, including darker complexions.

Areas Treated With Laser Hair Removal

Laser Hair Removal removes unwanted hair from the:

  • Upper Lip
  • Chin
  • Sideburns
  • Legs
  • Arms
  • Abdomen
  • Bikini Area
  • Chest
  • Hands
  • Feet
  • Buttocks
woman in protective eye glasses receiving laser hair removal on chin from medical professional holding device

Laser Hair Removal Treatment

Most patients undergo laser hair removal treatments without discomfort. The hair removal laser is equipped with a special cooling device that cools the skin during treatment, making it a comfortable and pleasant experience. However, for highly sensitive individuals a topical desensitizing gel is available for added comfort.

The facial hair removal laser targets a greater number of hair follicles by using a wide beam of light, allowing for larger areas to be treated quickly and comfortably.

Laser Hair Removal - Clarity II Laser

The Lutronic Clarity II is a dual-wavelength laser system that provides comfortable, effective, and high-speed laser hair removal for all skin types. This innovative technology can adjust wavelengths and intensity to provide a faster experience and reach optimum results in fewer treatments. Commonly known as one of the best laser hair removal systems, Clarity II can safely and effectively treat the full spectrum of skin types. The Clarity II is available at The Skin Center in Pittsburgh, PA!

Benefits Of Clarity II:

  • Safe and effective for all skin and hair types
  • High powered laser for faster, more consistent coverage
  • Two built-in cooling systems for a comfortable treatment
  • Fewer treatments needed to see results
  • Temperature sensing for a safer experience

How Many Hair Removal Treatments Will I Need?

Hair growth occurs in three different phases. For laser hair removal treatment to effectively disable the hair follicle, the hair must be in the active growth cycle. For this reason, most people will achieve the desired result in six to eight treatments. After the initial hair removal treatment, hair may take up to 2 weeks to fall out.

Should I Try Home Hair Removal Products Before Having Laser Hair Removal Treatments?

Many women use home products or day spa services to remove unwanted hair including waxing, sugaring, hair removal lotions and even at-home lasers. While these products and day spa services can result in a temporary removal of the hair, generally the hair grows back in a matter of days or weeks. Laser hair removal is the most effective way to reduce the growth of unwanted facial and body hair.

How Many Hair Removal Treatments Will I Need?

The cost of laser hair removal depends on the size and area being treated. Typically six to eight treatments are needed for full clearance of the hair. At The Skin Center, we offer laser hair removal packages and specials for affordable laser hair removal.

What do I need to do to prepare before having laser hair removal?

At The Skin Center, our Clarity II laser works best when there is a high contrast between the color of the patient’s skin and his or her hair color. So, avoiding the sun is important before your appointment. Here are some things to do to prepare:

Avoid plucking, waxing, and electrolysis – For the laser energy to get down into the follicle, the hair needs to be actively anchored in the follicle. Plucking, waxing, and electrolysis all disturb the follicle. Shaving is fine, as it doesn’t affect hair in the follicle.

Avoid sun exposure – If you have a tan, you may want to let it fade before coming in for your session. As a rule, we advise patients to avoid sun exposure on the areas with unwanted hair for 4 weeks prior to their session.

Clean your skin – The treatment areas need to be free from cosmetics, lotions, and creams. If you’ve applied deodorant and are having your underarms treated, we will remove it prior to your session.

Certain skincare products – Certain skincare ingredients can cause irritation when interacting with laser energy. These include alphahydroxy acid, salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, and others. We’ll discuss these with you and tell you want to avoid for a few days before and after your appointment.

Is laser hair removal really permanent?

While humans may not appear as hairy as some of our fellow mammals, each of us has around five million hairs on our bodies. Each of those hairs operates as a free agent, meaning that every hair operates independently of the others, and each can be in a different phase of its hair growth cycle. For laser hair removal to be effective, it’s necessary to catch the unwanted hair in the correct phase.

The FDA has approved various lasers, including our Clarity II, for what they call “permanent hair reduction.” This is because laser treatments can’t remove all the unwanted hair permanently for a couple of reasons.

First, lasers only damage hair in the anagen (growth) cycle. But hairs can also be in the catagen (transitional phase between growth and rest) or the telogen phase (rest). In the catagen and telogen phases, the body is preparing to shed the hairs, halting nourishment, and releasing the hair bulb from the hair follicle. That’s why lasers don’t affect hair in these phases – they’re already on their way out. Because the hair is no longer anchored in the follicle, the laser energy can’t travel down the hair and damage or destroy the follicle. Back to those hair numbers: since each of our millions of hairs can be in a different phase, it’s obvious you can’t catch them all in the growth phase, no matter how many laser hair removal sessions you have.

Second, damaged follicles can rebuild with hormonal changes. Plus, if a follicle is only partially damaged, it may heal and begin to regrow hair.

What’s more, numerous studies show the degree of permanent hair reduction to be from 85 to 90 percent. These stats are consistent with what our patients experience at The Skin Center.

Are there any side effects after laser hair removal?

Lasers were first approved for laser hair removal almost 30 years ago. The process was extensively tested prior to receiving FDA approval and becoming commercially available. Laser hair removal has proven to be reliable, effective, and safe. And it is one of the most popular laser procedures performed worldwide. The most common side effects after treatment include skin irritation, such as redness and slight swelling on the treatment sites. This usually passes within a few hours.

How long does a laser hair removal session take?

The duration of your treatment session depends on the area or areas you are having hair removed. Removing hair from your sideburns will take just a few minutes but treating your legs could take an hour. It’s wise to plan for 10 to 60 minutes per treatment including 20 minutes or so for the topical numbing to take effect.

What are the advantages of having the Clarity II laser for hair removal?

At The Skin Center, we selected the Clarity II laser from Lutronic for our laser hair removal for a variety of reasons.

It’s safe and effective for skin tones and types – because the Clarity II can deliver two wavelengths, 755nm Alexandrite and 1064nm Nd:YAG, we can adapt the wavelength and energy level delivered to match the patient’s skin tone and hair color and type. For instance, the 1064nm: Nd:YAG is a great tool for safely treating patients with darker skin tones.

Clarity provides more comfort – Lutronic has built two cooling systems into the Clarity II: a built-in cryogenic spray that instantly cools the skin across the treatment area and a traditional air-cooling system. These dual cooling systems make these treatments ultimately comfortable, even if the patient has not requested topical numbing prior to their treatment.

Large spot size = shorter treatments – Clarity II delivers the dual wavelengths in a large spot size. This larger diameter of laser energy means we can treat larger areas, such as the legs, chest, or back, much more quickly.

Fewer treatments – The advances made with the Clarity II platform are not only safer and more comfortable, but they are also more efficient at removing hair. Other laser hair removal providers ask patients to come in for as many as 10 treatments. We’ve found our Clarity II patients can be satisfied with as few as 3 or 4 sessions.

Is the Clarity II laser approved by the FDA?

Yes, the FDA has approved the Clarity II for laser hair removal on the face, neck, and across the body.

Schedule A Consultation

For more information about laser hair removal, please contact The Skin Center. Call us at 1-800-429-1151 to schedule a consultation at one of our locations. Our practice serves Pittsburgh, PA and surrounding areas as well as Columbus, OH and Cleveland, OH.

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