Candela Laser Hair Removal

Candela laser hair removal in Chicago is a popular cosmetic procedure that men and women undergo in order to get rid of unwanted body hair. Waxing, plucking, shaving, and other methods of addressing body hair can be time consuming, painful, and tedious. The Candela laser eliminates the need for these methods.

How Does Candela Laser Hair Removal Work?

Good-looking young man undergoing laser hair removal procedure Laser hair removal is a relatively simple procedure that is performed by a licensed medical professional at Dvida Spa. It is very gentle in comparison to traditional methods of removing hair from the body.

During laser hair removal, a laser targets and heats the hair follicles, damaging the follicles and causing new hair to grow back at a much slower rate or completely eliminating new hair growth.

Laser hair removal can be done on almost any area of the body, including the legs, armpits, arms, chest, back, bikini zone, and even the chin. It works best on follicles with dark hairs, as the heat from the laser latches onto melanin pigment. Follicles that produce light-colored hairs may not respond as well to laser hair removal.

This state-of-the-art treatment is extremely effective. In fact, just after three treatments, patients saw up to 80% permanent hair reduction.

What Are the Benefits of Candela Laser Hair Removal?

Candela’s Alexandrite and Nd:YAG lasers offer a greater ability to customize treatment than many other laser hair-removal options. The Alexandrite laser is ideal for olive skin and can treat larger areas more quickly with its larger spot size. The Nd:YAG laser is ideal for darker skin, since it has a lower melanin absorption rate.

Laser hair removal offers numerous benefits over other hair-reduction options:

It’s less painful than waxing or electrolysis.
It’s not as time-consuming as shaving or plucking.
It can deliver long-lasting or even permanent results.

Before Your Laser Hair-Removal Treatment

You should not wax or pluck your hairs for at least six weeks before Candela laser hair-removal treatment. These methods remove the entire hair from the follicle, and in order to selectively damage a follicle, the laser needs at least part of the hair to remain. This is because the laser works by locking onto the pigment within the hair.

Hair covering the target area can make it harder for the laser to work effectively. Shaving uncovers the area while leaving the root of the hair within the follicle, so you should shave one to three days before your laser hair-removal session.

It is also important to stay out of the sunlight for at least six weeks before your treatment. Skin that has been in heavy sunlight is more sensitive to heat, increasing the risk of complications.

Prior to scheduling your session at Dvida Spa, you should schedule a consultation. During this consultation, talk to your laser-hair-removal technician about your medical history and any medications you are taking. You should also discuss your hair-reduction goals and tell your technician which regions of your body have unwanted hair.

The Procedure

Before the Candela laser hair-removal procedure, the hair in the targeted area will be trimmed close to the skin (if this has not already occurred). A topical anesthetic may be applied to the areas, and you will be given protective goggles or lenses to wear during the procedure.

Your technician will then place the Candela laser handpiece over the targeted areas for several minutes. The smaller the area, the less time the procedure will take. Larger areas like the abdomen or back may take up to an hour to be treated. After your treatment, you may be given ice packs or an anti-inflammatory cream to ease any discomfort you may experience.

Aftercare Following Treatment

You can return to work immediately after getting laser hair removal, although it is recommended that you avoid tanning and strenuous physical activities for a day or two after your procedure.

Your skin may look and feel like it is sunburned. This is a common side effect of laser hair removal, and you should expect it to subside in a day or two. Discomfort or pain can be addressed using ice packs or creams.

Over the course of a month, you can expect targeted hairs to detach from the skin and fall away. A treatment’s effects can last up to seventeen weeks. Typically, three to six treatments are needed to see permanent hair reduction; however, the number of treatments needed will depend on a variety of factors, such as skin tone, hair color, and the areas treated.