One of our most popular treatments is laser hair removal. Clients always have a lot of questions about how it works, how many sessions they will need and when is the best time to start? So let’s start with the last question first:
When is the best time to start laser?
NOW! September is the perfect time to start laser as during the treatment it is essential that the area being treated is protected from sunlight. Exposure to sunlight during a course of laser can result in hyper or hypo pigmentation i.e. patches of darker or lighter tone on your skin. Small areas such as a lip or underarm are relatively easy to protect with a strong SPF during the Summer months but legs, backs and larger areas are difficult to keep covered which makes Autumn the ideal time to start.
The average course of Laser takes approximately 6-8 months to complete which means by next April you will be done and hair free for the Summer ahead.
Laser is a heat treatment so having a treatment during the Winter when temp is lower makes it more comfortable.
At Eden we took delivery of a class 4 medical grade diode laser earlier this year, so when you book a session with us you are getting the most up-to-date technology available. The cold head on our machine makes treatments relatively painless, apart from the face which can be slightly more tender.
How does Laser Work?
A beam of light is directed at the area being treated. The light is attracted to the pigment in the hair and heats the hair along the shaft down into the follicle, damaging the follicle thus preventing it producing another hair. This is why laser works best on dark or pigmented hair. Laser light is drawn to the darkest thing and that should be your hair. The majority of Irish people have fair skin and dark body hair which makes them ideal for laser treatment. Clients with darker skin can have laser but their therapist must proceed with caution. Clients with fair body hair can sometimes be treated if their is enough pigment in the hairs but treatment will take longer to achieve results. The process of heating the hair is called photothermolysis.
Why do I need repeat sessions?
A lot of clients come to us with the impression that they will have one session of laser and their hair will be gone forever. This unfortunately is not the case. There are 3 stages of hair growth anagen, catagen and telogen.
Anagen this is the growth or living phase when the hair is attached to the follicle and actively growing and this is the stage we need the hair to be in to allow the laser light to reach the follicle root and permanently damage it. There is no way of knowing by looking at the surface of the skin which stage of growth the hair is in but by doing treatments every 4-6 weeks we are ensuring that the majority of hairs will be treated in anagen phase over the course of the sessions.
Some clients have quicker or slower hair growth than others and in this case treatment intervals will be determined based on their unique growth cycle.
Why do I need a consultation?
We will not perform laser treatments without first carrying out a consultation and patch test with the client. This is best practice and also ensures the therapist can explain the procedure and after care in full. There are a number of medications and health issues that are contra-indicated for laser and you will be asked to fill in a comprehensive questionnaire covering any medical conditions you may have or medication you may be taking. In some cases we may request a note from your doctor ensuring it is safe to proceed with the treatment. We will also perform a patch test on a small area of your skin near to the area you wish treated to ensure you do not have a reaction to the laser light. We wait 72 hours after the patch test before starting treatments.
What happens during a laser treatment?
Your therapist will clean the area with a wipe to ensure no residue of cleaning or skin care products are on the skin. She will then apply a gel to the area, this gel helps to conduct the light to the area we are treating. She will ask you to wear a set of glasses or goggles to protect your eyes from the light emitted from the laser. She will then perform the treatment. As our laser has a cold hand piece most clients find the treatment relatively painless apart from on the lip area which can be more tender. After the treatment the gel is removed and if the area is exposed an SPF is applied. Check out a video of a treatment being performed HERE
What happens after the treatment?
Your skin will be a little pink directly after the treatment. Your therapist will give you an aftercare leaflet explaining what you should do and what needs to be avoided directly after your session. The good news is you can shave between session so you do not have to go around with hairy legs for the duration of your treatment!
For the month of September we have the following special offers;
Bikini line €49
High Bikini €59
Californian Bikini line €69
Brazilian €79
Hollywood €89
1/2 Leg €99
Full Leg €150
Underarm €49
Book a course of 6 and get another 10% Off Total.
So why not BOOK NOW by clicking on this link.