Would you like to get rid of some of those fur balls attached to your body? Tired of shaving, plucking, or waxing? Have some money you want to get rid of? You might want to try laser hair removal.

What is laser hair removal?

The dark hair follicles in your body absorb the laser light energy. As they absorb more and more energy the follicles die and you can no longer grow hair in that spot. The FDA has approved several lasers for permanent hair removal but results can be variable.

Who is a good candidate for laser hair removal?

The ideal candidate would be very pale with very dark hair. If you are dark skinned with light hair, the laser energy will be absorbed by your skin and not your hair. In general, very dark skinned people are not good candidates for laser hair removal. If you have a tan, wait until it fades out. The rule is that the hair must be darker than the surrounding skin. You also need to eliminate beta-carotene from your body. For best results stop eating carrots, squash, and other orange vegetables and stop taking beta-carotene supplements. This is because beta-carotene tends to make the skin yellowish.

On what areas of my skin can hair be removed?

Any area except that close to the eyes. Common areas are face, upper lip, neck, periareolar(around the nipples of the breast), underarms, back, abdomen, bikini line, and legs.

Are there any adverse outcomes?

There may be pigment changes in surrounding skin that can last up to several months. However, this change is not permanent.

How much will it cost?

There is some variation across different areas of the country but laser hair removal typically costs around $500 per treatment per area. Each area requires about four treatments for effective and permanent hair loss so that a complete treatment will be about $2000.  Large areas like the entire back or both legs will be much more and smaller areas like the upper lip will be considerably less.

How do I find a good clinic?

Make sure that the medical director is board certified in dermatology and that at least one other doctor is also board certified. Qualifications vary from state to state. California, for example limits those who can do laser hair removable to licensed MDs, RNs, or Nurse Practitioners.  Electrologists, medical assistants, and other unlicensed persons may not perform this procedure. Experience also counts so ask the clinic how many treatments they have done.

Is permanent hair loss guaranteed?

No. Permanent hair loss is the usual outcome but results vary from person to person and permanent hair loss cannot be guaranteed.