Are You a Laser Hair Removal Candidate?

It seems nowadays, everyone want to go for laser hair removal. Women want in because it makes them feel more feminine and bikini-ready all the time. However, if you are a man and is thinking of hair laser removal, you are perfectly normal too.

Laser hair therapist are no longer surprised at the number of men who turn up for their services, whether they are straight men or gay. Men who undergo laser hair removal usually do so to reduce their body hair such as chest, armpits and back. In fact, male athletes prefer this method to keep them groomed at all time and ready to perform.

For these people, conventional hair removal proved to be a short term solution and too time consuming. Gone are the days of plucking and using harsh chemical such as Nair, only to have hair growing back two days later. Another problem with conventional hair removal method is the occurrence of unsightly in-grown hair. Laser hair removal is the answer to those problems but the question is, will it work for you?

Unfortunately, laser hair removal is not for everyone. Its not so much as the cost as the price of laser hair removal have been significantly reduced due to fierce competition in the market. With that said, a single treatment can set you back $400 and you need 4 to 8 treatments to complete the course. This however, is still not the main reason why laser hair removal don't work for just anyone.

The laser beam only work for hair with high amount of melanin, which is a type of color pigment in the skin. The more pigment, the darker your hair will be. Generally, these pigments will absorb the laser light and convert it to intense heat that will kill the hair right from its follicle.

Since the skin also contains melanin, your unwanted hair preferably contain much more melanin than the skin in order to absorb most of the light from the laser beam. This is the reason why people with fair skin and dark, coarse hair is often a good candidate than those with fine and light colored hair. Generally, the laser will only kill hair follicles and not skin cells, making it a safe 'lunch time' treatment with virtually no side effect nor downtime.

Therefore, if you have blond hair, or dark skin tone, laser hair removal is not an option. A more conventional method using ruby laser or electrolysis may be more a more viable option here.

By Steff X

Laser Hair Removal - Is it the Best Way of Getting Rid of Unwanted Hair?

When it comes to laser hair removal, many people are very skeptical about it and they seem to believe that there are many risks involved and that laser hair removal is not the best choice to go with. Well, in this article we will explore the benefits of home laser hair removal, laser hair therapy and of course laser hair removal in general. This fantastic use of technology is not only the best laser hair treatment on the market today, but it is also extremely safe and it gets rid of the unwanted hair in a painless and efficient way!

It is a pretty terrible thing that many people are the victims of excessive hair growth, hair can spout out anywhere! Upper lips, toes, feet, legs and armpits are just a few of the places that many people have problems controlling their hair on. Many people have turned toward laser hair treatment to get rid of this excess growth and have found that it has worked wonders! Having laser hair removal can make all sorts of unwanted hair go away permanently, so you will never have to cut yourself again, get rashes from hair-removal creams or spend thousands of dollars on hair removal treatments that simply do not work.
One of the first steps you will need to make when you are looking into laser hair therapy is consulting your dermatologist. This will most likely determine whether laser hair treatment is right for you and to be honest, most laser hair treatment is right for most people. A dermatologist will just refer you to the best laser hair removal agency and advise you exactly where to go. If you are looking to do your laser hair therapy at home, there is home laser hair removal available, so your doctor can check into this for you as well.

During the actual procedure, the most you will feel as they remove the hair are warm pinpricks and most people have been known to fall asleep while they are getting their hair removed with a laser. While some slight swelling and redness may appear, it will definitely fade after just a few days and if you use an ice pack, you should have little to no discomfort at all.

Laser hair treatment is extremely popular among celebrities, as they have to look perfect all the time and need to have all of their unwanted hair removed for good. If celebrities have been getting this procedure done for decades, laser hair treatment must not only be safe, but it also must be extremely effective! So why not give it a try and ditch the razors and cream that only hurt your skin? Laser hair removal is a simple, effective way at removing unwanted hair and it is the best possible treatment out there. As long as you do all of your research and are informed and educated, your results will be extremely happy and you will never have to deal with unwanted hair ever again!

By Bernice Eker

Los Angeles Laser Hair Removal Review

What is Laser Hair Removal?

The first laser hair removal was preformed 20 years ago but did not become commercially available till 1995 with the Intense Pulsed Light (IPL), which technically wasn't even considered a laser due to the fact that it emits a full spectrum of light. The basic premise behind laser hair removal is to remove unwanted or unsightly body hair using selective photothermolysis (SPTL), in which lasers are used to selectively damage to the follicle that causes hair growth while not heating the rest of the skin. The part of the skin that is damaged is, melanin, and the laser works best for dark coarse hair and is commonly used to remove hair from the lip, thighs, bikini area, hands and toes. It works best for dark colored hair on light colored skin but it there are new technologies that will remove hair from dark skin as well.

Since 1997 the FDA has approved laser's for hair removal for "laser hair reductions", and the procedure has grown in popularity, along with electrolysis this has grown to be one of the most poplar procedures to remove unwanted body hair.

Los Angeles and Cosmetic Surgery

Along with San Diego, Los Angeles has been a mecca for plastic surgery and the go-to place to get cosmetic surgery; with more plastic surgery centers per square mile than almost any metropolis around the globe, Los Angeles is considered the arena of the cosmetic surgery industry. With the affordability and availability of cosmetic surgery reaching new heights in the 21st century, the act of going under the knife hasn't been a practice only reserved for the elite and wealthy. Firemen, teachers, and others see the benefit of cosmetic surgery and are now getting work done.

If you're anywhere close to the Southland and you are looking for any type of procedure you are definitely going to be shifting your eyes towards Los Angeles to research practices, doctors and surgical centers.

As far as Los Angeles and laser treatment centers there are three primary leaders in this field and our review of the top three centers of laser hair removal in Los Angeles are reviewed here.

Westside Medical Spa

Westside Medical, with locations in Malibu, Westwood, and Beverly Hills uses two types of laser hair removal, the Soprano Diode Laser and Palomar StarLux Intense Pulsed Light system, depending on which Los Angeles laser hair removal center you're located in.

The Soprano Diode is a 810 nm diode laser, which supposedly is the gold standard of lasers when it comes to laser hair removal, which has been toted as the most comfortable and painless laser on the market today. Head practitioner Dr. Ravkin, a graduate from Yale, and a UCLA faculty member brought the Soprano laser to the Westside Medical Spa recently and it has been very profitable for him.

The staff at Westide Medical Spa is friendly and courteous, and Dr. Rivkin, from what we can gather from his testimonials is complete professional and expert in his field.

Cosmetique Med Spa

Cosmetique Med Spa is also one of the top Los Angeles medical spas that offers a doctor-administered laser hair removal in the greater Los Angeles area. Cosmetique uses the widely popular Fraxel laser, which was actually showcased the show "The View", highlighting the non-abrasive laser as the future of laser hair removal, praised for it's virtually painless treatment of sun spots, unwanted hair, Melasma, and wrinkles around the eyes.

Although Cosmetique is not an exclusive user of the Fraxel laser they may have the most experience in Los Angeles with this particular laser hair removal product.

Medical Director, Ramin Sarshad, M.D. has been practicing medicine for 13 years, graduating from Loma Linda University and is considered an authority non-invasive aesthetic treatments, with many laser skin treatments under his belt he is held in high-regard in the cosmetic surgery arena.

South Coast Med Spa

With over 50,000 laser treatments performed, South Coast Med Spa is the laser treatment center to contend with. The orginal South Coast Med Spa was launched in Newport Beach, but they're practice has grown by leaps and bounds and have opened up shop in LA and soon to be in San Diego.

Laser hair removal is the procedure that seems to be their core competency but they are familiar with all non-invasive cosmetic surgery treatments. With more and more spas, medical practices and even nail salons offering laser hair removal it's hard to sift through the chaff but luckily for us places like South Coast Med Spa have set the bar high.

What it comes down to is who you feel comfortable with and who you trust. Someone one wise once said, "Do business with who you like and trust." So if you check out these places and you don't like them or don't trust them than you should probably extend you're search. But don't take my word for it, do your own diligence and check out these practices yourself.

By Ben Joven

Laser Hair Removal Safety - Is Laser Hair Removal Safe?

Since its introduction to the public in the mid-90's laser hair removal has become popular. But you might be curious as what laser hair removal safety is like? As with any medical procedure you should know all the risks beforehand. Despite the fact that it is a non-invasive technique that requires zero recovery time there are nevertheless risks involved.

Although it is considered relatively safe, laser hair removal does have some potential drawbacks to consider. For instance in some cases hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation have been reported. This is the lightening or darkening of the skin. An even rarer occurrence has been the risk of blistering which is usually the result of an inexperienced laser operator who is unfamiliar with the device. While it is normal for there to be a little bit of pain from the procedure if you feel an uncomfortable amount of you should ask them to stop immediately.

Although rare other risks include, reddening, swelling, and risk of infection although all of these conditions are temporary and easily treatable.

Since the introduction of laser skin treatments the estimates are that the industry will generate $7-9 billion dollars in 2009. After botox it has become the second most requested cosmetic surgery and while not without its risks it is a relatively safe procedure.

If you are concerned about laser hair removal safety there are certainly many other less permanent ways to deal with hair removal. One of the newest uses thermicon technology to heat up the root which inhibits hair growth, while using blades like a regular shaver to remove hair. The combination of these two things reduces hair growth by as much as 64%, which means it can keep you hair free for months.

You should also consider using a hair removal cream. Although the results are not permanent it is painless, quick, effective, and quite cheap when compared with lasers or electrolysis.

By Kalani Smith

How to Avoid Irritation When Shaving Your Bikini Line

Threading, waxing, plucking, laser, depilatories, electrolysis and shaving... ouch! So many types of hair removal and so little time to decide which one will work for you. The least expensive and least painful choice will always be shaving but you might be worried about the potential side effects especially in your delicate pubic area. Here are some of the potential problems you may encounter while shaving your bikini line and how to avoid them:

1. Razor burn is the skin irritation often caused by a blunt razor or incorrect shaving techniques. It is usually presents as a rash that shows up a day or two after shaving.

2. Ingrown hairs, also known as razor bumps, are red raised bumps on the skin where the hair has curled back into the skin after shaving and it is not uncommon for the bumps to become painful and inflamed.

3. Razor nicks occur when the skin being shaved is cut by the sharp blade of the razor or by pressing or scraping the razor too hard against the skin.

The best way of treating these common side affects of shaving is by preventing them. You can do this by:

* Purchasing perfume and dye free shaving products that are made for the thin skin of the pubic area.

* Taking a long soak in the tub to soften hair before shaving.

* Cleaning your razor with alcohol after shaving to kill any lingering bacteria.

* Exfoliating the pubic area after bathing but before shaving. Exfoliate gently every day in the shower whether you shave that day or not.

* Using a clear, moisturizing shaving cream or foam so you can see where you are going and reapplying as needed while shaving.

* Using a fresh razor blade and replace it as often as needed while shaving.

* Shaving every other day for the first few weeks; then switch to daily shaving.

If prevention is not an option and you are itching or in pain then help skin heal by:

* Refraining from shaving until skin has healed.

* Cleaning the pubic skin gently with mild soap and following this with an astringent formula that contains salicylic acid.

* Applying a cream of one percent hydrocortisone or one that includes aloe vera to reduce redness, pain and irritation.

* Moisturize the area every day with a dye and perfume free formula.

* Brew chamomile tea bags, let them cool and apply to the irritated skin. Leave them on for ten minutes or more, remove and discard the tea bags and pat skin dry.

See a doctor if these steps don't work and skin is still irritated and painful after a few days. Follow your doctor's recommendations and continue to refrain from shaving until your skin has healed.

Using the right products and techniques will make bikini line shaving easier and problem free. You'll look great wearing that new lingerie or that teeny, tiny bikini you just bought for the beach.

By Bonnie Jo Davis