Laser Hair Removal For Women

Women tend to regularly shave or wax several areas of their body. Not only can this be a tedious and exhausting process, but it can also become expensive due to the razors, shaving cream, wax strips, and/or professional waxing. In recent years, modern technology allows people to get long lasting hair removal. Northwest Face & Body provides the best laser hair removal for women Bellevue and Kirkland offers.

Overview: Laser Hair Removal Treatment

Using a combination of light and heat energy, lasers create controlled damage to your hair follicles. It will also singe the hair within the follicle. Over several sessions, this process essentially deactivates the treated hair follicles. Since your follicles rotate when they are active, this is why laser hair removal requires multiple sessions. Treating all the hair follicles when they are active will produce the best results.

The laser used at Northwest Face & Body is a specialized type known as a triple wavelength laser. This allows your master esthetician to oscillate between three different wavelengths to adjust it to your specific skin type and tone. Therefore, it can adequately treat people of all skin tones.

Causes Of Excess Hair In Women

While many women will seek out laser hair removal for the convenience of not having to shave or wax as often, some women have excess body hair that can cause distress or is related to a medical condition. Laser hair removal is often a great option for these patients. 

A few causes of excess hair in women can include:

• Genetics (generally not clinical hirsutism, these patients may just have more body hair in the expected places)
• Polycystic ovary syndrome
• Adrenal gland dysfunction/disorders (Cushing’s disease or adrenal tumors)
• Increased levels of androgen
• Certain medications

Even when treating these conditions, the excess hair growth may not totally subside. This is where female laser hair removal can help.

Benefits Of Laser Hair Removal

Regardless of the motivations behind seeking laser hair removal, it carries many benefits for women wanting to permanently reduce body hair. Among the benefits include:

• Reduction in unwanted hair
• Can treat nearly any area of the body
• Helps maintain smooth, hairless skin
• Less everyday maintenance
• Reduces hair associated with medical conditions
• Safe and effective
• Prevents ingrown hairs
• Virtually painless
• Save time and money over time
• Quick sessions
• Few risks or side effects

Treatment Areas

Laser hair removal can treat nearly any part of the body that has unwanted hair. However, there are exceptions in some cases. First, while providers will treat the face, they will prefer to keep some space between the treatment area and the eyes. While you are wearing eye protection during treatment, this is to promote the safest environment possible. Some of the most commonly treated areas include:

• Chin
• Arms
• Legs
• Bikini line
• Full Brazilian
• Areola
• Upper/lower lip

Differences Between Laser Hair Removal For Women & Men

Both men and women undergo laser hair removal at nearly even rates. However, there are some differences between the treatments. The table below details some of these differences.

Women

• Focuses more on the body and specific facial areas
• Thinner hair
• Average number of initial sessions
• May require less precision since women tend to want little to no hair
• Usually want to totally remove hair
• Tend to treat smaller, but more areas

Men

• Neck, upper face, back, and chest among the most treated areas
• Thicker, coarser hair
• May require more initial sessions
• More precision necessary to maintain wanted facial/body hair
• May want to thin hair in treatment area instead of fully remove
• Tend to treat larger, but fewer areas

The treatments themselves are largely the same and the laser functions in the same way to disable the regrowth of new hair. Transgender and gender non-conforming people often seek out laser hair removal. It removes unwanted hair associated with their gender assigned at birth, or which otherwise goes against their existing identity.

Before & After Laser Hair Removal

Consultation

To begin your laser hair removal journey, you will meet with a master esthetician at Northwest Face & Body. During this appointment, you will detail the areas you want to treat and the results you hope to achieve. Your master esthetician may also ask about your medical history and aspects of your lifestyle. From there, they may examine the treatment areas to look at the thickness of the hair and skin. Your master esthetician may also recommend a laser patch test.

If they believe you are a good candidate, they will explain the process in more detail and the projected number of treatments. Your master esthetician may also provide instructions to follow leading up to your first laser hair removal session.

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Laser Hair Removal Procedure

First, your master esthetician will leave you to get changed if necessary. They will then disinfect the treatment areas. Finally, they will apply ultrasound gel and begin the treatment. They will glide the laser across the area and may pass over areas more than once. This is possible due to the unique triple wavelength capability and cooling diamond handpiece.

Your master esthetician will repeat this process for all treatment sites. You should feel limited to no pain and numbing cream is usually not necessary. Many patients relate the feeling to a rubber band snapping against the skin. The entire process can take ten minutes to an hour and a half depending on the size and number of body areas.

Care Between Sessions

After and between each session, your master esthetician will provide instructions on how to care for your skin and achieve the best results. Some of these directions may include things like:

• Keep treatment areas covered/out of the sun
• Wear sunscreen
• Do not apply skincare or products to treatment areas that you have not discussed with your provider
• Do not submerge treatment areas
• Between five and seven days after treatment, gently exfoliate out the singed hairs
• Shave the day/night before your next session

Ongoing Care

Even after laser hair removal, you may still experience spotty, thin hair growth. This is usually easily remedied and much less time-consuming than traditional shaving, plucking, or waxing. You may also need occasional laser touch-up sessions. These are typically quicker and only one to two times a year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Laser Hair Removal Permanently Remove Your Hair?

According to the FDA, laser hair removal does not permanently remove hair, but it does permanently reduce hair. Therefore, it still makes it easier to maintain hairless skin. For most, any future hair growth is patchy, thin, and managed easily.

What Happens If You Don’t Shave Beforehand?

Shaving is required before laser hair removal because this allows the laser to better reach and penetrate the hair follicle. When you have long hairs, the laser has further to travel and it makes the skin more susceptible to burns. While this new type of laser makes burns extremely rare, there is an increased risk when the area is not shaved.

Who Is Not A Candidate?

Laser hair removal is a largely low risk procedure. However, some people may not be good candidates for treatment. Some of the criteria that may disqualify a patient from laser hair removal candidacy include:

• Taking certain medications (particularly harsh acne medications)
• Anyone who is prone to raised scarring such as keloids or hypertrophic scars
• People with light skin and hair (blond, red, and gray are often not compatible though some darker shades may qualify)
• Anyone pregnant or breastfeeding
• Active infections, injuries, or open wounds in the treatment area
• History of skin cancer
• Previous adverse reaction to laser treatments
• Medical conditions such as vitiligo, lupus, or cancer

How Can Laser Hair Removal Help Trans Women?

People who are transitioning from male to female or feminine identifying often want to remove hair usually identified with men such as hair on the face, chest, and back. Laser hair removal is one of the best ways to permanently reduce and remove this unwanted hair. Thus, helping to better match one’s gender identity.

What Is The Cost Of Laser Hair Removal?

The cost of laser hair removal at Northwest Face & Body starts at $119 for four sessions when treating a small area. Additional or larger areas may cost more. Upon consultation with a master esthetician, you will receive a more accurate price quote. To view our full pricing, visit our price list.

The Best Laser Hair Removal For Women In Bellevue & Kirkland

Northwest Face & Body is a premier plastic surgery practice and medical spa located in Kirkland, WA, minutes away from downtown Bellevue. Having served the area for over three decades, their providers come with a high level of training and experience. Northwest Face & Body offers the best laser hair removal for women available in Bellevue and Kirkland. 

Our master estheticians are both medically and aesthetically certified which makes them uniquely qualified to perform medical grade procedures. Along with that, our lasers are the newest type of laser hair removal laser on the market. They can treat all skin tones and reduces pain.

To learn more and schedule a consultation, call us at 425-576-1700. You can also reach out online via chat, Price Simulator, or contact form.