If you have ingrown hairs or razor burn, laser hair removal is a great option for you. Laser hair removal works by emitting pulses of light that destroy follicles in the hair shaft and surrounding area. It destroys only the part of the hair that grows out of the skin—not just the top layer-so there are no chemical burns, scars or damage to sensitive tissue below the surface.
Read on to learn more Is Laser Hair Removal Good For Ingrown Hairs, Why Laser Hair Removal is the Best Way to Get Rid of Ingrown Hairs
Is Laser Hair Removal Good For Ingrown Hairs
Ingrown hairs don’t seem to be anyone’s favorite topic to discuss. Therefore, you may not know how they form or ways to get rid of them. When they happen to you, there is no doubt you’ll want to react fast to manage pain and their appearance. Here is some information on what they are, and how you can remove them in no time flat with laser hair removal techniques.
Just What Is an Ingrown Hair?
An ingrown hair refers to a hair follicle that is unable to push through the skin. Dead skin, oils, and dirt clogs the area right above the hair follicle, causing hair to get stuck.
An ingrown hair ends up growing beneath the skin instead of pushing up and out like normal. Since the hair can’t grow up, it proceeds to grow sideways. As you might imagine, this is less than ideal and can cause some real problems.
Ingrown hairs happen more often to those with naturally curly hair or coarse hair. Sometimes, a hair will become trapped under the skin before it leaves the follicle, resulting in an ingrown hair. Other times, a hair will grow out of the follicle and curl back to reenter the skin.
How Do I Know If I Have Ingrown Hair?
Generally, you’ll see one or more little red raised bumps on your skin. They look like little pimples. You could also see something bigger that looks like a sore or boil. Your skin will often itch badly in that area, or it might be sensitive to touch and uncomfortable.
Ingrown hairs can happen anywhere on the body because our bodies are covered in hair. But areas that are shaved have a higher propensity. This is partly because these areas tend to have more short, curly and/or coarse hairs.
The most typical areas for ingrown hairs to occur are on the face, neck, armpits, back and chest, or in the pubic area.
Why Is It So Important to Remove Them?
There are numerous reasons why it’s important to get rid of ingrown hair, including infection. Ingrown hair pierces the skin, causing damage both above and beneath the surface. It is important to remove them before they get infected and cause health and additional skin problems.
Moreover, if you don’t remove them, ingrown hairs can lead to skin imperfections such as scars and discoloration. If you want your skin to look healthy and clear, removing ingrown hairs is essential. Otherwise, the appearance of your skin could change permanently.
Why Laser Hair Removal is the Best Way to Get Rid of Ingrown Hairs
Laser hair removal is the best and only real effective choice for getting rid of ingrown hairs quickly. This is because laser hair removal goes straight to the source of the problem, the root or hair follicle. The laser hits the follicle directly, burning away the follicle’s ability to produce hair.
Once the follicle can no longer produce hair, an affected area will begin to heal. It’s important to remember that the problem with ingrown hairs isn’t just the one-time production of hair that pierces back into your skin causing irritation. The real issue is that the hair will keep coming back and continuing to grow while stuck underneath the dermis.
A hair follicle is like a weed that will grow until you stop it. By using laser hair removal, you’re stopping the hair follicle from producing hair now and in the future. This will put an end to irritation, pain, infection, and further damage to your skin.
Laser hair removal has the advantage of being able to eliminate hair on many parts of the body. All that’s needed is a line of sight so that the laser can connect to the root.
Considerations for Men vs. Women
Both men and women get ingrown hairs. The difference between the sexes is where ingrown hairs typically occur on the body. Here’s how gender affects ingrown hairs and laser hair removal.
Men
Due to hormones in the body, men usually have more facial hair. Shaving and trimming facial hair is highly correlated with ingrown hairs. But, keeping facial hair short and groomed is not the only precursor for an irritation. Growing out a beard or mustache can also leave you with hairs that don’t want to cooperate.
Men who shave their chest and back are likely to see instances of ingrown hairs in these areas as well.
Women
While ingrown hair on the face is less likely for women, it happens to the best of us. Typically, women tend to see ingrown hairs appear more on legs, underarms, and pubic areas.
For both men and women, wait a few minutes after shaving to do a thorough check of the area. Look for redness, bumps on the skin, or any sensitive spots. Always keep shaved areas clean and don’t forget to exfoliate to remove dead skin that builds up.
Many people have turned to waxing to prevent ingrown hairs. But, waxing only removes hair. It does not stop the hair from returning to cause more problems. Laser hair removal reduces hair growth in the treated area and thus stops further pain or unsightly scars.
How you prepare for laser hair removal.
If you’re interested in laser hair removal, choose a doctor who’s board certified in a specialty such as dermatology or cosmetic surgery and has experience with laser hair removal on your skin type. If a physician assistant or licensed nurse will do the procedure, make sure a doctor supervises and is available on-site during the treatments. Be cautious about spas, salons or other facilities that allow nonmedical personnel to do laser hair removal.
Before laser hair removal, schedule a consultation with the doctor to determine if this is an appropriate treatment option for you. Your doctor will likely do the following:
- Review your medical history, including medication use, history of skin disorders or scarring, and past hair removal procedures
- Discuss risks, benefits and expectations, including what laser hair removal can and can’t do for you
- Take photos to be used for before-and-after assessments and long-term reviews
At the consultation, discuss a treatment plan and related costs. Laser hair removal is usually an out-of-pocket expense.
The doctor will also offer specific instructions to prepare for laser hair removal. These might include:
- Staying out of the sun. Follow your doctor’s advice for avoiding sun exposure before and after treatment. Whenever you go out, apply a broad-spectrum, SPF30 sunscreen.
- Lightening your skin. Avoid any sunless skin creams that darken your skin. Your doctor might also prescribe a skin bleaching cream if you have a recent tan or darker skin.
- Avoiding other hair removal methods. Plucking, waxing and electrolysis can disturb the hair follicle and should be avoided at least four weeks before treatment.
- Avoiding blood-thinning medications. Ask your doctor about what medications, such as aspirin or anti-inflammatory drugs, to avoid before the procedure.
- Shaving treatment area. Trimming and shaving is recommended the day before laser treatment. It removes hair above the skin that can result in surface skin damage from burnt hairs, but it leaves the hair shaft intact below the surface.