Does Your Age Affect The Effectiveness Of Laser Hair Removal?
Laser hair removal is a safe procedure that can be used by anyone of any age to remove unwanted hair. Having said that, though, your age can affect the type of results you receive when you undergo this treatment. Here's more information about this issue to help you make the best decisions when deciding whether laser hair removal is right for you.
The Hair Grows Back in Teens
Teens who want to undergo laser hair removal are generally able to do so (some companies won't perform it on people under a certain age though). However, it's important to understand that your results will likely not be permanent depending on where you are in your growth stage. This is because your body is still changing, and hormone fluctuations can negate the laser's long-lasting impact and cause some or all the hair to return within a few weeks or months.
Thus, it may be necessary for you to have touch ups done on a regular basis; at least until you have finished growing. The good news is laser hair removal isn't harmful and won't hurt your health or growth, so you can use it as many times as necessary to achieve your desired results.
Some Grey Hair Won't Be Removed
On the opposite end of the spectrum, older people may have difficulty getting grey hair removed. This is because the laser used in the process detect hair based on the amount of melanin in the hair shaft. Lighter hair has less melanin, so the laser will have a hard time finding and removing it. Additionally, hair tends to become thinner and finer as a person grows older, and fine hair has difficult absorbing enough of the heat generated by the laser to be dissolved.
This is why laser hair removal works best on people with dark coarse hair and people with light fine hair sometimes struggle to get results. However, there are some lasers that have been designed to treat people with fair hair. They typically operate at higher intensities than regular lasers, which can result in other problems depending on your skin sensitivity and tone.
It's best to discuss the issue with the technician and do a test patch to see how the laser will affect you before having the entire procedure done. This will help you avoid wasting money if the treatment doesn't work or developing serious problems if you experience side effects.
For more information about laser hair removal or to schedule an appointment, contact a local technician.