Laser hair removal is one of the most common beauty treatments done in New York City. It’s no wonder with the prospect of permanently reducing the growth of unwanted hair in unwanted places. It’s a fact that laser hair removal performed on appropriate candidates reduces hair growth by up to 90% after a series of treatments. At skin Bar NYC our members typically start conservatively choosing one area for treatment. After seeing the results many of our first clients accumulate memberships equal to full body laser hair removal.
While some of you reading this article have heard about laser hair removal from friends who are already doing it, there are still many who are afraid to take the plunge. The number one reason people stay on the side lines is because of the- dare I say it- Pain. Ouch!
Laser hair removal can be uncomfortable. But, there are a few tricks that will dramatically reduce the “ouch” factor.
Shave. When we shave any part of our face or body we are exfoliating the skin. That means taking off the protective layer on the surface. This exposes the layer beneath which is more sensitive. Be sure to shave 24 hours before your laser treatment. This gives that new layer of skin a chance to breathe and acclimate to the new environment.
Be Cool. During the summer months our skin perspires, and the pores on our skin open up. Open pores and hot skin can make for an uncomfy laser session. Imagine hot skin being lazed with, well, a hot laser. You’re going to much more “ouch”. A great tip is to arrive a few minutes early and drink some cold water before your treatment. This will give your body temperature a chance to drop. Also, if your spa uses a blower for cooling the skin ask your technician to blow cold air on the area for 30-60 seconds before treatment. This will further reduce the temperature of the area being treated and close those open pores.
Blow some air. Cooling the skin during laser treatments is the single most effective method for improved comfort. Significantly, reducing the temperature of the skin numbs it, and numb skin has fewer active pain receptors. There are several cooling methods used to reduce the temperature of the skin. Cryogen and forced cold air (blower) are the most common. We like forced cold air because, unlike cryogen which cools the area for a fraction of time, the blower is a continuous stream of air at -30F. The blower allows your technician more control to force cold air on a sensitive area until the skin has reached an ideal temperature for a comfortable treatment.
Size matters. It’s probably pretty obvious but a swift and thorough treatment is always preferred over a slow one. Longer treatment time means longer time in the “ouch” zone. So, be sure your spa has the latest most advanced laser with a larger tips size to cover more area effectively and in less time. This way you can get back to your busy lifestyle as soon as possible.
At Skin Bar our technicians are trained in all the techniques mentioned. So, you never have to worry about asking for them to be administered. We know your life is busy. Leave it to us to make your beauty treatments as comfortable and effective as can be.