Many people are burdened by what society has deemed unsightly hair. Shaving is only a brief solution to this problem and quickly leaves tell-tale stubble. Plucking or waxing are painful and the results do not last much longer than shaving. So what is the best way to permanently remove hair from areas such as the upper lip, chin, neck, armpits, forearms, back, chest, legs, or bikini line? Many people are now discovering the benefits of laser hair removal, a non-invasive procedure that removes unwanted hair.

However there are limitations on who should have laser hair removal done. For starters, the laser works by searching for hair follicles to destroy based upon melanin. Melanin is the pigmentation in hair and skin. Thus, it is harder to target hair that is red, white, gray or true blond, and will not be as effective. Furthermore, people with more melanin in their skin (those who have dark skin or are tanned) risk skin discoloration by undergoing laser hair removal treatment because the laser will target the melanin in the skin. Thus, the ideal candidate for laser hair removal is someone with pale skin and dark hair.

For people who decide to undergo laser hair removal, there are different settings that affect the outcome of the procedure. First, the laser technician can set the pulse length, and most will chose longer pulses as long pulsed lasers tend to be safer. Second, they can adjust the fluence according to your skin. Different types of skin require different energy levels. Third, the technician sets the delay between laser pulses. The difference this gives is the time that skin and hair follicles are allowed to cool between pulses. Fourth, different spot sizes can be chosen. Larger spot sizes will reach deeper to the follicle. Last, cooling methods are chosen. The procedure can be unpleasant because of the heat emitted so the skin can be cooled by gels, sprays or lasers that have cooling tips which are pressed to the skin.