There are two main uses for lasers in cosmetic procedures: skin treatment and hair removal.

Laser Hair Removal

Having hair in unwanted places is not only a hassle, but it can make you self-conscious about the way you look. To remove unwanted hair, and keep it off, laser hair removal is easy, long-lasting, and virtually painless.

It is a fairly straightforward process. The hair follicle absorbs a high energy beam of light that a laser emits. The laser is pulsed, or turned on, for only a fraction of a second, the duration of each pulse is just long enough to treat the hair follicle, and not damage the surrounding skin. The hair bulb at the base of the hair follicle is destroyed when the the laser light energy is transformed into heat and absorbed.

A pigment called melanin, which is produced by melanocytes, is found in the hair bulb and determines the colour of your hair. The target for the laser energy in laser hair removal is this melanin pigment. This means that a laser's energy will be more effective, and the results better, if an individual has more melanin in his/her hair.

It doesn't guarantee permanent hair removal, but the treatment effectively slows hair growth. To provide relief from unwanted hair, it typically takes several treatments. Also, maintenance treatments might be needed periodically.

In hair removal treatments, the laser safely removes body hair without damaging the surrounding lighter skin.

In general, the procedure is painless. There may be some soreness or tenderness accompanying the healing process, or a slight discomfort that is often compared to a rubber band against the skin, but these symptoms are very minor and curable.

The great thing about laser hair removal is that the results are long-lasting. It may take repeated treatments to be completely rid of unwanted hairs, but once they're gone, this effect usually lasts. Besides, it is easy to treat any new hair growth.

Laser Skin Treatments

Skin treatments involving lasers differ from hair removal, because they go beyond the upper layer of skin (epidermis) and target below the second layer (dermis). Of the many types of laser skin treatments, a popular one is laser skin resurfacing. It involves a laser that gently removes layers of damaged skin so that healthy skin can form in its place.

Laser skin treatments even out skin tone and reduce signs of aging, such as highly-visible veins, wrinkles, and blotchiness.

Another type of laser skin treatment works by penetrating the epidermis and dermis layers of the skin to build healthy new tissue underneath. The healthy tissue will reduce sagging skin and wrinkles, in no time at all, by repairing the elasticity and tightness that your skin once had.

The actual laser skin treatment is rarely painful. And, the pain during healing is minimal in the majority of cases. Your face will likely be red and a little swollen following the resurfacing session. In just a few days, this should subside. You can return to your normal life immediately after leaving the clinic. To achieve the desired results with laser skin treatment, it may take several procedures; the results might not be noticeable right away, but by the end of your sessions, you should notice changes in your skin.