Laser Hair Removal for Teens IN BUCKHEAD AND ALPHARETTA
Keep the hair you want and get rid of the rest.
Teens face incredible pressure these days and having unwanted body hair only adds to the stress. Whether for social reasons or because they are competitive athletes looking to gain an edge in sports such as swimming and wrestling, laser hair removal for teens is becoming more common. It’s not just for girls, either. Many boys are interested in getting treated for body hair, too, especially on the neck and back.
SAFE FOR BOTH GIRLS AND BOYS
Laser hair removal for teens
When it comes to laser hair removal, our adult and teen clients at our Buckhead and Alpharetta locations agree: It’s time-consuming to shave your legs and armpits daily. That’s not all teens are worried about, either. Girls may be self-conscious about a mustache or thick eyebrows. Boys may be embarrassed by excessive arm, neck, or back hair.
The good news is that laser hair removal is incredibly safe for teens, especially when administered by a certified specialist in our Buckhead or Alpharetta office. In fact, laser hair removal is far safer than tanning beds.
IS LASER HAIR REMOVAL SAFE FOR TEENS?
Trust our specialists
Many teens ask if laser hair removal is safe. The answer is “yes,” for two reasons.
First, the lasers use non-ionizing energy, so there is no risk of skin cancer. Second, the laser never passes the dermis, or second layer skin, where the hair follicles are located. Still, you need to ensure that your laser hair removal treatment is administered by a trained and certified professional – such as the ones at Bella Medspa’s Buckhead and Alpharetta locations who have experience working with teens.
After enough treatments, laser hair removal is permanent, and it’s most effective when removing dark hair from light skin. Consequently, lasers are exceptionally good at permanently removing pubic hair.
If you are a teen considering laser hair removal at our Buckhead or Alpharetta office, then you should first discuss with your parents whether removing body hair permanently at your age is something you won’t regret later in life. You must also be mature enough to follow all our pre-care and post-care instructions, such as avoiding excessive exposure to the sun, and stick to the treatment schedule we prescribe for you.
THE NITTY-GRITTY ON LASER HAIR REMOVAL FOR TEENS
How young is too young?
Before receiving laser hair removal at our Buckhead or Alpharetta office, teens should have finished puberty, in accordance with recommendations from experts. If you are a girl, you should have started your menstrual cycle. You’ll also want to be hormonally stable and in good health. In other words, you shouldn’t have a medical condition such as polycystic ovarian syndrome.
If you are between 17 and 19, laser hair removal will be more effective than if you are 14. This is because younger teens’ bodies are flooded with rapidly changing hormones, which creates rampant hair growth.
Different types of hair
Before undergoing laser hair removal treatment at our Buckhead or Alpharetta locations, it helps teens to know about the distinct types of hair on our bodies. All hair is made of keratin, a hard protein that’s also found in your fingernails and toenails. Hair growth begins beneath the surface of your skin at a hair root inside a hair follicle, a small tube in the skin.
You have two types of hair on your body. Vellus hair is soft, fine, and short. Most girls have vellus hair on their chest, back, and face. It can be darker and more noticeable in some girls than others, especially those with darker complexions. Vellus hair helps the body maintain a steady temperature by providing some insulation.
Terminal hair is coarser, darker, and longer than vellus hair. It’s the type of hair that grows on your head. Around puberty, terminal hair starts to grow in the armpits and pubic region. On boys, terminal hair begins to grow on the face and other parts of the body, such as the chest, legs, and back. Terminal hair is there to provide cushioning and protection.
Sometimes, excess hair growth can happen because of certain medical conditions. In girls, polycystic ovary syndrome and other hormonal disorders can cause dark, coarse hair to grow on the face, especially the upper lip and chin, as well as on the chest, belly, and back. Some medicines, including anabolic steroids, can also cause excessive hair growth.
What alternatives are there?
The teens who come to our Buckhead and Alpharetta office considering laser hair removal have often tried several other alternatives – listed below – and have found them to be unsatisfactory.
Shaving
Shaving is the most common alternative to laser hair removal. But this can lead to ingrown hairs or “shaving bumps.” It can also lead to cuts. Before hair can be waxed, it must first be grown out. This goes against the idea of hair removal. Finally, cream depilatories have been known to cause chemical burns. This isn’t a risk you want to take.
- How Long It Lasts: One to three days.
- Pros: Shaving is inexpensive, and you can do it yourself. All you need is some warm water, a razor, and shaving gel or cream.
- Cons: Razor burn, bumps, nicks, cuts, and ingrown hairs are side effects of shaving. Ingrown hairs can happen with close, frequent shaving. When the hair begins to grow, it grows within the surrounding tissue rather than growing out of the follicle. The hair curls around and starts growing into the skin, irritating it.
- Tips: You’ll get a closer shave if you shave in the shower after your skin has been softened by warm water. Go slowly, pulling looser areas of skin taut before running the razor over them. Change razors often to avoid nicks. Using shaving cream may also help protect sensitive skin, such as the skin in the pubic area. If you’re nervous about cutting yourself, you can try an electric razor instead.
Plucking
Using tweezers, a person stretches the skin tightly, grips the hair close to the root, and pulls it out.
- How Long It Lasts: Three to eight weeks.
- Pros: Plucking is inexpensive because all you need are tweezers. But it can be time-consuming because you can only remove one hair at a time. Devices called epilators (prices range from $20 to several hundred dollars) can pull out multiple hairs at once.
- Cons: Plucking can be painful. If the hair breaks off below the skin, a person may get an ingrown hair. After plucking, you may notice temporary red bumps because the hair follicle is swollen and irritated. Epilators aren’t a good idea for use on areas such as eyebrows because they pull out a bunch of hairs at once and don’t give you precise control.
- Tips: Make sure you sterilize your tweezers or other plucking devices with rubbing alcohol before and after use to reduce the chance of infection.
Depilatories
A depilatory is a cream or liquid that removes hair from the skin’s surface. They work by reacting with the protein structure of the hair, so the hair dissolves and can be washed or wiped away.
- How Long They Last: Several days to two weeks.
- Pros: Depilatories work quickly, are readily available at drugstores and grocery stores, and are inexpensive. They’re best on the leg, underarm, and bikini areas; special formulations may be used on the face and chin.
- Cons: Applying depilatories can be messy and many people dislike the odor. If you have sensitive skin, you might have an allergic reaction to the chemicals in the depilatory, which may cause a rash or inflammation. Depilatories may not be as effective on people with coarse hair.
- Tips: Read product directions carefully and be sure to apply the product only for the recommended amount of time for best results. If you want to use a depilatory on pubic hair, read product labels to find one that says it’s safe to use on the “bikini” area or genitals.
Waxing
A sticky wax is spread on the area of skin where the unwanted hair is growing. A cloth strip is then applied over the wax and quickly pulled off, taking the hair root and dead skin cells with it. The wax can be warmed or may be applied cold. Waxing can be done at a salon or at home.
- How Long It Lasts: Three to six weeks.
- Pros: Waxing leaves the area smooth and is long lasting. Waxing kits are readily available in drugstores and grocery stores. Hair regrowth looks lighter and less noticeable than it is after other methods of hair removal, such as shaving.
- Cons: Many people say the biggest drawback to waxing is the discomfort. Because the treatment works by pulling hair out at the roots, it can sting a bit as the hair comes off; luckily that part is fast. People may notice temporary redness, inflammation, and bumps after waxing.
- Tips: Professional waxing is more expensive than other hair removal methods. However, it can help to get a first waxing treatment done in a salon to watch how the professionals do it. If you use acne medicines such as tretinoin and isotretinoin, you may want to skip waxing because those medicines make the skin more sensitive. People with moles or skin irritation from sunburn should also avoid waxing those areas. Finally, for waxing to work, hair should be at least ¼ inch (about 6 millimeters) long. So, skip shaving for a few weeks before waxing. Waxing works well on the legs, bikini area, and eyebrows.
Electrolysis
Over a series of several appointments, a professional electrologist inserts a probe into the follicle and sends an electric current through the hair root, killing it. A small area such as the upper lip may take a total of four to 10 hours, and a larger area such as the bikini line may take eight to 16 hours.
- How Long It Lasts: It is intended to be permanent, but some people have regrowth of hair.
- Pros: Some people have permanent hair removal.
- Cons: Electrolysis takes money and time, so it’s usually only used on smaller areas, such as the upper lip, eyebrows, and underarms. Many people describe the process as painful, and dry skin, scabs, scarring, and inflammation may result after treatment. Infection may be a risk if the needles and other instruments aren’t properly sterilized.
- Tips: Talk to your doctor if you’re interested in this method. They might be able to recommend an electrologist with the proper credentials.
Laser hair removal that caters to teens
Bella Medspa has specialized high-technology laser hair removal devices that cater to skin tolerance and skin complexion of our Buckhead and Alpharetta teen clients. Treatments vary and are based on specific skin types and complexion.
The Bella Medspa laser hair removal specialists are just that – specialists. Each aesthetician at our Buckhead and Alpharetta offices not only has laser hair training and certification, but also extensive experience working with teens. They can also offer treatments for severe acne, leaving your skin rejuvenated and even.
Because our aestheticians are trained and certified to deal with multiple variations of skin types, complexions, and ages, you can begin to see positive results immediately after treatment. At Bella Medspa’s Buckhead and Alpharetta locations, we truly offer laser hair removal that caters to teens.
