Except for small areas, plucking is tedious and impractical. Waxing is similar to plucking, but it can treat large areas. The laser hair removal system has been designed to selectively treat only the hair follicle while leaving surrounding tissue unaffected. The laser uses pulses of light to remove the hair, so there is no irritation to the skin, as with other removal methods. The treatment consists of a series of laser pulses, accompanied by a tingling or slight burning sensation.
Most patients describe the treatment as a series of rubber band snaps to the skin.
The majority of patients tolerate this sensation without anesthetics. However, for patient comfort, topical anesthetics or oral sedatives may be used. Within about thirty minutes of treatment, the area may become pink or red, and may feel like a mild sunburn for a day or so. Because the laser does not damage the skin, no bandages are necessary. Each laser pulse treats about a one-half inch area, which can contain ten or more hairs.