Having lots of body hair seems so 1960s, when you think about it. When you see pictures and movies from that time, everyone seemed to be pretty hairy. From long, straggly hair on the head to rebellious unshaved legs and underarms, hair was a thing.
Now, it seems, beyond the entire roster of relief pitchers in major league baseball, each of whom sports a beard that strives to make Santa Claus jealous, most people are seeking to get rid of their hair, particularly on their bodies.
That’s where we come in. At Romeo & Juliette Laser Hair Removal, we have 12, count ‘em, 12 different lasers dedicated to nothing but helping our patients get rid of their unwanted hair for good. Enough already with the plucking, waxing, shaving, and the harsh depilatory creams!
People have questions about laser hair removal, so in this blog let’s answer a few of them.
Does darker hair make for better laser hair removal?
This is true. Laser light is directed onto your unwanted hairs and the light is absorbed by the melanin in the hair (which gives the hair its color). When the laser light is absorbed it creates heat and the heat travels down the hair shaft into the follicle where it lives. If enough heat is generated, it will destroy the hair growth center in the follicle.
Basically, the more contrast between the skin tone and hair color the better. This is because the laser energy is more fully absorbed by the hair when there is greater contrast between hair and skin colors.
Can people with dark skin tones have laser hair removal?
There is a misperception out there that people with darker skin tones can’t have laser hair removal. While this can be a problem for practices with older, lesser laser technology, at Romeo & Juliette we have the widest assortment of lasers in the industry. That enables us to set the wavelengths and other settings for effective hair removal on people of all colors.
Why does it take more than one or two sessions to remove my hair?
You can blame your hair for this. All of our three million hairs (men have a few hundred thousand more than women) are independent contractors, of sorts. Precursors of the gig economy, no doubt. Anyway, every hair can be in a different phase of the hair growth cycle: growth, transition, or at rest. Only hairs in the growth cycle will absorb enough laser energy and generate enough heat to destroy the follicle and prevent future hair growth. That’s why you need more sessions — to catch more hairs in the growth phase.
Can I get rid of 100% of my unwanted hair?
Realistically, we tell patients that approaching 90 percent hair reduction is what they can expect. Now, if you continue to have more and more treatment sessions, you may be able to get that number closer and closer to 100 percent, but that is difficult. Remember, the targeted hairs need to be in the growth cycle. Then the hair follicles need to be fully destroyed, not partially destroyed, as they may be able to repair themselves and start growing hair again. Plus, hair growth can be influenced by hormones and certain medications you may take.
There isn’t another laser hair removal expert like Romeo & Juliette. Let’s put our 12 lasers to work on your unwanted hair. Contact us to set up a complimentary consultation, (212) 750-2000.