Is Laser Hair Removal Worth it for Asian Hair?

Laser hair removal promises a long-term solution for unwanted face and body hair. Many Asian women and men suffer from this. It can affect your self-confidence and daily life.

Typically, Asian hair is dark and coarse in appearance. Hence, the desire to remove it may be for aesthetic choice.

To achieve this, laser hair removal is an alluring option; however, it is important to do your research.

You need to be in the know-how considering you will be spending your hard-earned money and precious time regularly for this procedure.

Also, Asian skin types are trickier to deal with, therefore, extra care must be taken.

There is an array of numerous hair removal options available, from threading, waxing to epilating. Although these do not propose a more permanent method.

This is where the supposed beauty of laser hair removal lies. The potential possibility of eliminating unwanted hair permanently is certainly inciting.

We explore whether laser hair removal is worth it for Asian hair.

What is laser hair removal?

Laser hair removal is a cosmetic procedure that has been around since 1995. It includes the use of an intense pulsed light to remove unwanted hair.

The pulses of laser light heats up to target hair follicles deep in the skin to unsettle natural hair growth.

Typically, this procedure is known to work well on women with fairer skin and dark hair. While on women of a darker complexion it does not gain the best results.

This is due to the idea of dark matter absorbing light, whereas light surfaces tend to reflect it.

Despite this being the case, advancements have been made for people with deeper skin-tones.

Asian Skin Type

To understand the requirements for Asian skin types, the Fitzpatrick scale must be taken into consideration.

The Fitzpatrick scale numerically categorises human skin colour. It is a method for estimating the response of an array of skin types to ultraviolet (UV) light.

In this instance, Asian skin falls into skin type 4. This is the broadest skin type range as it produces more melanin (dark pigment).

As well as being found in skin, melanin is found in hair follicles.

Unfortunately, the lasers can mistakenly target the melanin in the skin.

Hence, the greater melanin production within the skin, the higher the sensitivity to laser treatments. As a result, this can cause pigmentation and burning.

Asian skin has the tendency to be difficult to treat. Therefore, laser hair removal was never really considered an option.

However, with progression in lasers allows for more effective treatment of stubborn Asian hair.

Types of Lasers

As we are aware Asian skin carries more melanin. This, in turn, affects the type of laser suitable for Desi skin-tones.

During the introduction of laser hair removal, lasers such as the Ruby and Alexandrite were used. These were primarily suited to fairer skin and thinner hairs.

However, with the progression of time and technology lasers have been developed to suit Asian skin. It goes without saying that Asian hair is visibly coarser.

For example, the Diode laser is one of the best-suited lasers for Asian hair. The higher penetration rate results in a more accurate aim for the hair follicles.

Thus, this allows for safer hair removal for darker skin-tones.

However, with this comes the chances of greater pain.

Alternatively, the Nd: YAG laser is suitable to use on all skin types. Although, it works best on darker, thicker Asian hair.

It is important to note for people with white or grey hair, laser hair removal will not be effective. This is because of the lack of melanin pigment in hair follicles.

Overall, it is crucial to check with your practitioner which laser they will be using.

Preparation

Before booking an appoint for your first session it is essential to book a consultation with a qualified practitioner. These can be made online, over a call or directly.

From the consultation, you can expect a thorough brief on what to expect, how the treatment will be carried out and answer any questions you may have.

Following this, if you decide to go ahead with it, there are certain steps to follow:

• Plucking and waxing should be avoided at least 4 weeks ahead of treatment as this can disturb hair follicles
• Blood-thinning medications and aspirins should be avoided
• If you are a lover of self-tan it is advised to avoid this
• Shave your treatment area one day before your appointment
• A shower just before attending your appointment

These crucial steps should be adhered to before opting for this procedure.

The Procedure

When going forward with this procedure it entails numerous steps. Firstly, the area to be targeted must be marked. This helps enable the application.

Next, a cooling gel will be applied to the concerning area. As a precautionary step if you are getting your face treated then eye goggles will be provided.

Then the practitioner will focus a ray of highly fixated UV light which will be absorbed by hair in disabling hair follicles.

Due to this, during the first several seconds there will be mild discomfort.

Usually, one session lasts between fifteen minutes to over an hour.

The number of sessions is determined by the cycle of your hair growth. Typically, it can expand over three to four sessions to reduce the appearance of hair.

While the number of treatments spans over four to six weeks.

Aftercare

For up to 24 hours after your treatment expect your skin to be notably more sensitive. Therefore, sun exposure may irritate your skin. In this instance, SPF protection is vital.

To reduce skin redness and possible rash, treat the area with an ice pack. Otherwise, place ice cubes into a towel and place over the skin.

In extreme cases, there may be:

• Skin blistering
• Excessive swelling
• Burns
• Bruises
• Scarring

These symptoms are treatable; however, they require patience.

Furthermore, you may want to consider changing your skincare routine. This could be an underlying factor for aggravated conditions.

Our Advice

As expected this method of hair elimination can be expensive.

The cost of treatment is dependent on the number of sessions required as well as the size of the area of skin. In this instance, the larger the skin area, the greater the price.

Therefore, it is crucial to bear in mind that for Asian hair regular sessions and top-up sessions will most likely be needed.

However, if you are able to afford this procedure of hair elimination then it is worth the endeavour.

Instead, consider saving towards this treatment.

Remember to achieve the best results for your skin type it is essential to confirm the type of laser used. Coarse Asian hair requires strong lasers to combat their follicles.

Also, you may not gain permanent hair removal, yet the chances of long-term reduction is highly possible.

We hope our guide will help you make an informed decision to achieve hair-free skin.