Lets talk LASER HAIR REMOVAL shall we?!
I have been DYING to get hair removal for years now and finally pulled the trigger. Let me tell ya, it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! I was honestly always concerned about the pain and never got around to getting it done until this month. In just one treatment I have seen a huge different in my hair growth and cannot wait to be HAIR FREE!
Jeff and I both got our treatments at Epi Center Med Spa here in San Francisco and had an excellent experience. I had my bikini and underarms and Jeff had the hair on his neck removed. He was SUPER excited to be hair free on his neck because it has given him so much pain to shave there over the years. It has now been a month since our first treatment and I am already seeing much slower growth and no need to shave everyday! Woohoo.
Laser Hair Removal is Epi Center Med Spa’s specialty. Dr. Bitter Sr. has been removing unwanted hair with laser and intense pulsed light since 1995. He brought that expertise to San Francisco in 1998. He and his team performed the FDA clinical trials for hair removal for ESC Medical Systems, now Lumenis, the largest laser manufacturer in the world. Dr. Bitter and his team have trained hundreds of physicians and their staff in the process of Permanent Hair Reduction, as well as other laser and cosmetic procedures.
They use Inmode High Speed Laser and the LightSheer Diode Laser to tailor your treatment program to your specific needs. Their protocol involves pretreating the skin so that stronger settings can be used to effectively eliminate the hair while protecting the skin from the occurrence of pigmentation.
Today I wanted to answer some questions I’ve gotten about Laser Hair Removal in hopes to help you pull the trigger if it’s something you are looking into. If not, no worries hope this post can educate you as well.
Q: How does it work?
A: Laser hair removal works as the light wavelength from the laser is absorbed by cells that produce hair in the follicle. The follicle is heated and the cells are destroyed. The duration of each pulse is just long enough to damage the follicle, while the system’s ChillTip helps protect the skin by conductive cooling during the laser energy delivery.
Q: How many treatments do I need and how often?
A: Each hair follicle passes through three different growth phases. An active (growth) phase, an intermediate (resting) phase where no growth occurs but the hair is still visible, and a resting phase where the hair is released from the follicle. It is necessary to treat the hair in an active growing phase in order to target the cells that produce the hair in the follicle. Because not all hair follicles are in a growing phase at the same time, multiple treatments are required for optimal hair reduction. Generally, most patients will require between 4 to 6 treatments. Treatments for facial areas are usually scheduled 6 – 8 weeks apart, while body areas are scheduled 8 – 12 weeks apart.
Q: Does the laser vary from doctor to doctor?
A: Yes! I was surprised to learn that there are different lasers that can be used. The lightsheer laser has a large spot size of the handpiece so treatments can be done quickly. Epi Center also says that laser hair removal’s success is 30% technology and 70% technique. While it is important to have a laser that can achieve the results, it is even more important to see someone with significant experience and attention to detail. The more skilled the treatment provider is, the fewer treatments it will take to achieve the desired result. I love and trust the staff whole heartedly at Epi Center.
Q: Is laser hair removal permanent?
A: From what I can tell, YES! Epi Center has patients that they treated 10 years ago that are still hairless from the treatment. The FDA prefers the term to be called ‘reduction’, but most of the patients at Epi Center have called it permanent hair removal.
Q: How is the pain?
A: I’m not gonna lie, it is pretty painful. BUT SO WORTH IT. The laser goes over the treated area just twice, so in most cases its a pretty quick procedure. Epi Center also offers numbing cream 30 minutes prior to help eleviate the pain. Again, in my experience it is on the more painful side, but worth it for years to come. After the treatment, the skin will appear slightly red and will feel like a mild sunburn. This reaction usually goes away within 30 minutes.
Q: How much does a treatment cost?
A: Cost varies from doctor to doctor. Some offer in packages, but Epi Center prices are very affordable. They also don’t believe in selling packages and charge you after each treatment which doesn’t lock you in to a certain number.
Epi Center Med Spa pricing per treatment:
- Bikini: $99
- Brazilian: $225
- Underarms: $99
- Lip anc chin: $99
- Front or back of neck $99
- Full back: $300
- Full legs: $300
We filmed some of our treatment on Instagram stories if you are interested to see how it went. I saved the stories under my “skincare” highlights.
That’s all for now! I’ll keep you posted on Instagram as we continue to get treatments. As always, let me know if you have any questions in the comments! You can also email or dm me as well.
xx Jenna
