10 Important Facts on Facial Hair Removal Before You Sign Up For It

Facial hair removal in Singapore has been a reliable alternative from the usual methods you may be familiar with. It may be hard to part with old ways, but there’s also something to be gained when you try other options. Laser, after all, is an evidence-based treatment that addresses the usual concerns where old hair removal methods fall short.

If you’re interested in making that switch, here are 10 important reminders you better know first!

1. Laser hair removal is safe for the face

It’s normal to be cautious when it comes to laser treatments done on the face. Anything going awry may spell disaster at an area where it can be easily obvious. But there’s no need to worry about facial laser hair removal because medical-grade lasers are safe to use. 

Many studies have been done which supports the effectiveness and safety of laser hair removal. Some research even showed that it offers good patient satisfaction. 

For men and women, the usual areas of concern include the upper lip, chin, beard, eyebrows, neck and sideburns. Fortunately, laser treatment can safely address these spots. 

2. It’s ideal for shaping your facial hair in men

Yes, even some men are switching over to laser hair removal because it skips the itchy regrowth stage and painful bumps that usually form after shaving over a stubble. These are called razor bumps where ingrown hair grows in all sorts of directions. It occurs in any body area where hairs are coarse, abundant and subject to shaving, waxing, or tweezing. Unfortunately, these dark, red bumps can result in dark skin discoloration once healed.

With a laser, you can avoid potential skin damage. The treatment can effectively thin out the hair which makes it perfect for those spots which you constantly trim. You can clean up your neck, the tops of your cheeks, and the stragglers around your beard or mustache which are common areas for ingrown hairs. It can sculpt exactly where you want the hair to grow. 

The process can create a cleaner beard line and a polished appearance. So you can say goodbye to razors and razor burns, while saving you a lot of grooming time.

3. It’s a straightforward treatment

Facial laser hair removal works in the same way it does on other parts of the body. The process generally follows these steps. 

A brief consultation. An evaluation determines the appropriate treatment plan and the locations on your face which are to be treated. Once everything is well understood, you will be asked to sign a consent form. 

Facial prep. The area will be cleansed to remove oils from the skin and hair is shaved to a stubble before a treatment gel is applied all over.  

Eye protection. To protect the eyes special glasses are used during the procedure, which filters radiation at a specific wavelength.

Systematic treatments applied. The hand-held laser device will be used systematically across the treatment zone.

Post treatment aftercare. Your face will be cleaned, and you will be given post-treatment instructions. 

Given the smaller treatment area, laser hair removal is a quick procedure where sessions usually take around 15-30 minutes. 

4. No downtime is needed!

In each laser section, the worst it will leave you is some redness over the treated site, similar to a slight sunburn. In most cases, patients may experience minimal discomfort during and after the treatment. But there’s usually no post-treatment downtime required. Therefore, it’s possible for you to come in during a lunch break and carry on with your day afterwards!

5. Facial laser hair removal is safe and gentle

The Aesthetics Centre uses the GentleMax Pro™ by Candela™ which targets the dark pigment of facial hair, right at the root, and destroys it upon contact. What happens is the melanin in the hair absorbs the laser energy into the hair follicles which causes damage. The damage created hinders the hair follicle’s ability to grow hair. 

Hair follicle damage after laser facial hair removal doesn’t usually have side effects. Sometimes, the topmost layer of the skin may become irritated and red for a few hours. But to ensure patient comfort after the procedure, the device comes with a patented cooling system. It immediately cools the top layer of your skin before and after every pulse of the laser.

6. You may need to get off some medications

Laser hair removal is not a painful process, but the experience will depend on the person’s pain tolerance. Some medications may get in the mix and increase photosensitivity. This causes some patients to be reactive to laser energy. 

Antibiotics are a good example of photosensitive drugs. You need to wait for ten to fifteen days after the last day of your treatment before going for a laser hair removal session. Other photosensitive medications include retinoids, antidepressants, anti-allergy medications, cholesterol medication, and others which you can check here.

7. It’s safe for Asian skin

Back in the day, laser hair removal worked only on people with dark hair and light skin. However, laser technology available today, makes it suitable for people of all skin colors to get their unwanted hair removed. Nd:YAG lasers like the one used on Gentlemax Pro are long-pulsed lasers which means that it’s safe for darker skin tones.  

8. You should not pluck, wax, or bleach hair

Laser hair removal shouldn’t be done alongside hair removal methods that remove the hair from the shaft entirely, like waxing and plucking. These methods remove the whole hair right at the roots. Thus, there will be nothing connected to the follicle on which to transfer the heat. This leaves the laser with nothing to target. 

Furthermore, bleaching your hair is a big no-no prior to laser treatments because the process is not effective on hair without melanin. If you wish to remove your hair in between sessions, you can choose to shave it. In this way, you only remove hair above the skin, but the root is still attached to the follicle. This leaves enough hair under the skin to be targeted by the laser.

9. It’s not a magic solution against unwanted facial hair

As mentioned earlier, the laser hair removal process is a commitment. You will have to come for a session every six weeks or so. This is mainly due to the hair growth cycle, which is unique to each individual as well as the distribution of hair on their body. 

Laser hair removal can only target hair in the anagen phase of growth, since it is when the hair connects to the follicle. At any given time, only 20% of all your hair is in this stage. As a consequence, the laser will only be able to target up to 20% of your hair during each session. This is why you need to have a number of sessions to achieve the desired result. 

Furthermore, you can’t expect your hair to instantly fall off after your first session. It will take two to three weeks after your first treatment for the targeted follicles to slowly eject the hair out. You will see more results as you progress in your treatment, and you also have to be quite regular in your appointment. Remember to avoid shaving ten days after each session to let the hair fall out smoothly.

10. Knowledge and experience of the person giving the treatment counts

Your results will largely depend on the experience and knowledge of the person performing your procedure. When it comes to medical-grade laser treatment, not everyone is certified to operate them. Even though the process may look easy, laser hair removal can potentially injure the skin under inexperienced hands. Burns, blisters, infection, and dark spots are just some of the adverse effects of poor treatment. 

A doctor who is trained in these treatments can also suggest if it is a safe and effective option for you because not everyone is a good candidate. 

Now that we’ve covered the essential questions, we hope it helps you make an informed decision. You can book a non-obligatory consultation where we can discuss facial laser hair removal in more detail. You may call us at +65 6820 3308 or drop us a message here.