Laser Hair Removal

Lasers and IPL are useful for removing unwanted hair from the face, legs, arms, underarms, bikini line, back, and other areas.

Dr. Turner prides herself on outstanding patient care. She is very diligent about choosing appropriate candidates for each procedure and you can expect your consultation with her to be comfortable, informative and respectful. She will listen to your concerns and carefully evaluate you for this procedure and/or other appropriate interventions based on your clinical needs and personal preferences. To see if you are a candidate for laser hair removal you can book an appointment online or call the office to make an appointment at (214) 373-7546.

If you are planning to undergo laser hair removal, you should limit plucking and/or waxing for four weeks before treatment. The laser targets the roots of the hair, which are temporarily removed by waxing or plucking. You should also avoid tanning (real or artificial) for four weeks before and after treatment. Darkened skin from tanning makes laser hair removal less effective and makes complications after treatment more likely.

You should plan to shave the area to be treated the day before your laser hair removal appointment. The laser equipment will be adjusted according to the color, thickness, and location of your hair being treated, as well as your skin color.

Depending on the laser or light source used, you and the technician will need to wear appropriate eye protection. It will also be necessary to protect the outer layers of your skin with a cold gel or special cooling device. This will help the laser light penetrate the skin. Next, the technician will give a pulse of light to the treatment area and watch the area for several minutes to make sure appropriate settings were used and to check for any adverse reactions.

When the laser hair removal procedure is completed, you may use ice packs, over-the-counter topical anesthetic agents, and/or or cold water to ease any discomfort. You may schedule your next treatment four to six weeks later (depending on the area being treated—above the neck or below the neck).

We encourage our patients to try to remain on schedule for their laser hair removal treatments because it leads to better results. The reason for this is that we’re trying to treat the hair that will return after the treatment at a time when it is in the growth phase. At any one time, approximately 30 percent to 40 percent of your hair will be in a resting phase, meaning there is no hair in the follicle. By treating you on a defined schedule, we avoid the randomness of the hair growth cycle and treat you when most of the hair should have returned after your previous treatment. If you must miss your next scheduled appointment by a week or more, it is best to wait for a full growth cycle to occur (approximately eight to 12 weeks, depending on the area treated) until making another appointment. If you have any questions or concerns about scheduling, please feel to contact us for additional information.

Typically, you’ll see a significant reduction of hair in the treated area after three to eight treatments. Laser hair removal results in permanent hair reduction in the treated area.

To many people, laser hair removal feels like a rubber band snapping against the skin. Particular areas of the body can be more sensitive, such as the underarms, bikini, and upper lip. Pain tolerance for each patient can vary. To alleviate discomfort, we use a device called a Zimmer Chiller, a skin cooling system designed for superficial laser skin procedures. The device is intended to minimize pain and thermal injury during laser and dermatological treatments and for temporary topical anesthetic relief for injections. The Zimmer Chiller is more effective than other cooling systems because it can cool the epidermis before, during and after the laser energy has been applied without interfering with the laser beam. Sensitive patients may also use an over-the-counter topical pain relieving agent, topical ice packs, and/or cold water for excessive discomfort.

A laser hair removal consultation, performed by a medical esthetician trained to evaluate your skin and hair growth, is available at Dr. Ellen Turner’s practice. If the staff determines that you are a candidate for laser hair removal, know that the cost will vary depending on the size of the area to be treated, time required for treatment and the number of treatments needed for permanent hair reduction. Schedule your consultation online or call (214) 373-7546 today.

Patients looking for payment solutions should know that CareCredit is available for financing elective procedures. Patients may fill out and submit applications online. Once approved, patients can immediately begin their treatments, then pay for them over a series of months. Payment plans can be customized. Take some time to apply online or feel to bring questions about the payment process to our staff.