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laser hair removal chicago

Are you tired of shaving day after day? Are you ready to be rid of that unwanted body hair for good? At VITAHL Chicago, we offer laser hair removal with two unique laser systems to provide treatment options for people of all skin types. During your consultation, our experts will evaluate your skin type and determine the best laser suited to your needs and the results you want and deserve.

What Is Laser Hair Removal?

Laser hair removal treatments use lasers to deliver low-level laser energy to your hair follicles. The pigment in your treated hairs will absorb this laser energy, effectively killing the growing hair, which over time will fall out. This safe, targeted procedure offers patients many months and up to one year of hair-free results in treated areas.

VITAHL Chicago has chosen two best-in-class lasers to provide high quality, consistent and safe results to its patients. The lasers we offer include:

CoolGlide Nd:YAG

  • considered the gold standard in the laser industry
  • the longer wavelengths of this laser allow it to be used on patients with light or dark skin tones, as well as tanned skin
  • effective on all skin types
  • can be used to treat Pseudofolliculitis barbae, commonly known as razor bumps
  • offers permanent hair reduction

ProWave 770

  • one of the fastest treatments
  • allows for large areas to be treated rapidly
  • effective on a wide range of skin types
  • offers permanent hair reduction

Both laser systems have a proven history of being safe and effective treatment options. Both systems have a cooled hand piece to reduce adverse skin reactions and discomfort during treatment.

What Benefits Can I Expect From A Laser Hair Removal Treatment?

Laser hair removal can stop hair growth in the treated area for up to one full year in some cases. The treatment effectively kills hair in the treatment area, which will shed, and slows the recurrence of future hair growth in the area. Using lasers to remove unwanted hairs has many additional benefits. The procedure is non-invasive, safely targets only the hairs during treatment, can treat wide areas of the skin quickly and provides quality and consistent results.

Is Laser Hair Removal Safe?

A few myths surrounding laser hair removal make them sound much more dangerous than they are. One of them is that the radiation from laser hair removal can cause cancer. There is no medical evidence to support this claim, and most physicians agree that the laser technology poses no risk of causing cancer to the patient.

Another common myth is that laser hair removal can cause infertility. In reality, the laser cannot penetrate through the skin or reach any internal organs.

Despite this, it is generally recommended that you do not undergo laser hair removal if you are pregnant or may become pregnant since there has been no research into the possible effects of laser hair removal technology on women. If you are seeking laser hair removal because of hair that has arisen during pregnancy, that hair will likely fall out on its own after childbirth anyway. 

In general, laser hair removal is extremely safe, and, other than a few minor side effects, you are not likely to develop any harmful conditions due to laser hair removal treatment. 

What Are The Possible Side Effects Of Laser Hair Removal?

Laser hair removal has some side effects most of which are rare. Rare side effects of laser hair removal treatments include blisters in individuals with darker complexions and permanent changes in skin coloration or scarring. Other side effects include swelling and redness in the treatment areas, and these side effects normally subside quickly.

What Areas Can Be Treated?

Laser hair removal can eliminate unwanted hair from all parts of the body. Common areas treated by laser hair removal include the face, legs, arms, underarms and back areas. Laser hair removal is also safe for sensitive areas including the chest, areola and bikini lines. Most areas will require approximately five to ten sessions depending on hair thickness and the hair growth cycle, and your doctor will recommend the right initial treatment cycle based on your concerned area and ultimate aesthetic goals.

If you frequently suffer from in-grown hairs on any part of your body, laser hair removal can be an effective way to prevent them from forming. By damaging the hair follicle, the thin or non-existent hair can no longer grow improperly into your skin. 

Am I A Candidate For Laser Hair Removal?

Unfortunately, not all hair can be treated. Laser and light-based technology cannot effectively treat blonde, white, red or gray hairs because they do not contain enough pigmentation (melanin) to absorb the laser energy which makes the treatment effective. Individuals with darker hairs — regardless of the pigmentation of your skin — tend to make better candidates for laser hair removal treatment. 

During your consultation, our experts will evaluate if you are a candidate for laser hair removal, and if you are not, your doctor will talk to you about other options to achieve your particular aesthetic goals.

What Can I Expect During My Laser Hair Removal Procedure?

You will not need to prepare your concerned areas for your laser hair removal treatment. However, your doctor will advise you to avoid excessive sun exposure for about six weeks before and after your laser hair removal treatment. Also, your doctor will advise you not to remove any hairs by the roots before your treatment since the hairs cannot be treated if they are pulled out. This includes pulling, plucking or waxing away any hair in the treatment area. 

Once in your doctor’s office and treatment room, you will be made comfortable, and the area to be treated will be cleansed before receiving your laser hair removal treatment. Once your doctor begins the procedure, the feeling you’ll experience during treatment can best be described as small rubber bands snapping repeatedly against your skin. 

However, there is generally no need for local anesthesia or pain medication since it is a relatively mild sensation, but patients may request a topical anesthetic if they have extremely sensitive skin or are generally concerned about experiencing pain. Your doctor may ask you to wear protective goggles if your treatment area lies near your eyes. Your treatment will conclude with ice or cold water to soothe the treatment area.

Your treated area may look and feel sunburnt after your treatment, which is natural. You may use cold compresses or moisturizes to increase your comfort as necessary if you have sensitive skin, but you may not need these to feel comfortable. To protect your treatment area, wear sunscreen if you expect to have more than average sun exposure, and if you wear make-up, you may do so during your recovery to mask any recovery symptoms.

When Will I See My Laser Hair Removal Results?

The treated area may appear red and swollen immediately following the treatment, and this is a completely natural and temporary outcome of the procedure. This tenderness will generally subside within a few hours of treatment. Within three to seven days following treatment, the hair in the treated area may appear to regrow, but do not be concerned. The treated hair is actually pushing itself out of the hair follicle and shedding as a result of your laser treatment. Shaving is permissible between treatments, but you should not wax or pluck the treated area so that you receive the procedure’s full benefits.

How Long Will My Results Last?

Every individual differs, so how long your results last will vary. However, most patients enjoy the results of the laser hair removal treatment for between six and 12 months. Most patients require periodic touch-ups to maintain their look, and your doctor will recommend the best follow-up plan based on your individual experience and aesthetic goals.

How Much Does Laser Hair Removal Cost?

The cost of your laser hair removal is dependent on a few different factors. The first factor is which treatment you decide to go with. Our office offers CoolGlide Nd:YAG and ProWave 770 because we have found them to provide the most reliable and substantial results to our patients.

The second factor is the area you are having your laser hair removal performed. If you are going for a small area, such as the chin or upper lip, you could be looking to pay anywhere between $100 and $300 per session. 

But if you are looking to treat a larger area like your back, arms or legs, that price could jump up to anywhere between $250 and $800 per session. 

The next factor is how many sessions of laser hair removal your specific anatomy will require. Most patients need somewhere between four and six sessions to achieve optimal results, but it could go lower or higher one or two sessions depending on your unique conditions. These sessions will typically be spaced out about six weeks apart, so treatment could take between seven and nine months in most cases.

One of the most important factors to consider when getting quotes for laser hair removal is that a more expensive price tag usually comes with more experience and expertise in the procedure you are having. There are plenty of places out there that will do laser hair removal for a fraction of the cost of established practices, but they usually cannot guarantee the same quality of results. 

When it comes to having a procedure done on your body, you definitely want to aim for quality results and treatment from an established practice like VITAHL Medical Aesthetics, not just the cheapest option you can find.

Professional vs. At-Home Laser Hair Removal

There are plenty of at-home devices on the market that claim to provide outstanding results that are on par with the results you would get from having professional laser hair removal performed. But these at-home products pose serious risks to your skin health and are not subject to the same kind of regulation that professional devices and procedures are.

Since the FDA considers these at-home products to be cosmetic, they aren’t tested as well as professional laser hair removal systems. This could mean that even the slightest misuse with one of these at-home lasers could cause temporary or permanent skin damage. They are especially dangerous around the eyes, tattooed areas or near moles or other pigmented areas.

The at-home rigs are also generally much smaller than what a commercial machine is, so you can plan to spend an abundance of time if you are looking to cover any sizable area with one of these small machines. Since they are not as powerful, you can also expect to need a lot more sessions to achieve ideal results.

Plus, if you have ever noticed a patch of hair that you missed while shaving or waxing yourself, you can expect the same kind of inaccuracy during this treatment as well. At-home lasers might seem like an attractive investment early on, but they are rarely worth the cost, considering they are not as powerful as professional devices. 

At the end of the day, you might just end up heading over to a professional anyway once you realize you might not be able to get the results you were hoping for.

Why Choose VITAHL Chicago?

You are in good hands with VITAHL. VITAHL Chicago’s owner and medical director, Dr. Tahl N. Humes is a National Laser Trainer and a National Spokesperson for Cutera® Lasers. She is known for her proficiency in laser medicine and has performed thousands of aesthetic treatments with lasers and injectables. Also, our practice has over 50 years of combined medical experience coupled with 30 years of combined experience helping our patients achieve their cosmetic goals. Dr. Humes and all the doctors at VITAHL have a single goal in mind — to provide the best possible customized care and service to our patients, offering them the safest and best non-invasive treatments available.

Call (312)-634-6100 to speak to one of VITAHL’s cosmetic medicine specialists about your laser hair removal treatment and get a complete, complimentary consultation that can put all your cosmetic needs into perspective. Find out if you qualify for a laser hair removal treatment and how you can make your laser hair removal a part of a full rejuvenation plan. With VITAHL, you can start looking your best today.