Is Laser Hair Removal Painful?

Laser hair removal can be painful, but it is tolerable for many patients. The pain is often described as a rubber band slapping against the treated area. There are some factors to be aware of that affect the intensity of the pain, including: Body area: Areas of your body that have thinner skin and more sensitive nerve endings, such as your upper lip, bikini line, and underarms, will be more painful than areas such as your legs and back Pain tolerance: Everyone feels pain at different thresholds. People with a higher threshold will experience less pain during treatment. Skin tone and hair type: Patients with lighter skin tones and hair pigments will experience more pain because they lack sufficient melanin, and lasers are most effective on darker hair. Topical numbing cream can be applied to the treated areas for 30min prior to your laser to reduce the pain.

How Many Appointments Will I Need?

Since hairs are not permanently removed during laser hair removal, patients require multiple laser hair removal appointments with Dr. Sato in Abilene, TX, to achieve optimal results. The number of appointments depends on factors such as skin tone, hair color, and the area of your body you want treated. Smaller areas of your body need fewer appointments than larger areas, such as the chest or back. Since hairs on different areas of your body grow at different rates, and laser hair removal is most effective during the active growth phase, patients require multiple appointments to ensure all follicles are targeted during that stage. Appointments are generally 4-8 weeks apart, with areas with faster hair growth requiring more frequent sessions, and a total of around 6-8 sessions.

How Long Until I See the Results?

Patients who receive laser hair removal in Abilene, TX, usually see 10%-25% hair reduction and shedding within one to three weeks following their first appointment. Between sessions, some hairs may start to grow back, while others in the area may appear hair-free. As you attend scheduled appointments every one to two months, the targeted area will become smoother and hair-free. After you complete the initial 6-8 sessions over the course of 6-9 months, your hair reduction will be around 80% or higher. We recommend attending maintenance appointments every 6-12 months after your initial session to keep your skin smooth and hairless. It’s important to stay on track and continue attending appointments within the timeframe to ensure your hair is targeted during its growth stage.

Can I Combine Laser Hair Removal with Other Procedures?

While combining laser hair removal with other procedures can benefit your skin’s overall appearance, it’s extremely important to use caution when combining treatments to avoid damaging your skin and health. Timing and targeted areas are crucial to keep in mind. Combining laser hair removal with other procedures in the same area, too close to the same date, or targeted area can lead to scarring, blistering, and infection. Before combining laser hair removal with any other procedures, please consult Dr. Sato, so she can help you find a way to complete each procedure in a safe way. It is vital to follow the pre- and post-treatment plans Dr. Sato will provide you during your consultation and appointments.

What Are the Risks Associated with Laser Hair Removal?

Taking sufficient time to understand the risks associated with laser hair removal is crucial before continuing with treatment. It is normal to have mild discomfort while experiencing temporary skin irritation, redness, swelling, or changes in skin pigmentation around the hair follicles for a couple of days. More risks include burns, blisters, scarring, or permanent changes in skin pigmentation, but these are rarer. Dr. Sato avoids these risks by following a proper treatment plan with a consistent schedule to allow adequate healing time between sessions, using professional-grade safety equipment, and confirming that you understand the necessary steps to avoid these risks.

Abilene, TX

In Abilene, TX

Laser Hair Removal

Introduction to Laser Hair Removal

Taking hours out of your week to shave, wax, and pluck unwanted body hair can be frustrating and annoying. Dr. Erika Sato’s practice offers a more efficient, long-lasting alternative with laser hair removal in Abilene, TX. Regardless of skin tone, hair color, or hair type, laser hair removal is one of the most common non-invasive procedures for treating unwanted body hair. People choose laser hair removal for aesthetic, practical, and medical reasons. Patients often have a goal of achieving smoother skin, avoiding skin irritation and ingrown hairs, and avoiding the laborious upkeep of hair removal. No matter what your reasoning for seeking laser hair removal, Dr. Sato ensures the process will go safely and smoothly.

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Laser Hair Removal Treatment

Laser hair removal is a non-invasive medical treatment using a concentrated laser to heat, damage, and remove hair follicles. Your melanin pigment, residing in small cavities where your hair grows, directly absorbs the light from the laser. This is where the laser heats and damages the hair, causing it to slow down growth over time. The procedure leads to permanent reduction in hair, and regular appointments are necessary to achieve optimal results.

People naturally have hair on nearly every part of their skin. Laser hair removal can target any area of your body, especially areas with thicker hair, such as the bikini area, underarms, shoulders, chest, back, legs, arms, and neck. We do not recommend treating areas around your eyes to avoid the risk of damaging your vision.

Note: Since the laser targets the hair follicle underneath the skin, it’s important to shave the area with a clean blade within 24-48 hours of your appointment. The laser may burn your skin if you have stubble, as the laser is intended to target hair follicles beneath, not above, the skin’s surface.

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Meet the Doctor

Dr. Erika Sato

Dr. Sato is a Plastic Surgeon in Abilene, TX, specializing in a myriad of medical procedures, including laser hair removal and cosmetic surgery of the face, body, and breasts. She has numerous affiliations, including certification from the American Board of Plastic Surgeons (ABPS), the American College of Surgeons (FACS), the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), the Texas Medical Association (TMA), and the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS). Dr. Sato treats each patient like family. Her philosophy of creating a new, confident you through shaping your outer beauty to reveal your inner beauty inspires her to ensure you get the high-quality results you deserve.

Am I a Good Candidate?

The best candidates for laser hair removal in Abilene, TX, are those who:

Have a lighter skin tone and darker hair: It’s easier for the laser to target because of the contrast in hair follicle color and skin tone.
Have coarse hair: The laser is more effective at targeting coarse hair because the hair has a larger diameter and a higher melanin concentration, which enhances laser absorption.
Don’t want to wax or shave their body hair: laser hair removal results last longer, requiring significantly fewer appointments per year.
Have overall good health: You should not have any open wounds, rashes, infections, or other skin conditions on the area you wish to treat.
Have realistic expectations and understand the risks: Laser hair removal reduces the frequency and coarseness of your hair over time, but the treatment does not completely remove it.

You may not be a good candidate for laser hair removal if you:

Have light, fine hair: The laser relies on hair follicles with darker pigments to absorb its energy, and light hair contains less melanin.
Are pregnant: There is insufficient research on the safety and effects of laser hair removal in pregnant women.
Use certain skin medications with caution: Acne and eczema treatments can increase your skin’s sensitivity to the laser, potentially causing damage.
Have skin-related conditions: If you have one or more skin conditions, let Dr. Sato know during your consultation so she can determine whether laser hair removal is safe for you.

Laser Hair Removal Recovery

After your laser hair removal session in Abilene, TX, expect a few days of recovery. The treated area of skin will have some redness, be slightly swollen, and sensitive to the touch, similar to a sunburn, for a few hours. The hair from the treated area will shed over the next couple of weeks. Cold compresses, soothing gels, or a gentle, fragrance-free moisturizer can help keep the treated area more comfortable.

Avoid strenuous activity, wearing tight clothing, direct sun exposure, and hot showers for a minimum of 48 hours to give your skin room to breathe and heal with limited interruption. Picking and scratching the area can cause scarring, especially if the area blisters or crusts. When cleaning the treated area, lightly wash it with cool water and gentle soap, then pat your skin dry with a soft towel.

Laser Hair Removal Results

Laser hair removal if done according to current recommendations (8 sessions spaced 4-6 weeks apart then maintenance 1-2x per year) will lead to permanent reduction of hair in the treated areas. Changes in hormones such as puberty, pregnancy, breast feeding, menopause etc, can lead to an increase and change in texture/color of hair to those previously treated areas.

Your hair will shed over the course of 1-2 weeks following each appointment. Depending on where each hair is in the growth phase at the time of the laser treatment, the results can vary. The hair not in the active growth phase will slowly regrow finer. When your hair does grow back, it will be finer, patchier, and less dense. The more sessions you complete, the more your hair production will be reduced.

Laser Hair Removal Cost

The cost of laser hair removal at Dr. Sato’s practice in Abilene, TX, depends on the areas of your body you wish to treat and the number of sessions required to achieve your goals. The smaller the area, the less the session will cost.

Smaller areas include areolas, buttocks strip, bikini line, inner thighs, chin, ears, and upper lip.
Medium areas include the buttocks, face, and shoulders.
Large areas include the back, full legs, and arms.

Booking a consultation with Dr. Sato is the best way to determine the cost of your laser hair removal. At your consultation, Dr. Sato will assess the areas you wish to treat, discuss your goals, and let you know the cost of your treatment.

Laser Hair Removal FAQ’S

Laser hair removal can be painful, but it is tolerable for many patients. The pain is often described as a rubber band slapping against the treated area. There are some factors to be aware of that affect the intensity of the pain, including:
- Body area: Areas of your body that have thinner skin and more sensitive nerve endings, such as your upper lip, bikini line, and underarms, will be more painful than areas such as your legs and back
- Pain tolerance: Everyone feels pain at different thresholds. People with a higher threshold will experience less pain during treatment.
- Skin tone and hair type: Patients with lighter skin tones and hair pigments will experience more pain because they lack sufficient melanin, and lasers are most effective on darker hair.
- Topical numbing cream can be applied to the treated areas for 30min prior to your laser to reduce the pain.
Since hairs are not permanently removed during laser hair removal, patients require multiple laser hair removal appointments with Dr. Sato in Abilene, TX, to achieve optimal results. The number of appointments depends on factors such as skin tone, hair color, and the area of your body you want treated. Smaller areas of your body need fewer appointments than larger areas, such as the chest or back.

Since hairs on different areas of your body grow at different rates, and laser hair removal is most effective during the active growth phase, patients require multiple appointments to ensure all follicles are targeted during that stage. Appointments are generally 4-8 weeks apart, with areas with faster hair growth requiring more frequent sessions, and a total of around 6-8 sessions.
Patients who receive laser hair removal in Abilene, TX, usually see 10%-25% hair reduction and shedding within one to three weeks following their first appointment. Between sessions, some hairs may start to grow back, while others in the area may appear hair-free. As you attend scheduled appointments every one to two months, the targeted area will become smoother and hair-free.

After you complete the initial 6-8 sessions over the course of 6-9 months, your hair reduction will be around 80% or higher. We recommend attending maintenance appointments every 6-12 months after your initial session to keep your skin smooth and hairless. It’s important to stay on track and continue attending appointments within the timeframe to ensure your hair is targeted during its growth stage.
While combining laser hair removal with other procedures can benefit your skin’s overall appearance, it’s extremely important to use caution when combining treatments to avoid damaging your skin and health. Timing and targeted areas are crucial to keep in mind. Combining laser hair removal with other procedures in the same area, too close to the same date, or targeted area can lead to scarring, blistering, and infection.

Before combining laser hair removal with any other procedures, please consult Dr. Sato, so she can help you find a way to complete each procedure in a safe way. It is vital to follow the pre- and post-treatment plans Dr. Sato will provide you during your consultation and appointments.
Taking sufficient time to understand the risks associated with laser hair removal is crucial before continuing with treatment. It is normal to have mild discomfort while experiencing temporary skin irritation, redness, swelling, or changes in skin pigmentation around the hair follicles for a couple of days. More risks include burns, blisters, scarring, or permanent changes in skin pigmentation, but these are rarer.

Dr. Sato avoids these risks by following a proper treatment plan with a consistent schedule to allow adequate healing time between sessions, using professional-grade safety equipment, and confirming that you understand the necessary steps to avoid these risks.

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Patient Reviews

“Dr Sato is Excellent! ”

Dr Sato is Excellent! She did a great job on my Botox, sunken eye issue resolved w filler (AMAZING) & luscious lips!!! She did my Mommy makeover a few years ago & every year when I go for my annual gyno & mammogram they always compliment me on my lift and implants! I trust her honest opinion! She is an artist! So glad I finally used her for my face! 🙂

— Kayla Hayes

Schedule a consultation

After determining that laser hair removal with Dr. Sato in Abilene, TX, will help you achieve your body hair removal goals, connect with us. Our accommodating and professional patient care coordinator will kickstart your one-on-one consultation with Dr. Sato. Feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns, and we will happily assist you.

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