All You Need to Know About Laser Hair Removal and Tattoos
Are you tired of endless shaving and waxing? Well, they can be really tiresome, unsustainable, and expensive. And the sad part is that most of the time, the results are not really what you expect, and your hair grows back quite fast. You then decided to have laser hair removal to finally get rid of your unwanted hair, but there’s one huge problem: you have your newly done tattoo. So the next question is, would you still have a laser hair removal treatment?
A lot of people with a new tattoo worry about whether or not they would still push through with laser hair removal. If you have tattoos and you want them to be removed, then you know that lasers are an effective way to remove them. But is the laser used in laser hair removal and the one used in removing tattoos all and one the same?
To get to the bottom of things, we’ve prepared this article so you will know all about laser hair removal and if that treatment can significantly affect your tattoos. Let’s begin.
What Is Laser Hair Removal and How Does It Work?
Laser hair removal, also called laser epilation, is a process that employs laser energy to stop the production of hair. It works by targeting and destroying the hair follicle. This process can be done for either short- or long-term.
In the short-term, the laser will heat up the hair follicle to disable it temporarily, and the hair will stop growing. But if you have long-term treatment, then the laser will destroy the hair follicle so that it won’t grow back.
It is considered the most effective form of hair removal.
A treatment session can last up to 30 minutes per area. It all depends on each person’s body and how fast their hair grows.
During the laser hair removal, the laser emits light energy, targeting the melanin (pigment) in the hair. Once the energy is absorbed, it will then go to the follicles and then turn into thermal energy. As a result, this heat damages the follicle, which in turn prevents further hair growth.
Can People With Tattoos Undergo a Laser Hair Removal?
You might be wondering if you can still have laser hair removal if you have tattoos. Well, the answer is yes. People with tattoos are still eligible to undergo laser hair removal treatment. But, certified laser technicians will not recommend a laser hair removal treatment to people with tattoos.
While it is true that laser hair removal and the laser used in tattoo removal are both lasers, they still have varying intensities and wavelengths. However, laser hair removal can still potentially erase and permanently damage your tattoo.
It undergoes the same process: the ink of the tattoo will absorb the laser's energy and will diffuse it, heating the skin and the ink of the tattoo. As a result, the ink will be diffused, leading to permanent damage to that tattoo.
Can People Get Tattoos After a Laser Hair Removal?
If you wish to get a tattoo after the laser hair removal, it is best that you do it after all the laser hair removal treatment sessions you have. You know that sometimes, it requires more than one session to remove all the unwanted hair you want. So if you get a tattoo in between the sessions, then it may run your newly done tattoo.
So give it a few weeks after your final laser hair removal treatment before getting inked.
Conclusion
Laser hair removal is the most effective way to remove your unwanted hair. But if you have tattoos, you have to proceed with caution as it can potentially damage your tattoo. But if you still want to proceed, make sure that you get a consultation from a dermatologist first before having a laser hair removal treatment.
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