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laser hair removal denver

For men and women alike, the ongoing management of excessive or unwanted body hair can be a real nuisance in their daily grooming rituals. Temporary solutions for hair growth, such as shaving, waxing, tweezing and depilatories, aren’t just tedious; they are often painful, costly and time-consuming. Excess hair growth can be a source of embarrassment and frustration and can leave you feeling less than your best in your own skin.

Fortunately, advancements in laser technology have provided patients with an effective and long-lasting solution for reducing or eliminating the appearance of unsightly hair growth. With little to no discomfort or downtime, laser hair removal delivers lasting silky smooth skin by preventing hair from regrowing. In a series of laser hair removal treatments, you can achieve the soft, flawless skin you desire and say goodbye to temporary hair removal methods for good.

At VITAHL Medical Aesthetics, we hold ourselves to the highest standards in everything we do. We perform laser hair removal using best-in-class laser systems that consistently provide safe treatments and high-quality results for people of all skin types. Our medical director, Dr. Tahl Humes, and her team have helped thousands of patients look and feel their best, and we are excited to help you enjoy your most vital life.

How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?

Our lasers accomplish hair removal by emitting targeted beams of light directly into the hair follicle. This light is attracted to the melanin present in your hair, which is what gives your hair and skin its pigment. When the laser light enters the hair follicle, it heats and damages the hair bulb to prevent future regrowth. The device settings are calibrated to the specifics of each patient based on the color and coarseness of their hair, ensuring both maximum light absorption by the follicles and that there is no damage to the skin surrounding the area. Laser hair removal is virtually painless and provides a safe and effective way to achieve lasting smoothness.

What Are the Phases of Hair Growth?

Hair strands grow from hair follicles in your skin. At the base of each follicle is a living bulb, which contains active cells that divide and grow to create hair. Blood vessels bring nourishment to the bulb and deliver hormones that impact hair growth. Between starting to grow and falling out, each strand progresses through four stages. Understanding the natural hair growth cycle helps explain how laser hair removal works.

Anagen Phase

This is the active phase of hair growth. During the anagen phase, your hair grows as the cells in the bulb at the root of the hair divide rapidly. Each strand is in the anagen phase for two to seven years, making this is the longest-lasting period of the growth cycle. At any time, about 90% of your hairs are in the anagen phase.

Catagen Phase

In this transitional phase, hair growth slows as follicles shrink. Hair strands disconnect from their blood supply and the cells that produce new hair, becoming dormant. The catagen phase lasts approximately 10 days. Only about 5% of your hairs are in this phase at any given time.

Telogen Phase

The telogen phase is a resting period. During this stage of the cycle, the hair follicle is entirely inactive and no longer growing. The follicle typically remains dormant for around three months before the cycle begins again. An estimated 10-15% of your hairs are in this phase at the same time.

Exogen Phase

Shedding occurs in the final step of the cycle. At the end of the resting period, also known as the exogen phase, the hair gradually detaches from the follicle and falls out. The average person loses 50-100 hair strands each day.

Each hair follicle operates independently and progresses through the growth cycle at different times. If it didn’t work that way, all your hair would fall out at once! This impacts laser hair removal in two key ways.

First, laser hair removal treatments are most effective on hairs that are in the anagen phase. Because it is highly unlikely that every hair treated on a given day will be in the anagen phase, multiple treatments are needed to ensure every hair in the selected area is reached during the optimal stage of its growth cycle.

Second, hair growth cycles vary for different people and on different parts of the body. The optimal number of laser hair removal treatments for you may not be the same as the optimal number of treatments for someone else. Your VITAHL Medical Aesthetics laser specialist will devise a treatment protocol tailored just for you.

What Are the Key Benefits of Laser Hair Removal?

Denver laser hair removal treatments offer numerous advantages for women and men seeking permanent hair reduction:

  • Noninvasive treatment
  • Quick and convenient treatment sessions
  • Customizable treatment settings
  • Safe for many hair colors and skin types
  • Can treat most areas of the body and face
  • Little to no discomfort
  • No downtime
  • Low risk of side effects
  • Long-lasting results
  • Cost-effective in the long-term

Who Is A Good Candidate For Laser Hair Removal?

In the past, only individuals with fair skin and dark hair saw fast and lasting results with laser hair removal due to the contrast between the amount of melanin present in their skin and hair. Generally speaking, the more melanin present in the skin or hair, the darker it will be. The prevalence of melanin in darker skin tones potentially put patients at greater risk, while the lack of melanin in blond, red, gray and white hair meant that laser treatments were less effective or not effective at all.

However, today, laser hair removal can be a safe and highly effective treatment for patients with other combinations of skin tones and hair colors, including those with dark skin and dark hair. During your initial consultation in Denver, our laser specialists will carefully assess your concerns and goals to determine if laser hair removal is right for you.

What Areas Can Be Treated?

Laser hair removal can be used to treat any area of the body where you have unwanted hair growth — even delicate areas such as the face or bikini region. Some of the most common treatment areas for men and women include:

  • Underarms
  • Arms
  • Legs
  • Chest
  • Stomach
  • Back
  • Bikini area
  • Face and neck

What Lasers Do You Use for Hair Removal?

VITAHL Medical Aesthetics uses two industry-leading lasers from Cutera® for hair reduction treatments.

Cutera xeo®

  • Nd:YAG laser technology
  • Customizable treatment options
  • Appropriate for all skin types
  • Cooled handpiece increases patient comfort
  • truPulse technology delivers constant, sustained energy for rapid results
  • ProWave LX technology delivers effective results for patients with light, fine hair

Cutera excel® HR

  • Premium laser hair removal platform
  • Combines two gold standard laser wavelengths for hair removal
  • High-power 755 nm Alexandrite laser for finer hair on skin types I-III
  • Long-pulse 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser for darker skin types and tanned skin
  • Appropriate for all skin types
  • Proprietary truPulse technology
  • Superior contact cooling for improved patient comfort

What Is the Best Time to Have Laser Hair Removal Treatments?

Scheduling your laser hair removal treatments outside of the summer months can be the best option. Since it’s advantageous to have as much contrast as possible between your hair and skin, the months when you are least likely to have a tan can give you the safest and most effective treatment. Choosing these months also reduces the likelihood of excessive sun or heat exposure after the treatment, which can negatively affect your results. Late winter and early spring are ideal times for laser hair removal.

Preparing For Laser Hair Removal

Laser hair removal will require some preparations in the weeks leading up to your first appointment. Temporary hair removal methods such as waxing, plucking or depilatories must be avoided for at least six weeks prior to your laser hair removal session to ensure the laser can identify the melanin in the hair follicle. You will also need to shave your desired treatment area or areas 24 hours before your appointment. Tanning prior to treatment — including the use of self-tanners — can increase the risk of pigment changes after the laser treatment and should also be avoided.

During your initial consultation, our laser specialists will provide you with all pre-treatment instructions to maximize the safety and effectiveness of your procedure.

What To Expect From Your Laser Hair Removal Treatment

When you arrive for your laser hair procedure at VITAHL Medical Aesthetics, your treatment areas will first be cleaned and prepped, and a topical numbing cream may be applied if you have concerns about your comfort during your appointment. Both you and your laser specialist will wear protective eyewear to filter out any harmful light throughout your treatment.

During the procedure, your laser specialist will hold the skin of your treatment area taut and use a handheld applicator to deliver concentrated light pulses directly into your hair follicles. Patients often liken the sensations experienced during laser hair removal to the feeling of a rubber band being snapped against their skin. However, thanks to the contact-cooling feature on our laser device, these sensations are generally well-tolerated. The melanin in the hair will absorb the thermal light energy which, in turn, vaporizes the hair so that it cannot grow back.

The duration of your treatment will vary depending on the size and number of treatment areas. Smaller areas such as the chin or upper lip may only take a few minutes to treat, whereas larger areas like the legs can take up to an hour.

How Many Treatments Will I Need?

The number of treatment sessions you will require to achieve optimal results will be determined by several factors, including your skin type, hair density, hormones and natural hair growth cycle. We typically recommend our patients undergo six to twelve treatments spaced six to eight weeks apart for best results.

By undergoing a series of treatments, we can ensure that the majority of hairs in your target area is reached during the anagen phase when the treatment is most effective, and you remain stubble-free. With each successive treatment, you will see fewer and fewer hairs return. Finishing the recommended course of treatment in full assures that you achieve the highest degree of (it’s not permanent due to hormones/body) hair reduction possible.

Is There Any Downtime Needed After Laser Hair Removal?

No downtime is needed after your laser hair removal appointment. While you may experience some redness and swelling in the treated area or areas, most patients will usually resume normal activities or return to work right away. These side effects are generally mild and should resolve within a few days. Be sure to follow your laser specialist’s instructions for post-treatment care, including avoiding sun exposure and tanning, specific hair removal methods and any skincare products that could cause irritation.

What Results Can I Expect From Laser Hair Removal?

While laser hair removal treatments are quick and painless, it will take some time for the results of your treatment sessions to become apparent. Over the weeks following your hair removal appointment, your treated hair will gradually shed. Don’t be concerned if you see what looks like regrowth soon after treatment — this is actually the treated hair pushing itself out of the follicle and falling out. Shaving is permissible between appointments.

After completing your recommended course of treatment sessions, you can remain smooth and hair-free for months or even years. If hair regrowth occurs, the hair is often finer, lighter in color and less noticeable. Occasional touch-up treatments may be required to address new hair growth that appears over time.

Why Choose VITAHL Medical Aesthetics for Laser Hair Removal?

Laser hair removal is one of the many in-demand aesthetic treatments available at VITAHL Medical Aesthetics. Our medical director, Dr. Tahl N. Humes, is a board-certified physician, a National Laser Trainer and a National Spokesperson for Cutera® Lasers. She and her staff have been recognized locally as well as nationally for their expertise in the use of cosmetic laser technology. Together, the VITAHL team has over 30 years of combined aesthetic experience and over 50 years of combined medical experience.

To learn more about laser hair removal and whether it is right for you, contact VITAHL Medical Aesthetics today at 303-388-7380 to book your consultation.

Laser Hair Removal Frequently Asked Questions

Laser Hair Removal can remove hair from all parts of the body including the face, legs, arms, underarms, and back. It can also treat sensitive areas like the chest, areola, and bikini line.

Most areas require 5 to 10 treatments, but the number of treatments you may require for optimal long-term benefits depends on various factors such as your hair thickness, the area treated, and your hair growth cycle. Interestingly, not all hairs are actively growing at the same time, but actually go through three distinct phases: growth, regression, and resting. Our laser systems work by disabling the hair that is principally in the active growth phase at the time of treatment. Since other hairs will enter this active growth phase at different times, additional treatments may be necessary to disable all of the hair follicles in a given area.

You may feel a series of short snaps, somewhat like a small rubber band snapping, but no local anesthesia or pain medication is typically required. However, some patients may prefer to use a topical anesthetic when sensitive areas are treated.

Treatment times will vary depending on the area being treated.

Immediately following your treatment, the area may appear a bit red and swollen. Three to seven days after treatment you may experience what seems to be re-growth of hair. Actually, most of these hairs are being shed as a result of your treatment, and are not re-growing. Between treatments you should not wax or pluck your hair, but it is permissible to shave.

No. Laser or light-based system cannot treat blonde, white, red or gray hair since there is no melanin in it to absorb the light. We will evaluate if you are an appropriate candidate at the time of your consultation.

Yes. With our laser hair technology, we are able to treat all skin types, including light, dark or tanned skin. We will evaluate which laser will be best to use on your skin type at the time of your consultation.

Yes. The beauty of our technology is that it effectively destroys the hair itself without harming the surrounding skin. You may be a little red afterward, but that typically goes away in a matter of hours. As with all medical procedures there is a slight degree of risk, and we will discuss this with you thoroughly when you come in for your consultation.

Our CoolGlide technology is considered the gold standard in the laser industry because of its long history of safety and effectiveness on all skin types. The CoolGlide system's longer wavelength allows it to be used safely and effectively on patients with light or dark skin as well as tanned skin. Our ProWave 770 technology is effective on a wide range of skin types. It is also one of the fastest, allowing for rapid treatments of large areas. Shorter treatment times provide a nice benefit to our patients. Both treatments have cooled handpieces to increase patient comfort and minimizes the adverse skin reaction commonly seen with other lasers. Both treatment systems are safe, effective, and offer long-lasting hair reduction.