Smooth, Hair-Free Skin With Laser Hair Removal in Brookline
Shaving, waxing, and other temporary hair removal methods can require frequent maintenance. If you are looking for a longer-lasting way to reduce unwanted hair, laser hair removal may be an option to consider.
At Dream Spa Medical in Brookline, laser hair removal uses the GentleMax Pro™ system to target hair follicles with controlled laser energy. Treatment can be customized based on the area being treated, your skin type, hair characteristics, and individual goals.
How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?
Laser hair removal targets pigment within the hair follicle. The laser delivers focused energy to the follicle, which can interfere with its ability to produce hair. Because hair grows in different stages, multiple treatments are generally needed to address follicles during their active growth phase.
The treatment can be used on many areas of the body, including the face, neck, underarms, arms, legs, bikini area, back, chest, and abdomen. Your provider can help determine which areas are appropriate for treatment during your consultation.
“Get rid of annoying, unwanted hair with Laser Hair Removal at Dream Spa!”
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Unwanted hair
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Inability to shave the area
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Bikini line maintenance
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Pigmented lesions
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Small vascular lesions
What to Expect During Treatment
Laser hair removal sessions vary in length depending on the area being treated. During the procedure, you may experience a brief warming or snapping sensation as the laser delivers energy to the targeted follicles. The GentleMax Pro system also incorporates cooling technology to help make treatment more comfortable.
Temporary redness, warmth, or mild swelling can occur afterward and generally settles as the skin recovers. There is typically no extended downtime, although your provider may recommend avoiding activities such as strenuous exercise, excessive heat, and direct sun exposure for a short period after treatment.
You may not notice an immediate change in hair growth. Treated hairs can take time to shed, and additional sessions are needed as different follicles enter the active growth phase.
Preparing for Laser Hair Removal
Proper preparation can help your treatment go more smoothly. Dream Spa Medical recommends avoiding tanning and direct sun exposure before treatment and avoiding waxing, tweezing, or epilating the area being treated. Shaving is generally recommended because the laser needs to target the hair follicle beneath the skin.
Your provider will review your specific pre-treatment instructions during your consultation, including any medications, skincare products, tattoos, or other factors that may affect your treatment.
Laser Hair Removal in Brookline
If you are tired of repeatedly shaving or waxing unwanted hair, laser hair removal can provide a longer-term approach to reducing hair growth. Dream Spa Medical in Brookline uses GentleMax Pro™ and develops treatment plans based on each patient’s skin, hair, treatment area, and goals.
Contact Dream Spa Medical in Brookline to schedule a consultation and learn whether laser hair removal is right for you.
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Laser hair removal can be applied to a number of areas. During your consultation, you’ll be able to work with your practitioner to settle on the outcome you’d prefer.
Our GentleMax Pro laser is able to permanently reduce unwanted hair the following areas:
- Face
- Neck
- Legs
- Underarms
- Bikini
- Back
- Shoulders
- Arms
- Chest
- Abdomen
- Backside
During your laser hair removal in Brookline, you’ll potentially experience some very mild discomfort. The GentleMax Pro’s proprietary cooling device helps minimize any discomfort.
For possible side effects after treatment, any redness or mild swelling will resolve within a few hours after your session. You’ll be ready to enjoy your day.
Your laser hair removal in Brookline has other benefits, including treating pigmented lesions and small vascular lesions.
This advanced system delivers short pulses of laser light energy. Concentrations of pigment disproportionately absorb this energy, which destroys the pigment. This fades the lesions while leaving the surrounding tissue healthy and untouched.
For small vascular lesions like spider veins, the short bursts of GentleMax Pro laser light energy get absorbed by the dark, unwanted spider veins—thereby destroying them. Your body’s natural systems absorb and flush away the destroyed capillaries, erasing them for more youthful, evenly toned skin.
The treatments are customizable and will be configured to achieve results for your specific situation and needs.
Pre- & Post-Care Instructions for Laser Hair Removal in Brookline
- Women who are pregnant should not receive laser hair removal. If you are nursing and would like to pursue treatment, we ask that you consult your PCP for clearance.
- Avoid direct sun exposure & tanning beds for 2 weeks prior to your appointment.
- Please avoid using self-tanners for 2 weeks prior to your appointment, specifically in the area to be treated. If you have used self-tanner outside of the 2-week timeframe, we ask that you please exfoliate the area to ensure no remnants of the product are left in the area to be treated. The self-tanner could compromise your treatment, as the laser cannot distinguish between self-tanner and melanin (a common target for all laser wavelengths); therefore, the laser may not reach its intended target. More importantly, the laser energy could burn the surface of the skin since the laser is targeting the “tanned area” instead of your hair follicle.
- We ask that if you are currently taking oral antibiotics or steroids, you discontinue the medication for 10 days prior to your appointment.
- If you are currently taking or have taken a medication in the Isotretinoin family, such as Accutane, we ask that you wait at least 6 months before pursuing laser hair removal.
- Please inform us of any tattoos or permanent makeup in the treatment area. We want to be sure to avoid treating near any ink, as the laser may disturb or discolor the area.
- We ask that you do not tweeze, wax, or epilate the hair to be treated while pursuing a laser hair removal course of treatment. This can disrupt the hair growth cycle and impede the laser from reaching its intended target (the root of your hair follicle). Please wait 6 weeks to schedule your appointments after you have used any of these modalities.
- It is best if you arrive to your appointment free of makeup, perfume, lotion, or deodorant in the treatment area.
- Please shave the treatment area completely the night before or morning of your appointment.
- If you have difficulty with pain management during your treatments, we are happy to provide topical numbing cream at a small additional charge. If you would like to add this to your service, we ask that you alert our scheduling coordinators when making the appointment and arrive 30 minutes prior to your appointment time so that we can apply the cream for you.
- If you have a known allergy or sensitivity to Cryogen Cooling Therapy, please inform our team when scheduling your appointment.
- We always suggest hydrating as much as possible prior to any treatment at Dream Spa Medical. It is a great way to help your body function at its best and help to accelerate your healing time as well as enhance results.
Face and Neck LHR
- Your provider will help guide you in your current home care routine and make recommendations on what to avoid. As a general rule, active ingredients such as acids (glycolic, salicylic, etc.), retinol products (Rx or over-the-counter), or topical prescriptions such as antibiotic or steroid creams should be discontinued 7 days prior to your appointment. The exception to this would be if you are using our suggested Environ Vitamin A treatment cream or serum (Youth Essentia A or Skin Essentia A). These products should always be used leading up to your treatment.
- If you are prone to Herpes Labialis outbreaks, we suggest pretreating with an antiviral medication for 2 days prior to your treatment and 2 days post-treatment. Dream Spa Medical is happy to provide you with a prescription, assuming that you are a candidate for this prescription.
- The treated area may feel uncomfortable and slightly warm immediately after treatment. Redness and swelling are an expected and desired response in most cases. Your provider will soothe your skin with aloe vera gel or hydrocortisone in the treatment room. If the treated area feels more than slightly warm, we encourage icing for a minimum of 5 minutes. Do not leave the treatment room if you feel a burning or intense heat sensation in the treated area. Disposable ice packs will be provided to you if necessary, and you may continue to use them at home if it feels comforting.
- We strongly encourage you to avoid direct sun exposure to the treated area or the use of tanning beds for at least 2 weeks following this procedure.
- Always use a physical protectant SPF (zinc oxide, titanium dioxide) and reapply throughout the day.
- In some cases, you may experience a prolonged hive-like appearance to your skin along with an itchy sensation in the treated area. This is normal and in most cases will subside within 2 to 4 days if treated with any over-the-counter hydrocortisone product.
- Avoid the use of perfumes, lotions, and deodorant in the treated area for 24 hours.
- Avoid strenuous exercise, sweating, and excessive temperatures for 24 hours.
- We suggest avoiding tight, constricting clothes, as this will allow your skin to cool and heal properly.
- We ask that the only form of hair removal that you do for the duration of your laser hair removal series is shave. All other forms of hair removal compromise the growth cycle and our ability to target the root of your hair.
- You may proceed with any injectable treatments and most cosmetic procedures immediately following your treatment. We are always happy to make accommodations when scheduling to ensure that you are able to receive all of the treatments that you are interested in. We know your time is valuable, and we want to make it seamless for you to make Dream Spa Medical your one-stop-shop for all your cosmetic needs.
For Face and Neck Areas
- We strongly recommend ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica as a base in the morning and ISDIN Mineral Brush for reapplying throughout the day.
- Your provider will make appropriate home care recommendations tailored to your specific plan, but a general rule is to avoid all active ingredients such as acids (glycolic, salicylic, etc.), retinol products (Rx or over-the-counter) or topical prescriptions such as antibiotic or steroid creams until your skin feels “back to normal,” or for a minimum of 2 days. The exception to this would be if you are using our suggested Environ Vitamin A treatment cream or serum (Youth Essentia A or Skin Essentia A). These products can be used as early as the following day.
Treated hair may not shed for several weeks. It may even appear as though new hair growth is occurring. 2 weeks is typically the time frame you can expect to see changes in growth. You may choose to “coax” hair along with a mild scrub and face cloth once you hit the 2 week mark. Your hair goes through many different phases of growth, and laser hair removal in Brookline can only be effective when your hair is in the anagen phase. This happens when the hair follicle is in the “growth” phase and directly attached to your blood supply.
For this reason, multiple treatments in each area are required in order to ensure each follicle has been appropriately destroyed. Once the follicle is destroyed, this hair will still need to work its way to the surface. We can assure you that the hair will eventually shed and your hair growth will significantly decrease.
You can typically expect approximately 20% reduction of hair growth within a 4- to 8-week timeframe following each treatment. This will depend and vary with each area treated, and it is for this reason why certain areas are spaced at different intervals. It is imperative to stick to the schedule set by your provider in order to optimize your treatment and results.