Laser Hair Treatment in 2022
Laser hair treatment options are available for both women and men now. Read about the most effective laser hair treatment options on the market today.
Laser hair treatment options are available for both the removal of unwanted hair and the mitigation of hair loss alike. Different people have different needs when it comes to laser hair treatments. Hair loss is a problem in varying degrees for men and women. Removing unwanted hair is conceptually also not gender specific.
Fortunately, both in-home DIY and surgical options are available. Many of these treatments have proven to be effective but which treatment is the right one for you? Prior to choosing a laser hair treatment it is advisable to spend time researching the process, benefits, and costs of each available option. Continue reading for an informative guide on the most effective laser hair treatment options on the market today.
Hair Loss vs. Hair Removal
Hair loss is a problem facing both men and women in the U.S. today. Nearly 50-million men in the country suffer from androgenetic alopecia, which is more commonly referred to as male-pattern baldness. Female pattern baldness also exists, however, especially among post-menopausal women. The cause of female pattern baldness is thought to be at least partially related to diminishing post-menopause hormones, although a true cause has not been diagnosed.
Many men grow thick body hair in locations where most females do not. This is not always the case, however, as some females grow thick facial, chest, back and abdomen hair as well. This condition is medically referred to as hirsutism, and is prominent in some women due to genetics, race, ethnicity or menopausal status.
Coping with hair loss or the excess hair growth in unwanted areas is not easy for women or men. Mistakes are often made when trying either ineffective treatments, or ones capable of making the situation worse. Laser hair treatments performed at-home or via surgery provide viable options for people in need of change. Continue reading for a comparison of the best, most reliable laser hair treatment options available today.
Comparing the Best Laser Hair Treatment Options
Multiple DIY at-home and surgical laser hair treatment products and procedures are available to help a wide variety of consumers with their hair loss or hair growth issues. While many DIY, products are designed to tackle hair removal needs, some specialize in thickening and growing fuller hair. Surgery-based laser hair treatment options are performed by board-certified dermatologists, which reduces potential side effects and increases efficacy overall. Are you a candidate for a DIY or surgical laser hair treatment? Continue reading below to learn more about options for each.
Surgical Laser Hair Removal Options
Laser hair removal treatments utilize a highly intensive beam of light, which isolates and eliminates offending hair follicles. This non-invasive procedure produces permanent results (on average) without causing damage to surrounding areas of tissue. Some amount of regrowth is possible on certain patients, however, as results might vary based on genetics, skin type and hair color.
For example, the heat source of each laser is drawn to the pigment found naturally in darker hair. Patients with blonde hair require the use of specialized lasers for the treatment to be successful. The alexandrite laser is one such laser, and its design allows it to target blonde hair with higher intensities than those required for darker hair colors.
Laser hair treatments also work differently on patients who have brown or olive-colored skin tones. Treating such patients is often even more of challenge than treating patients with light or blonde hair. Lasers are challenged to differentiate between the pigment found in dark hair and dark skin, which leads to skin discoloration if treatments are improperly performed. Thankfully, a solution is available in the form of the Nd:YAG laser. This type of laser significantly reduces the chance of discoloration, scarring and burns in patients with brown or black skin. Please note: Patients with olive skin/dark hair and light skin/dark hair combinations are the best candidates for fully successful laser hair removal treatments. What about people who want to stop hair loss and regrow thicker, fuller hair?
Surgical Laser Hair Growth Options
Clinical studies have proven the efficacy of surgical laser hair growth treatments when performed under proper conditions. The primary cause of male pattern baldness is accepted to be a genetic sensitivity to the hormone dihydrotestosterone hormone (commonly known as DHT). Low-level laser therapy treatments improve circulation around the offending follicles, which stimulates new hair growth. While studies are still ongoing and therefore not completely conclusive, prospects look good overall. For example, surgical laser hair growth treatments are most effective at repairing male pattern baldness, which is (as stated above) the most common type of hair loss issue experienced in the U.S. today.
DIY Laser Hair Treatment Options
Multiple DIY laser hair treatment options are available for both hair growth and hair loss purposes. The Capillus hair regrowth laser cap is cleared by the FDA as a laser-based hair loss prevention treatment. Users in certain studies experienced a fifty-one percent increase in their hair count during a seventeen-week trial. Capillus caps range in price between $899 and $1,199, with prices varying between retailers and laser intensity. Additional hair growth laser caps are also popular on the market include:
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IRestore Hair Growth System (from $495-$695 depending on retailer).
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Kiierr Laser Cap (between $645 and $955).
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RegrowMD Medical Devices (from $799).
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Unicun Laser Hair Regrowth Therapy Hat (from $397.31).
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HairMax Lasercomb Hair Loss Treatment ($199 and $299 options).