Laser Hair Removal

As the name implies, the CoolGlide handpiece cools and soothes as it glides along your skin. When the pulse of light is delivered, some patients experience a mild pinching or stinging sensation. No local anesthesia or pain medication is typically required; however some patients may prefer to use a topical anesthetic when sensitive areas are treated.

Most areas require 3-6 treatments. However, the number of CoolGlide treatments required for optimal long-term benefits depends on multiple factors – hair thickness, the area treated, and your hair’s growth cycle. Interestingly, not all hairs are actively growing at the same time and actually go through three distinct phases: growth, regression, and resting. CoolGlide treatments 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.

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

Although patients experience few side effects, the most commonly noticed are slight reddening and local swelling of the skin, similar to a sunburn. These effects typically last for several hours or less. In rare instances, blistering may occur. Consult with your medical professional for complete information on the benefits and risks of treatment.

Electrolysis is a tedious, invasive, and painful process that involves inserting a needle into each individual hair follicle and delivering an electrical charge to them one at a time. Electrolysis often requires years of treatments at regular intervals. By delivering light energy to hundreds of hair follicles at a time, the CoolGlide effectively treats an area in just seconds that would take over an hour with electrolysis.