With Spring and bathing suit season just around the corner, now is the time to learn more about getting rid of unwanted hair through laser hair removal.  Not all patients who seek laser hair removal are good candidates for this dermatological procedure.  This is because the patients who respond best to laser hair removal have fair skin and coarse, dark hair, and laser technology works by targeting dark pigmented hair follicles.  Lasers have been used for hair removal and reduction since about 1997, and this is a safe, effective way to reduce hair growth beyond what can be accomplished with shaving or waxing because the lasers actually interrupt the hair follicle cycle preventing regrowth.  Laser hair removal can focus on the underarms, legs, bikini area, face, back, and even toes, and both men and women can benefit from treatment.  Some patients ask us if this type of hair removal is painful.  We advise our patients that laser hair removal is no more painful than waxing, but it is a different sensation.  When the laser is pulsed, the feeling is similar to the snapping of a rubber band on the skin.  However, the sensation does not last, nor does it continue after the laser pulse ends.  If a patient is more sensitive than the average person, a numbing cream could be indicated if treating a small area, but this is at your dermatologist’s discretion and medical expertise.  West Houston Dermatology Laser & Skincare Center has successfully treated hundreds of patients with laser hair removal.