For many men and women, unwanted hair can be a nightmare. Until recently, the only options for removing unwanted hair were noisome hair removal creams, sharp razors, stinging wax, or painful electrolysis needles. Laser hair removal, an advanced approach to beautiful skin, provides the ultimate solution. Now, men and women alike can enjoy the benefits of the laser hair removal process.

This technology can remove hair from all body parts, including the following:

Before treatment, patients are advised to avoid tanning and sunless tanners. Broad-spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreens with SPF 15 or higher should be used. No plucking, waxing, or electrolysis should be done, although shaving or depilatory creams can be used.

On the day of the procedure, the area to be treated should be clean and free of cosmetics. A topical anesthetic cream may be applied. Most lasers have a cooling device in the form of a cool gel, refrigerant spray, or water-cooled contact piece that lessens discomfort. The device should protect the skin from excessive heating and potential darkening or lightening.

The laser pulses feel like the snapping of a rubber band or warm pinpricks against the skin. Ideally, the immediate response is vaporization of the hair shaft. Slight swelling and redness around the hair follicles appear within a few minutes.

Ice packs may be applied to the skin following treatment, and over-the-counter pain relief medicine may be taken as needed before and after treatment. If localized blistering occurs, a topical antibiotic ointment is applied once or twice daily until healed. A mild topical steroid cream may be applied to reduce swelling and redness.

After treatment, the area is cleansed, and you may return to your normal activities immediately. Cosmetics may be applied to the treated skin. However, patients should still avoid sun exposure and use a broad-spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with SPF 30 after the laser treatments.

Laser hair removal is accomplished in a series of sessions generally done monthly or every other month, or every 4–8 weeks. The average number of sessions to achieve over 80% permanent hair reduction in 80–90% of good candidates is about 4–7 sessions.

The percentage of hairs removed per session varies in different body locations, with areas of thin skin (the bikini area and armpits) generally responding better than areas of thick skin (the back and chin). Approximately a 10–25% reduction in hair growth can be expected with each treatment. The hair that re-grows tends to be lighter and finer in texture.

In between these monthly sessions, some of the hair will regrow: hairs that may have been dormant during your previous laser hair removal session may now be in the growth phase. This is where the need for multiple treatment sessions arises. Multiple sessions ensure that all the hairs are subjected to the treatment. These hairs may be shaved by the patient between sessions if desired.

Many patients find that maintenance sessions done once or twice a year are ideal for keeping hair at bay after completing the initial treatment protocol. In a minority of patients who are good candidates, hair loss may only be temporary and complete regrowth may occur. The complete regrowth is generally seen in white or blond haired patients.

The Soprano, a multi wavelength platform with both 810 diode and 755 Alex, represents cutting-edge technology for hair removal. The laser light first penetrates the outer skin layers, and the melanin pigments contained in the hair follicles then absorb the energy. This absorption turns the light energy into heat, damaging the surrounding cell layers responsible for hair regrowth.

The Soprano is optimal for safe removal of unwanted body hair, including darker skin types. Its high power reaches hair follicles at deeper levels, while application always remains delicate, guaranteeing low risk and gentle treatment.

In addition, the machine's features include integrated skin cooling and prevention against "hot-spots" by delivering energy homogeneously. A monitoring system inside the laser device regulates cooling levels, keeping the skin temperature comfortable and ensuring painless, delicate treatment of all skin types.