Depilation is called the act and the result of depilation: removing the hair through some type of mechanism (pulling it, applying a specific substance, using a laser, etc.). Definitive, on the other hand, is that which concludes, determines or finishes off.
Permanent hair removal is the name given to methods that not only remove hair, but also prevent it from growing back in the application area. These procedures often cause discomfort or pain.
To develop permanent hair removal, it is necessary to attack the hair follicle. The root must be destroyed, otherwise it will grow back, just as it happens when the hair is simply pulled out.
You have to undergo several treatment sessions until you reach permanent hair removal. The destruction is done by heating the bulb with the help of a laser or pulsed light. If the follicle is not heated enough, it is not destroyed.
The laser has the ability to act on the point where the hair grows without damaging the surrounding structures. This is because melanin absorbs light, generates heat, and destroys the cells of the hair follicle.
It should be noted, however, that permanent hair removal carries certain risks. This type of methodology cannot be applied to pregnant women or people suffering from skin diseases such as vitiligo or lupus. The appearance of spots on the skin due to hair removal cannot be ruled out either. After each session, avoid direct sun exposure for two or three days.
Once we are determined to take advantage of permanent hair removal, we must choose which of the two methods seems more appropriate: laser or pulsed light. In a few words, both differ in that the first one is more specific for this type of treatment, and gives the possibility of reaching higher temperatures to eliminate the follicle.
If we observe the progress of the treatment in two patients who have each chosen a different method, it is very likely that from the third session we will notice that the laser has achieved a much greater advance than the pulsed light. In fact, many specialists recommend definitive laser hair removal to their patients, especially the diode laser, among which the Alexandrite, Duet, Soprano or Candela stand out.
Since permanent laser hair removal is a relatively modern treatment that not many people have tried yet, there are endless myths around it, false stories that fill those who have not yet taken the plunge with fear and uncertainty. Perhaps the most common of all is that “it does not work definitively, but is like any other method”; reality indicates otherwise, since statistics show a high percentage of effectiveness, although this does not occur in all patients.
When laser hair removal does not offer one hundred percent effectiveness, it is simply necessary to carry out occasional maintenance sessions, but it is not true that it gives the same results as traditional methods. Another of the lies that people spread about this treatment is that “it causes a lot of pain”; on the contrary, the people who have tried it assure that it can be tolerated without any problem, since the sensation is not pain but heat, and this is counteracted with the application of cold.
On the other hand, it is also believed that permanent laser hair removal is not recommended in the most sensitive areas of the body; however, experts say that there is no such limitation but, on the contrary, this method is ideal even for parts where traditional hair removal causes irritation or discomfort.