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Last Updated: Oct 23, 2019
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Hirsutism (Excess Facial Hair): How Safe Is Laser Surgery?
Excessive hair growth on a woman's face or unwanted areas is also known as Hirsutism. This differs from the usual fine 'peach fuzz' that covers the rest of the body. Hirsutism has a number of causes. Some of the most common reasons for this condition are:
- Hormones: Hirsutism is also linked to an abnormally high level of male hormones like androgens in the body. This is usually seen in cases where women suffer from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Cushing's syndrome or tumors in the adrenal gland.
- Medication: A shift in hormone levels is also a common side effect of many types of medication. This is typically seen in drugs that include hormones, such as anabolic steroids, drugs that spur hair growth and drugs that help with endometriosis. Facial hirsutism can be treated in a number of ways.
- Genes: Hirsutism often runs in families. Thus, if your mother or grandmother suffered from this skin condition, chances are that you may suffer from the same. This is most commonly seen in people from the Mediterranean region and South East Asia.
Is Laser Surgery is safe?
First of all, laser hair removal is precise. The laser only targets the pigmented area of the skin on your face, such as the hair follicle. This is why only the hair follicles are burned and not the skin surrounding the area, making it a safe procedure.
- Laser hair removal is most effective on the hair in the early part of the hair growing stage. A concentrated beam of light is aimed at the hair follicle. The laser then converts its energy into heat and heats up the hair follicle, preventing it from growing any further.
- Laser hair removal removes unwanted hair from your face at the speed of light. The laser is designed to treat several hairs in a large surface area, all at the same time. There is no downtime after the service and no sticky residue left behind.