Unwanted dark hair can be irritating and costly to shave, wax and remove over a lifetime. Laser hair reduction may be the answer for patients who want a more permanent solution. Over the course of six to eight treatment sessions, you will typically see a significant difference in the volume, texture and growth of your dark hair. Treatments are customized according to hair color, texture, and locations on the body and are effective on all skin types including dark-skinned individuals of all ethnic origins.

At the Falcone Center, experienced technicians will use the Alma Sonata Laser to safely and effectively reduce unwanted dark hair in patients of all skin tones.

If you are concerned about discomfort with treatment, you can purchase an anesthetic agents to improve your treatment experience.

You can be confident that the Falcone Center will provide you with the safe, high quality laser hair removal treatments you desire.

Pre-Treatment Instructions

  1. Refrain from all waxing, tweezing, bleaching, electrolysis or use of depilatories (NAIR) for a minimum of two weeks prior to first appointment and during your entire treatment regimen.
  2. Shave the treatment area the day before your treatment.
  3. Avoid sun exposure, tanning beds or sunless tanning agents for a minimum of six weeks prior to your treatment. Ideally you will arrive to all appointments at your baseline skin tone to maximize your results with each treatment.
  4. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your appointment to allow time for parking, paperwork and treatment preparation.
  5. Upon your arrival to our office, we will need you to remove any deodorant, powder or make-up from the treatment areas.
  6. If you would like to use a topical anesthetic cream in the office, please arrive 30 minutes prior to your treatment to allow for application. You may purchase the anesthetic cream in our office for future home application.
  7. During your treatment, you will feel a warm sensation as the laser pulses over your skin. The sensation disappears the moment the lasers stops. You may experience redness or temporary swelling surrounding the hair follicles that will resolve over the course of several hours.
  8. At the end of your session, we will offer you aloe vera spray or hydrocortisone cream to rehydrate your skin and resolve any temporary irritation as quickly as possible

After Treatment

  1. Avoid rubbing, scratching, or picking at the treatment areas.
  2. Avoid hot showers, baths, soaking in a hot tub or pool for 24 hours post treatment. Your skin will be sensitive.
  3. You will notice your hair starting to fall out in approximately 3-4 weeks post treatment.
  4. You may shave the treatment in between sessions as needed

FAQ’s

My skin is tan, can I still be treated?
We can not treat patients who have had direct sun exposure or exposed their skin to a tanning bed or sunless tanner for four weeks prior to their treatment. During your treatment cycle, you must wear SPF 30 sunscreen and stay out of the sun or tanning bed for a minimum of four weeks prior to your treatment. Wearing clothing is not adequate protection. Sun exposure increases the melanin production in your skin for up to four weeks. The change may not be noticed by the human eye but can be recognized by the laser. Tanning can increase your risk of adverse reactions such as burning and pigment changes. Please call the office to reschedule if you have had direct or indirect sun exposure, used sunless tanner or a tanning bed within four weeks period prior to your treatment.

Can I use sunless tanner and be treated?
No. The laser will notice the difference in pigment in your skin. We would need to reschedule your treatment or change your treatment to a different laser if you use sunless tanner. Either option may result in less effective treatment results.

Are there any prescription or over-the-counter medications I should discontinue prior to treatment?
We recommend that you avoid use of aspirin, ibuprofen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, Ginko Biloba, Omega-3 fatty acids, garlic tablets, flax oil, cod liver oil, multivitamins, vitamin A, vitamin E, or any other blood thinning medication for at least 14 days prior to treatment and for 24 hours after treatment. This will help to prevent bruising and bleeding. There are also several medications including many antibiotics, and acne medications that may cause photosensitivity to laser treatment and could result in an adverse outcome if taken prior to treatment. Please call the office if you would like to know if any medications you are currently taking are contraindicated with laser treatment. When you arrive to the office your medical history will also be reviewed. Please consult your primary care physician before discontinuing use of any prescription medication. We also ask that you remove any make-up in the treatment area prior to your appointment.

What can I expect for permanent hair reduction?
While the number of treatments varies from person to person, the average person requires 6 (light skin) to 8 (dark skin) treatments to achieve 80% or more hair reduction.Patients with hormonal imbalances or who normally wax or pluck may require more sessions. Not all of the hair follicles are removed during each treatment…only those that are in an active growth cycle. As a result, a sequence of treatments is necessary in order to maximize the level of hair reduction. We will space your appointments by several weeks to try and reach different growth cycles helping you to achieve the best possible result with each session. Some hair follicles will stay dormant for years making it impossible to disable future growth with the laser. You can always return to the office for a single treatment if you have some hair follicles that start actively growing long after your sessions are completed. We offer single treatments should you need a touch-up for a few hairs. In general, patients are HIGHLY satisfied with the laser hair removal. It can be life changing.

I have very dark skin, can I be treated? How many treatments will it take?
In patients with darker skin, we are required to lower our treatment settings in order to protect the darkly pigmented skin surface. Dark Skin Patients will generally require 9-10 treatments for an 80% hair reduction.

Will the treatment hurt?
Most of our clients tolerate the treatment without any difficulty if using a topical numbing agent. Some clients describe their discomfort as a rubber band snapping on the skin. Areas that contain very coarse, dense hair such as the bikini region are often more sensitive. Our staff is well trained and will assist you in getting through the treatment. They can adjust your laser settings, use a cooling device and recommend topical anesthetic creams should you have any issues with pain tolerance.

Why can’t I get treated every 4 weeks?
We can only permanently disable a hair follicle when the follicle is in an active growth or anagen phase. The growth phase is varied based on age, sex, hormonal levels, genetic factors and the anatomic area being treated. If we treat an area too frequently, we may miniaturize the hair follicle or stun it into a rest phase but will not prevent long term growth. We recommend that you adhere to our treatment schedule to maximize your results. The treatment schedule will vary based on the area of the body being treated.

I have some white and grey hair, will they be removed?
The laser light targets pigment contained within hair follicles. White, grey and blond hairs lack necessary pigment to effectively produce permanent hair reduction. At this time, white, grey and blond hair can only be permanently reduced through electrolysis.