Laser Hair Removal

Laser Hair Removal in Sherwood Park and Edmonton

Get Rid of Unwanted Hair

Unwanted hair is a common problem, for both men and women. Frequent hair removal processes, including shaving, depilatories, plucking, and waxing, can be time-consuming, inconvenient, and often painful. At best, these methods offer only temporary results – for some, only a few hours.

Laser-based technology has brought us a permanent solution to remove unwanted hair, leaving skin feeling smooth and healthy. We can help you get to the root of the problem with our state-of-the-art Icon™ system.

Laser-based hair removal gives you effective, permanent hair reduction anywhere on your body including:

  • Small facial areas
  • Backs
  • Chests
  • Arms
  • Underarms
  • Bikini lines
  • Buttocks
  • Perianal region
  • Legs

Treatments are quick and easy, letting you get back to your everyday activities with minimum downtime.

How Energy-based Hair Removal Works

During laser and light-based hair removal procedures, the device emits light energy that travels through the skin and is absorbed by the pigment in the hair follicle stem cells and hair shaft. Pigments are the substances that give skin and hair their color. This energy transmission damages the hair follicle, which permanently destroys it while preserving surrounding skin tissue.

Hair follicles that are in the anagen, or active growth phase, have more pigment and absorb more energy, and typically respond best to treatments. For this reason, it takes multiple treatments spaced at varying weeks apart depending on the treatment area. To achieve the best results, it’s important to “catch” your hair in this active growth phase when you are receiving the treatment.

Smooth Skin with Just a Beam of a Laser

At Hemingway Medical Spa, we utilize Icon™ technology to best serve the hair removal needs of all of our clients.

Icon™ can be safely used on all skin types and all skin tones, though it is most effective on individuals with dark hair. Please come in for a consultation if you have very light or gray hair and wish to undergo a laser hair removal treatment. Dr. Olesen and our estheticians will help you determine whether or not laser hair removal is the right treatment for you.

Additional Benefits of Icon™ Laser Treatment

Not only is laser-based hair removal permanent, but our Icon™ laser treatment can also be completed within minutes to an hour depending on your desired hair removal area. Our patients usually experience little to no pain during the hair removal process with most people feeling only a slight momentary “snap,” like a rubber band, at the treatment site during the procedure.

How to Prepare For Your Laser Hair Removal Treatment

Once you’ve consulted with Dr. Olesen on your hair removal goals, we will provide you with a list of pre-treatment instructions to ensure that you get the best results out of your Icon™ laser session. These instructions include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Do not wax, tweeze or pluck the hair in your desired removal area during the six weeks leading up to your appointment
  • Avoid excess exposure to the sun as much as possible
  • Avoid the use of blood-thinning medications, herbs, and supplements for a couple of weeks leading up to your scheduled appointment
  • Shave the area you wish to have hair removed 24 hours prior to your appointment. To avoid your skin being too tender for the laser treatment, we encourage patients to not shave on the morning of your appointment

We take extra steps to ensure that your hair removal session is as comfortable as possible. Whether you’re coming in for total elimination of back hair, underarm hair, or permanent hair reduction at your bikini line, our staff is here to help.

What to Expect After Your Session
  • Redness and bumps near or around the treatment area are common and may last for around 2 hours or more
  • The skin should be patted dry and not rubbed during the first 48 hours following your session. Afterwards, you may wash the treatment area gently with a mild soap
  • The dead hairs in your treatment area will begin to fall out 5-30 days following your laser hair removal. This may look similar to hair growth, but it is actually dead hair pushing its way out of the follicle
  • Exfoliate to help speed up the hair shedding
  • Avoid the use of makeup, moisturizers, or deodorant for the first 24 hours after your appointment
  • Avoid sun exposure whenever possible for at least 2 months after your appointment
  • Avoid picking, scratching, tweezing, waxing, or threading the treated area
  • Avoid substances and activities that may irritate the skin or cause light or dark spots, such as: tanning lotions, tanning, scented lotions, body scrubs, etc
Sherwood Park Medical Spa Services

Get started on obtaining your dream self and book your laser hair removal procedure with us today!
Book a free consultation
with Dr. Olesen at our Sherwood Park medical spa at 587-521-0667!

laser hair removal

Hair follicles are continually cycling through three phases: anagen ( growth phase), catagen (transitional phase), and telogen (resting phase). Hair is most susceptible to this treatment while in the anagen phase. Because of this timing, it’s not possible for any laser treatment to achieve 100% hair removal, but it is possible to significantly reduce the number of growing hairs by as much as 85%. Multiple treatments can be administered for maximum results.

Laser-based hair removal is permanent. After treatment, the hair follicles within the anagen phase that were damaged are permanently unable to produce new hairs, or can produce only very thin, tiny hairs that are virtually invisible.

Since your hair grows in 3 stages, several treatments are needed to affect all of the unwanted hair. The number of treatments can vary between individuals, depending on the amount of hair, the area to be treated, skin color, hair color and hair coarseness. Typically 4 – 6 treatments are needed but this will depend on a number of factors including your type of hair. One of our providers can give you a more specific treatment plan during your consultation.

It depends on which area is being treated. In general, face, underarms, arms, and bikini are about 4-6 weeks apart. Back, chest, and legs are about 8-10 weeks apart.

Yes. In fact, the area needs to be freshly shaved the day of your treatment session. You should not wax or pluck the hairs between treatments.

You can resume regular daily activities immediately following treatment.

Typically, most people experience a mild, sunburn-like sensation, possibly accompanied by some minor redness and/or swelling immediately following the treatment. This usually lasts 2-24 hours. Ask your provider to discuss other possible side effects and the necessary post-treatment care with you.