Excessive or Unwanted Hair

Related Treatment: Laser Hair Removal
Excessive or Unwanted Hair

The amount and type of hair we have depends on factors such as genetics, ethnicity, age, diet, weight, hormones and medications. Excessive or unsightly body hair can be bothersome both to men and women. Many treatment methods are available to remove unwanted hair, such as shaving, waxing, plucking, and electrolysis. However laser hair removal is currently the treatment of choice.

At SkinCentral, laser hair removal is used for the removal of dark colored hairs in all skin types ranging from fair to dark. Almost any area of the body can be treated except for the eyelashes. Women commonly request hair removal on the underarms, legs, chest, bikini, upper lip and chin. Men tend to request the removal of troublesome hair over the chest, shoulders and back. Laser hair removal may also be suggested by your dermatologist for the treatment of razor bumps (Pseudofolliculitis Barbae) in the beard area, which is caused by an inflammation from in-growing hairs. Several treatments are normally required as lasers only treat actively growing hairs.

 
Excessive or Unwanted Hair
Excessive or Unwanted Hair

About normal hair growth

Hair grows in cycles that normally last two to six years. About 90% of the hair on your scalp are actively growing at any one time, and each hair grows approximately one centimeter per month during this phase. The other 10% of the hair on your scalp is in a resting phase that lasts two to three months before falling out. After a hair is shed, a new hair from the same follicle replaces it and the growing cycle begins again.

Under normal circumstances, as much as 50-100 hairs are shed per day as part of the cycle, and should not be cause for alarm.

If you have a problem with unwanted hair growth, one of our dermatologists can evaluate your problem and determine the best treatment suitable for you.