LIGHTSHEER LASER

Pros

• The LightSheer laser can rapidly treat large areas like the back, chest, or legs.
• It uses a long laser wavelength at a high speed, so there’s a low risk of burning the skin. 
• Treatments are quick; the manufacturer says it can treat the back or legs in 10 minutes or less.
• The laser moves across the treatment area with a continuous cooling technology (called ChillTip), so the procedure should be comfortable. Some doctors even say that numbing creams or gels aren’t necessary. 
• The LightSheer laser works on all types of hair, and clinical studies have found that it’s more effective on coarse hair than similar laser systems.

Cons

• As with all laser hair removal techniques, there’s still some risk of skin burning or blistering as well as possible discoloration and scarring. 
• LightSheer lasers won’t work well on light hair.
• If you have cold sores or other viral infections, you may need special medication prior to your appointment.

Diode lasers are effective on both light skin and deep skin tones, so long as you have dark hair.

As with other laser hair removal treatments, patients with silver, blonde, or red hair probably won't see good results and may need to consider another option, like electrolysis.

Dr. Laura Riehm, a physician in Fort Worth, Texas, explains how the LightSheer works: “The laser energy follows the hair shaft down into the follicle, heats it, and destroys its ability to produce another hair.”

A full treatment series has six to eight sessions, each lasting 5 to 15 minutes. Your provider will recommend the best treatment cadence for each area of hair—somewhere between 4 and 16 weeks apart—to target all hair follicles at different stages of the growth cycle.

You’ll need to stop waxing, tweezing, or plucking the hair you want removed anywhere from two to six weeks before your appointment. A day prior to your session, shave the area where you wish to have hair removed so it’s easier for the laser to reach the follicles. 

Stop tanning (including self-tanner lotions and tanning beds) entirely the month before your treatment. Lasers are attracted to pigment in both the hair follicles and the skin, so avoiding skin tone changes helps lower the risk of burns.

Your provider should start with a patch test, to make sure your skin doesn’t have a negative reaction. If you’re particularly sensitive, let your provider know so they can apply a topical numbing cream prior to the session.

During treatment, the laser emits a concentrated beam of light to damage the hair follicle and prevent regrowth.

While your provider methodically treats one small area at a time, you may feel mild discomfort, like a warm pinprick or snap, as the laser passes over your skin.

You may notice a bit of redness and swelling immediately after treatment, but that should fade within a day or two. Ice packs and anti-inflammatories can help keep swelling down.

This FDA-approved laser is safe for both facial and body hair removal. “It's very safe for facial hair removal,” confirms Dr. Edward Dickerson, a plastic surgeon in Fayetteville, North Carolina, in response to a RealSelf Q&A. “The LightSheer diode laser system's design provides for enhanced comfort during treatment, minimal risk of infection, speed and accuracy.”

As with other hair removal treatments, you’ll need multiple sessions to see results. “Usually 20% of hair is removed with each treatment,” says Dr. Hooman Khorasani, a dermatologist in New York City. “Treatments are repeated every six weeks on the face and every 8 to 12 weeks on the body. This allows for effective removal of hairs in the anagen [growth] phase.”

The hair in the treated areas will fall out gradually, in patches, the hair-free patches increasing in size with each session.

Most people start to see results by around week three.

Remember to keep out of the sun during your session schedule, wearing sunscreen if the lasered areas are exposed to sunlight.

IPL (intense pulsed light) technology uses wavelengths of broad-spectrum light (rather than a laser) to remove hair. Because of this, it doesn't target the hair follicle as readily as the LightSheer laser, so you’ll need many more sessions to effectively remove hair. 

Also, IPL is typically only successful when used on light skin (I to III on the Fitzpatrick scale).