Yes! We are able to treat all skin types because we have 4 different laser machines. The Fitzpatrick Skin Type Chart helps determine the best machine and settings to achieve optimal results, ensuring the treatment is safe and effective for each client.
After treatment, you might experience temporary redness or puffiness, similar to a mild sunburn. This “follicular edema” may resemble goose bumps and should fade in minutes or a few hours. Rarely, mild burns or pigmentation changes may occur, but these usually resolve completely over time.
Most people compare the sensation to a rubber band snap or tickling, with minimal discomfort during the treatment. Sensitivity can vary based on the area treated, but discomfort is generally short-lived. The most sensitive areas are the back, neck, upper lip, and bikini zone. Pre-treatment protocols to minimize pain are available on request.
It is ideal to shave the treatment area 24-48 hours prior to treatment. STOP using Retin-A or Trentanoin products 5 days before treatment. Certain antibiotics (Doxycycline) should be completed before treatment. If you are concerned about pain, follow this link for Over-the-Counter pain management instructions.
Yes, laser hair removal offers 80-90% permanent hair reduction for most people, with some clients achieving nearly 100% removal. Results depend on factors like hair color, texture, hormones, and skin type. It is important to note that the laser process is less effective on light blonde, white, gray, or red hair.
The laser targets melanin in the hair follicle with light pulses, destroying the root while protecting surrounding skin. A cooling spray or contact cooling follows each pulse to minimize discomfort.
Typically, 5-8 treatments are recommended, spaced 4-6 weeks apart, to achieve 80-90% hair reduction. Areas like legs, underarms, and bikini tend to respond well, while the face or back may require more treatments. Age, hair density and hormones can also affect a body’s response to treatment and may indicate additional treatment sessions. After completing a 5-treatment package, further treatments are deeply discounted.
Sessions are typically spaced 4-6 weeks apart to target hair during its growth phase, providing the best results.
Do NOT tweeze or wax, but you may bleach the hair on your face. The key is to leave the root intact so the laser can target the hair follicle. DO gently and thoroughly exfoliate the treated area to remove the dead hair. Shaving is safe and recommended, especially before treatment.
Treatment time depends on the area being treated. Small areas like underarms take about 10 minutes, while larger areas such as legs or the back may take 30-60 minutes.
At Smooth Skin Laser, we do not treat anyone under the age of 14. Between 15-18, parental consent is required.
Laser hair removal will not work on white, gray, light red or light blond hair. Also, some medications such as Accutane or other photosensitive drugs will not be allowed during treatment. Patients under 15, pregnant, or have skin cancer, or open wounds in the treatment are also not allowed to undergo any type of laser treatments. We will go over all these factors, and any questions you may have at your initial consultation.
If you have an untreated elevated testosterone issue causing the hair growth, you won’t see good results from laser hair removal until your testosterone is under control. Your body will be busy developing new hair, and regardless of how much of the “current” hair is destroyed, it will be replaced by new hair. You will need treatment to stabilize your hormone levels. When the imbalance is under control, you can start your laser treatments and achieve excellent and stable results on the body. In some cases, the facial area will require “touchup” treatments every 3 to 6 months to remain hair free.
Yes, it will but it may require a few more treatments than usual or higher levels of treatment energy. Almost all clients with PCOS are satisfied with their results. Ask about our PCOS discount.
Peach fuzz and very fine blond hairs typically do not respond well to laser hair removal treatments. If you have this type of hair we would like to see you in person before we determine whether it will work for you. Sometimes one patient’s definition of peach fuzz is not always the case for all.
Yes, absolutely. Even after one treatment you will notice that many of your ingrown hairs will start to go away. Within a few weeks to a few months, depending on the severity of the scarring and pigmentation caused by ingrown hair, the skin appearance will be improved overall. The bumps will get smaller, the area will be smoother, and the color of your skin will become more even.
Yes, absolutely. Many darker skin types, especially African Americans, believe they cannot get laser treatment. This was true years ago, but not today. Smooth Skin has the most advanced lasers that work great on all skin types. At your initial consultation, we will go over your medical history, give you a personal skin assessment, and discuss your candidacy for laser treatments.
Many believe only females seek laser hair removal, but the truth is we have a large number of male clients. That’s because men have discovered laser hair removal is the best way to manage their unwanted body hair. We laser many areas for men, and have successfully treated whole backs, neck, face, scalp, ears, nostrils, buttocks, arms and legs.
Please call for scheduling and for a consultation.
PicoSure® is the world’s first and only picosecond aesthetic laser platform for multiple aesthetic applications including acne scar treatment, removal of pigmented lesions and wrinkle treatment. This unparalleled breakthrough in laser technology delivers ultra-short pulse bursts of energy to the skin in trillionths of a second to gently target and eliminate pigment without harming the surrounding skin. Improve the look of your skin and achieve a more youthful appearance by removing pigment or treating wrinkles and acne scars faster than ever before with PicoSure.
It’s important to consider your options. Face-lifts, fillers, and toxins are associated with significant downtime, risks, and side effects. Patients often consider these treatments a “last resort.” The first step to achieving a more youthful appearance or just tweaking some trouble spots may be a PicoSure laser treatment. Speak with our office today to see if this treatment is right for you!
We know there are a few folks who really want to dig into the science. Just for you, we provide this Flip Book with all you want to know.
Melanin gives us our skin color. Pigmented lesions including sunspots, age spots, and brown patches, are dark in color because the melanin is concentrated in one area of the skin. Most pigmented lesions come from sun exposure while some patients are born with them. Hormonal changes can also induce pigment changes in the skin.
Lasers remove a variety of unwanted pigment. Age spots, freckles, and brown patches can all be removed with PicoSure. During a free consultation, your practitioner will put together a treatment regime to help you achieve pigment-free skin fast.
To improve the look of your skin and achieve a more youthful appearance by removing pigmented lesions will require only a few treatments. Darker, deeper and larger pigmented lesions may require additional treatments; however during the consultation, your practitioner will discuss treatment expectations with you.
Most patients find the procedure tolerable and require no numbing cream or anesthesia. PicoSure delivers energy in ultra-short bursts, and patients often compare the laser pulse to a snap of a thin rubber band.
After the procedure, the treatment area may be tender. It is important to keep the area clean and to avoid any irritation. Your practitioner will provide additional after care instructions as needed to ensure a quick recovery.
Unlike surgery, laser acne scar treatment uses ultra-short pulses of laser light to reach deeply into the skin’s sub-layers, treating the support structure. Then the body’s natural healing process sweeps away older, damaged tissue and rebuilds it with fresh, new collagen and elastin—the crucial building blocks of normal-looking skin. It’s a fast and simple procedure that’s easy to tolerate and requires little-to-no downtime.
Laser acne scar treatment is FDA-cleared for acne scars on any area of the body, including the face.
Laser acne scar treatment can work on many skin types, including very light and darker skin. Contact a provider to find out if you are a good candidate for this treatment.
The treatment can be performed in as little as 15 minutes or less, depending on the size of the targeted area.
Most people feel minimal discomfort during laser acne scar treatment. Your physician will work with you on the best option for optimal comfort based on your individual situation.
Acne scars will begin to show improvement in 2 treatments but a series of 3 to 5 treatments is recommended for optimum aesthetic results.
Most people resume regular activities immediately following the treatment session.
Typical side effects include temporary redness and swelling at the treatment site. Unwanted pigmentation associated with the acne scarring should slightly frost (whiten) during treatment, then darken over the following 24 hours and then shed over time.
With a unique combination of leading-edge technologies, our light-based treatments target all three layers of photodamaged tissue, epidermal pigment, middermal wrinkles, and deep-dermal laxity. Then the body’s natural healing process sweeps away older, damaged tissue and rebuilds it with fresh, new collagen and elastin—the crucial building blocks of youthful looking skin.
If you have fine lines and wrinkles around your eyes, mouth, or any area of your body including face, hands, and arms you may be a good candidate for the PicoSure treatment.
The procedure can be performed in as little as 15 minutes or less, depending on the size of the treatment area.
Your treatment provider may offer ways to make this a comfortable experience. Since everyone is different, and this depends on the level of treatment needed, it is best to discuss all of your options with your laser treatment provider.
A series of 3-4 treatments is recommended. Treatment intervals are 2-4 weeks but can be up to 8 weeks for darker skin types. Each patient is unique and will be evaluated prior to treatment.
Side effects include temporary redness and swelling at the treatment site that typically resolves in less than an hour but in some cases may linger for up to 24 hours.
Adverse effects can include hypopigmentation, hyperpigmentation, mild erythema and edema, and possible scarring and infection. By following your practitioner’s post-treatment care instructions you will significantly decrease the risk of these adverse effects.
PicoSure® is the world’s first and only picosecond aesthetic laser platform for multiple aesthetic applications including tattoo, pigment and scar removal. This unparalleled breakthrough in laser technology delivers ultra-short pulse bursts of energy to the skin in trillionths of a second to gently target and eliminate pigment without harming the surrounding skin. That translates into less pain and less risk of scarring than other lasers.
Patients have described treatments with PicoSure as feeling similar to the actual tattooing process or less. You may consider applying a numbing cream with 4% lidocaine like over-the-counter Aspercreme (available at any drugstore) or an online product like Hush. Apply 30 minutes prior to your appointment to minimize discomfort.
Treating an average-sized tattoo typically takes around 10-20 minutes. Treatments can be longer depending on the size and/or detailing of the tattoo being treated.
A series of treatments is recommended. Most clients achieve their desired outcome between 3 and 8 treatments. The number of treatments needed is dependent on variables such as ink type, tattoo size, tattoo location, and age of tattoo. Tattoos farther from the body core (e.g. fingers, ankles) tend to require more treatments because of blood flow to the treatment area.
We will work with you to come up with a treatment plan that's right for you!
Treatments are scheduled 6-8 weeks apart to allow the skin to heal and the body to flush out the micro-particles of ink pigment.
Typically, no. As with any laser, there is a very small risk of hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation in the area.
No. While we are extremely effective in treating BLACK and BLUE tattoos, we CANNOT remove RED, ORANGE or YELLOW ink.
We have seen very good results treating Green, Brown and Purple tattoos. In some cases, these colors may leave a faint shadow of a background color. For example:
A tattoo has to be AT LEAST 6 weeks old (full skin recovery) before laser removal treatment can begin. If you are unsure, wait 2 more weeks.
If you have any additional questions, call us at:
434.964.8714 in Charlottesville
804.997.2780 in Richmond
Or, if you would like to schedule an appointment:
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