"Beard or nose hairs? Today we epilate practically everything," says Petra Clinic founder Petra Řehořková. How does modern laser hair removal work and why it's no longer just for women?
Aesthetic medicine has long ceased to be a topic that is spoken about only in whispers or that people seek out only when they want to "fix something". Increasingly, it is more and more a part of routine self-care - much like a good haircut, quality cosmetics or regular exercise. And that goes for men too. That's why I decided to try permanent laser epilation of the back at the Petra Clinic in Prague, an aesthetic and laser medicine clinic founded by Petra Řehořková back in 2002.
Petra Řehořková is one of the prominent personalities of Czech non-invasive aesthetic care. Today, Petra Clinic offers a wide range of procedures from corrective dermatology to laser treatments to body contouring and skin care. Sama Řehořková has experience in the field of rehabilitation, healthcare and convalescence, and since 2018 she has also worked as an expert witness in the field of cosmetic services.
So instead of talking in general terms about "men are taking more care of themselves these days", we talked in specific terms: what laser hair removal can do, when it makes sense, why one visit is not enough, what people are unnecessarily afraid of and how to take care of the skin after the procedure. And also about why taking care of your appearance doesn't have to be vanity, but a quite ordinary way to feel better in your own body.
Petra, before we get into the actual procedure I've just had, could you tell me how you got into aesthetic medicine in the first place and when the Petra Clinic was founded?
I founded Petra Clinic in 2002, although its full beginnings date back to 2001. At that time, I was completing all the necessary permits while continuing my education. The original idea came from the need to work better with people in exercise - to focus on muscle imbalances, correct posture and overall physical fitness. Gradually, however, the topic of aesthetic issues such as local fat deposits, hair loss and acne began to come up. Therefore, I started attending professional congresses where, in addition to physical education and sports, there was also more and more talk about new instrumental methods, which were just beginning at that time. And it was there that I became absolutely fascinated by the field.
Aesthetic medicine was probably starting to develop more in the Czech Republic then, wasn't it? During socialism, there wasn't quite enough room.
It certainly wasn't, but women have always taken care of themselves. There were already various interesting instrumental methods, and there was a great interest in skin care, hair removal and general improvement of appearance, for example. It was just working with what was available at the time. Today, many of those methods are no longer used because technology has moved on enormously in recent years.
But it's no longer just women who have aesthetic procedures today. Do you notice that men are also taking care of themselves more and more?
Absolutely. In fact, I'd say men make up maybe half of our clientele today. Not so long ago, I said about a third, but that ratio has changed dramatically. Men are under pressure from today's times, social media and the general pace of life. They want to look good and feel good. And I don't think there's anything wrong with that at all. If it's a healthy and safe procedure, why not.
What are the most common procedures men go for?
Very often they go for permanent hair removal - most often underarms, back or intimate areas. They also do a lot of hair treatments, as hair loss occurs in men at a young age. For example, they go for laser hair growth support after hair transplants they have had in the Czech Republic or abroad. Nowadays, men know that after a transplant it is good to stimulate the scalp with a laser so that the transplanted hair will stick well. The results are really great.
At the same time, they come to us for mole examinations, removal of various skin growths or fibromas, they deal with nail fungus, which is common especially among athletes or tourists. Rosacea, acne or acne scars are also very common. The range is really wide. And of course, men also indulge in downright pampering treatments - various beauty rituals designed specifically for men, which can be applied through the beard and are very pleasant.
Personally, I just had permanent laser hair removal. Can you explain to readers what the procedure actually involves?
Each hair goes through three stages of growth and the laser is only able to destroy the hair in one of them. However, we never know exactly how many hairs are in that stage. That's why permanent hair removal is somewhat of a "lottery". We treat the whole area and the hairs that are at the right stage gradually die and stop growing.
If I had to say who epilation really works best on, it's mostly women and men over 30. There, the results can be seen very quickly. But a lot also depends on the specific part of the body. The armpits, back, groin or legs respond best. The face, on the other hand, is the most challenging, because the growth phase of the hair changes more slowly there, sometimes after ten weeks, so more treatments are needed.
So if someone wants to remove their beard, I guess we're talking about a longer horizon of treatments?
Absolutely. For the face, there is also the advantage that, in addition to removing hair, the laser also promotes collagen re-formation, so the skin looks younger. There is no beard growth, no unpleasant pimples or bumps after shaving, and the skin is generally nicer. If you shave properly, which I really stress, you usually don't have any major problems afterwards.
So if I decide to have this procedure, how should I prepare? What to look out for?
If you're going for permanent hair removal, it's a good idea to shave at least one to three days beforehand. It depends on whether you're going for the first time or if you've been going regularly and your hair grows more slowly. When a person is coming for the first time, a light shave with a razor the day before is usually enough.
For men, I recommend a good quality men's razor because it usually shaves better. You can do a gentle exfoliation before the procedure, but really only a light one. Some clients will scrub their skin too hard, like with a sugar scrub, and then come in with irritated or scratched skin. The laser can even pick up microscopic wounds that are not visible at first glance. Then the skin can look like it's been scratched by a cat.
Other common mistakes are residues from self-tanning creams or antiperspirants. These contain pigments that can also be picked up by the laser, resulting in tiny spots. These usually heal quickly, but it's better to avoid them.
Is there a situation where a person cannot have permanent epilation?
We definitely do not epilate pregnant women. We also do not perform the procedure over active shingles, live psoriasis deposits or other acute skin conditions. Of course, we do not epilate over tattoos either.
It is often said that laser is not suitable for people with light hair or a very light phototype. Does this apply to you?
We have a laser that can cope with a light phototype. In addition, we use a special dermatoscope, which allows us to see the hair, its pigment and the quality of the skin in detail. Based on this, we can then tell quite accurately whether the hair has a chance of being successfully removed.
Even very light hairs often have at least a small amount of pigment in them. This is worse for completely white or grey hairs and fine 'lanugo' hairs, i.e. very fine hairs. People often pluck this out unnecessarily with tweezers when looking in a magnifying mirror. But the more the hairs are plucked, the thicker they tend to get, even though they remain light. As a result, it's often better not to do anything with them at all, because they're hardly visible to the naked eye anyway.
If I already have the procedure, what should I prepare for? Could there be redness or other reactions?
Yes, we always warn clients that the skin may be slightly red or irritated after the procedure. After all, it is a laser discharge. You yourself said during the treatment that it felt more like a gentle snap of a rubber band and at the same time cooling, which is exactly the effect of our strong cooling.
Some areas are more sensitive than others. For example, the shins or the armpits may be a little more uncomfortable because of the softer skin. On the other hand, the back or stomach tends to be completely problem-free, according to the men. Similarly, the face is handled very well by most clients.
Are there any parts of the body that are not recommended for epilation?
So far I have not come across any part of the body that cannot be epilated. Only the scalp is sometimes a problem in that men want to have a really perfectly smooth complexion, and sometimes the hairs are more resistant there. Similarly, beards tend to be more resistant. But otherwise, we epilate practically everything. With other types of lasers we also remove hair in the nose or ears, and of course also intimate areas.
And how do you take care of your skin after the procedure? What to avoid?
It is definitely important to lubricate and shower the skin a lot, because it tends to be irritated after the laser. Some hairs start to fall out gradually and the skin adapts to this. It behaves differently than normal.
Shaving itself irritates the skin. Everyone knows it - you shave and the next day you feel irritation or pimples. The laser works similarly, but usually much more gently than a razor. In your case, we saw that the irritation after the laser was less than after a conventional razor shave. This is because the razor mechanically disrupts the top layer of the skin, whereas the laser mainly targets the pigment in the hair.
It is also important to note any pigment spots or residue from self-tanning creams. The laser can also pick up these pigments and slightly irritate the skin. Therefore, we always recommend that clients come in with clean skin, free of creams and aggressive products.
If someone has a more uncomfortable reaction after the first epilation, the treatment regimen and aftercare will be adjusted at the next visit. Each person reacts a little differently and likewise each epilation may go differently. For example, women tend to have significantly more sensitive skin during menstruation.
What about the sun or a tanning bed? How long after epilation should one avoid them?
We are a dermatology clinic, so I would never recommend tanning beds to anyone. It's really hard on the skin and it shows a lot over time. As far as the sun is concerned, of course, common sense is important. I love the sun myself, but I tend to go out later in the afternoon and avoid the worst of the midday heat.
Also, with hair removal, it's very noticeable when the skin is tanned or covered in self-tanner. The reactions after the procedure tend to be more pronounced. It is therefore ideal not to have an epilation, for example, a week or a fortnight after a holiday in Egypt. However, it is usually not a problem before the holiday. It is possible to have the procedure ten to fourteen days before departure if the skin is fine and not irritated.
So if I flew to Egypt in a week, would that be okay?
I think in your case, yes. Of course, it always depends on the client's specific skin and reaction. That's why our clients have the option to message us anytime after the procedure, for example on Instagram, if they are unsure of their skin's reaction or need advice. We always take care of them and advise them what is a normal reaction and what is no longer.
You mentioned that it takes multiple visits to really get rid of hair. At what intervals are the treatments usually repeated?
After the first treatment, we usually recommend coming back in about three weeks. After that, it depends a lot on how fast the hair grows. The client actually tells himself when he feels it's time to come back.
Some people are lucky and after two treatments they have almost no growth. Then they call us to come back for another appointment, but the hairs haven't grown yet. In that case, we simply postpone the visit and wait for the growth to reappear.
However, I definitely don't recommend taking too long a break, for example longer than two months, if you really want to get rid of the hair in the long term. And after a series of several treatments, it's usually enough to go for a maintenance treatment every now and then.
Do you encounter any common myths or misinformation around laser hair removal?
Yes, very often. For example, one of the most common myths is that permanent hair removal removes hair forever after just one treatment. This is not true. Every hair goes through three stages of growth and only in one of them can we destroy it. That's why the treatment needs to be repeated.
Another common myth is to compare it with others. Someone will say, "My friend has had two treatments and she doesn't have a hair anymore, I've had six treatments and something is still growing." That's why the results can't be compared.
I also often hear that after epilation one should not exercise. This is not entirely true either. There used to be older types of lasers, after which the skin was significantly irritated or slightly burned, and there, of course, any friction was not pleasant. But today we have more gentle technologies. If the procedure is done correctly and the skin is not significantly irritated, a person can function normally, go to work, swim or even exercise.
You just have to use common sense. When the skin is freshly treated and sensitive, for example in the knee sockets or armpits, intense friction on the gym bench may not be entirely comfortable. But otherwise, the limitations are not great.
So the procedure doesn't significantly limit a person's normal functioning?
I don't think so. As long as good, gentle technology is used, most people continue their normal day after the procedure without much restriction.
If a person decides to come to you, how does the whole process work? Is it just a matter of making an appointment?
Absolutely. It is best to call the front desk where the client will be given an appointment as well as instructions on how to prepare for the procedure. We recommend shaving the skin lightly and possibly doing a really gentle peel. But I stress gentle.
On the day of the procedure, the area should not be lubricated with anything - neither antiperspirant nor body lotion. We never know what ingredients the products contain and how they might react with the laser. Then the client just comes in for the treatment.
