Question: I am an 18-year-old woman with bushy, large eyebrows. I would like laser hair removal so that I can avoid waxing and plucking for the rest of my life. Do you give local anesthesia for this procedure? Will it redden my face and, if so, for how long?
Answer: Classically, we only perform laser hair removal to the excess hair between the eyebrows or if the eyebrow tends to extend up into the forehead region. Otherwise, we do not typically treat the actual eyebrow with laser hair removal for the lack of ability to contour as well as the irregular effect that it may have on the hairs, giving a much more unusual appearance than if the excess hair was simply trimmed. Laser hair removal can temporarily cause some redness to the skin but this typically subsides within an hour and make-up may be applied immediately if you choose.
There is really no need for local anesthesia as, with the newer technologies, the discomfort is relatively minimal and, certainly in the eyebrow region, only needs a few flashes of the laser to provide adequate treatment.