FAQs

The laser creates a beam of high-intensity light that penetrates deep into skin tissue where it delivers a controlled amount of therapeutic heat. Candela’s patented Dynamic Cooling Device™ (DCD™) technology protects the upper layers of your skin with a cooling burst of cryogen. Together, the long-pulse laser and DCD cooling offer optimal treatment with minimal side effects.

Treatment will take place in your practitioner’s office. You will wear safety eyewear to protect your eyes from the laser light. Your practitioner will guide the laser to the treatment areas with a small handheld probe. Each laser pulse may be preceded and followed by a short pulse of cooling spray. A treatment could take as little as a few minutes to as long as an hour, depending on the area and condition being treated.

Some patients may feel a slight discomfort with the laser pulse, sometimes described as the snapping of a rubber band on the skin. For some patients, a topical anesthetic may be used prior to treatment. Be sure to discuss this with your practitioner.

The number of sessions depends on the treatment you require and the condition of your skin. For hair removal, most people require at least 2 to 3 treatments, as the process is only effective when the hair follicle is in its active growth phase. Other conditions may clear in as few as one treatment, but many factors impact the efficacy of individual laser treatments, including the severity of the condition being treated.

Some patients may feel a slight discomfort with the laser pulse, sometimes described as the snapping of a rubber band on the skin. For some patients, a topical anesthetic may be used prior to treatment. Be sure to discuss this with your practitioner.

Patients scheduled for hair removal should avoid electrolysis or hair waxing for six weeks prior to treatment. If you have had a history of perioral herpes and are scheduled for facial hair treatment, rophylactic antiviral therapy may be prescribed.

Also, any hair should be shaved, and your skin should be thoroughly cleaned and dried, removing any makeup, cream, or oils on its surface before laser treatment.

Patients should avoid sun exposure before and after treatment, and should apply sunblock (SPF 30 or above) when going outdoors.

Your risks are minimal. Side effects may include purpura (a laser bruise), redness, blistering, hyperpigmentation, hypopigmentation, and swelling in the treated area—these usually do not last more than a few days. Permanent side effects, such as hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation or scarring, are rare.

After laser treatment, avoid sun exposure. In the first few days after treatment, don’t scrub or rinse the treated areas with abrasive skin cleansers. Your practitioner may advise additional precautions.

Most insurance companies do not offer reimbursement for cosmetic procedures.

Some carriers will, however, cover the treatment of disfiguring birthmarks such as hemangiomas. Consult your insurance carrier for conclusive information.