Plan it like a project

Laser hair removal is not one appointment; it is a course, so it rewards a little planning. The useful questions are practical ones. Which areas? How long will each visit take? How many visits, how far apart, and what happens once the course ends? Answer those and the rest falls into place.

Area by area

Sessions run from about 15 minutes for an upper lip to around an hour for full legs or a back. Bellava treats:

The face: upper lip, chin, cheeks, jawline, neck and sideburns.
Arms and underarms: armpits, hands, fingers and shoulders.
Legs: upper and lower legs, thighs, feet and toes.
The bikini area.
Back and chest, upper and lower back included.

For any treatment on the upper body you are given eye protection, and it stays on for the whole session.

The shape of a course

The usual starting plan is six treatments, four to six weeks apart. Treated hairs begin to shed after the first couple of sessions, and the clearest reduction tends to show around the fourth or fifth. After that, dormant follicles keep producing some new hair, so a touch-up every six to twelve months keeps the area smooth. The total number you need depends on the body area, the thickness of the hair, your ethnicity and your hormones, which is why the plan is built at a free consultation that looks at your own growth pattern.

Between visits

Shave the area a day or two before each session, and stop waxing or electrolysis a month ahead.
Keep out of the sun and tanning beds for four weeks before treatment.
Arrive with clean skin, free of lotion, makeup or powder, and tell your esthetician about any medication you take.
For 24 to 48 hours afterwards, avoid direct sun and exercise heavy enough to make you sweat. Redness or swelling usually settles within hours, and an ice pack soothes it.

Who treats you

Bellava’s licensed medical estheticians, Semira Crecco-Donnelly and Natalina McEwan. Bellava’s IPL technology lets them adjust the settings for darker skin, using lower energy and a cooling handpiece. Natalina’s page names Pleasantville among the places her clients travel from.

A six-visit course means six trips, so the route matters: about ten miles north on the Saw Mill River Parkway to 182 Route 117 Bypass Road in Bedford Hills, roughly 16 minutes without traffic. Weekday appointments start at 9 am, and Saturdays run from 10 am to 2 pm.

Pleasantville patients ask

Does it hurt? Most people feel only minor discomfort, often likened to a rubber band snapping on the skin, and cooling is available.

What are the risks? Short-lived irritation; darker or lighter patches if the settings are wrong for your skin, which is what tailoring them prevents; and folliculitis if aftercare is skipped.

Can I book online? Yes. Press Book Now for a consultation or a session, or read the main laser hair removal page.

Laser Hair Removal for Pleasantville, NY