How successful is laser hair removal? (2023)

Is laser hair removal actually effective?

Although laser hair removal effectively delays hair growth for long periods, it usually doesn't result in permanent hair removal. Multiple laser hair removal treatments are needed for initial hair removal, and maintenance treatments might be needed as well.

You can expect a 10% to 25% reduction in hair after the first treatment. To remove the hair, most patients need 2 to 6 laser treatments. After finishing the treatments, most patients do not see any hair on the treated skin for several months or even years. When the hair regrows, there tends to be less of it.

Although the procedure is often touted as a form of “permanent” hair removal, laser treatment only reduces the number of unwanted hairs in a given area. It doesn't get rid of unwanted hairs completely.

Laser hair removal is a simple, effective option for women and men. But as you may or may not know, one session isn't enough to destroy hairs permanently. You need to undergo multiple treatments to achieve your ideal results.

When laser hair treatments fail to create perfect results, there are several reasons why this may be the case. The most common reason has to do with the pigmentation of the skin and the hair, and the laser finding difficulty in differentiating the two.

Your treatment time is being cut short

Proper treatment times are essential. If not enough time has been allocated to each one of your sessions this will result in large areas being left untreated. Laser hair removal treatments should not be rushed in any way. This will dramatically affect your results.

Laser treatments are often sold in packages of four sessions or more. You may need 12 treatments or more to completely eliminate hair growth. After that, the need for touchups should be minimal. Some people may require semiannual treatments at first.

Generally, clients need about two to six laser treatments in order to completely get rid of hair. You can expect to see about a 10% to 25% reduction in hair after your first treatment. As you continue your treatments, more and more hair will fall out, and you'll notice that it continues to grow back more slowly.

For most people, it's best to wait between four and eight weeks between each treatment, and we generally recommend six treatments for optimal results.

However, even though laser treatments damage hair follicles, they're not destroyed completely. Over time, the treated follicles may recover from the initial damage and grow hair again. It's a tall order to eliminate every hair follicle in a given area. Therefore, you may notice a tiny amount of hair regrowth.

How long till hair grows back after laser?

You can expect the hair in the treated area to disappear for a minimum of two months following the procedure, and the outcome can usually last for up to two years or more.

Hair removal from a destroyed hair follicle is permanent. However, people who undergo hair removal can expect that some hair in the targeted area will grow back. Over time, it is possible to treat the area again to reduce the number of hairs that regrow.

Laser hair removal can only damage hair that is in its active growth stage. Although hair will appear thinner and less noticeable with just one treatment, you'll need to return for multiple follow-up appointments to see optimal results.

Indeed, even after your first laser hair removal session, you will see results. Unwanted body hair will start shedding after your first session and you will see the difference. Laser hair removal is superior to other hair removal methods in many ways.

At any given time, a percentage of the hair on the body is in the “resting phase.” The laser will not effectively remove those hairs, which is the reason why multiple treatments, spaced 4-8 weeks apart, are necessary to remove all hair from the targeted area during each “active” growth phase.

As we mentioned a little earlier, if you don't shave before your appointment, the laser will singe the hair resulting in a burn to your skin. In addition, if the hair hasn't been shaved properly, treatment will not be as effective, and it may result in small temporary grazes on the top layer of your skin.

Hair transitions from active to resting and resting to active about every 6 to 8 weeks. This is why laser hair removal appointments are scheduled about that far apart and why the entire process can then take more than a year.

Unfortunately a possible side effect of laser hair removal is that the laser treatment actually makes the hair growth worse. This is called paradoxical hypertrichosis.

Can I shave between laser sessions?

Yes, you can shave in between each session of laser hair removal. During your course of treatment you can shave any hairs that may regrow. After your first laser hair removal session you will notice that you won't need to shave as much as before. After 2-3 sessions you may only need to shave once in a 4-6 week period.

The laser can only kill hair during the anagen phase but only around 15% of hair would be in this stage during one laser session. This means only 15% of the follicles will be destroyed and only these hairs will fall out 5 - 14 days after treatment.

The hairs on our heads and bodies are in various phases and aren't all going to be synchronised in their growth. Hence the reason that it is important to wait around 4 to 6 weeks between laser hair removal treatments.

Generally, 6-8 sessions are required to get your hair permanently removed. However, as Brazilian laser treatment for hair removal targets only a small area, a session usually takes 10-15 minutes.

In Two Sessions: Most people will first begin to see some changes in hair growth after their second laser treatment session. You should notice that the hair in the treated area is thinner.

At The Cosmetic Clinic, as a rule of thumb, to help permanently reduce your hair growth, you will need to visit us in clinic for a laser hair removal session every 2-4 weeks, for a minimum of 6-12 treatments. For the face, the growth cycle is faster so usually to start with a visit ever 2 weeks is required.

If you shave too quickly you may irritate the skin even more, so waiting at least three or four days after your treatment is usually ideal. A few days following your laser hair removal treatment, you may notice your hair shedding. This is completely normal and is a sign the treatment worked.

The industry standards want a basic full legs laser hair removal to include six sessions. However, most people need between eight and twelve sessions to see optimal results. Again, this will vary from one patient to another.

If hairs still do not fall out it is best to wait until they are naturally expelled from the body, or you will cause further irritation. If you have any questions or concerns about the hair growth or falling out process please ask our aestheticians, as they are very knowledgeable in this area.

Answer: Hair growing after laser hair removal

On the other hand, laser hair removal treatments with longer pulse durations may leave behind many hairs which appear to “grow” following treatment. These “growing” hairs are dislodged from the hair follicle and require 1-2 weeks to be completely shed.

Why do I have stubble after laser hair removal?

Stubble, representing dead hair being shed from the hair follicle, will appear within 5-30 days from the treatment date. that is normal & they will fall out quickly. Exfoliate to speed up hair shedding. Anywhere from 5-30 days after the treatment, shedding of the hair may occur & this may appear as new hair growth.

Laser hair removal is a procedure to remove unwanted body hair. People may want the treatment on their underarms, back or bikini area. It's not permanent, but the results last longer than shaving or waxing. Most people need about six treatments.

When you're getting ready for your laser hair removal procedure, make sure you shave the night before or the morning of your treatment. The reason for this precaution is simple – you want to remove as much hair as possible so that it doesn't absorb most of the laser's energy.

Electrolysis can permanently remove unwanted hair. Once your hair is gone, you won't need maintenance treatments. It works on all hair types, including light-colored hairs, which lasers cannot remove. There's no downtime.

After 3 sessions, a reduction of 58.4%, 67.6% to 75% of the hair can be expected. After 4 sessions, a hair reduction of 87% can be achieved. After 6 sessions, laser hair removal will be optimally effective on large pigmented hairs on which a reduction of between 69% and 90% of the hair will be obtained.

Because laser hair removal only targets the hair follicles that are currently in their active growth phase, not every single hair is treated during any one treatment session. For that reason, it's completely normal to still see and feel hair in the targeted area even directly after treatment.

Tips for Shaving After Laser Hair Removal

Wait several days before shaving the treated area, until it's no longer sensitive to the touch. Don't exfoliate the skin for four to five days after each laser treatment. Even if the skin doesn't feel irritated or sensitive, it's still healing.

Any treatment areas should be shaved completely prior to treatment. Legs should be shaved around 24 hours prior to your appointment to avoid irritation. Do not wax, tweeze, epilate or use chemical depilatories for two weeks before treatment, or at all in between laser treatments.

Avoid exercising for at least 48 hours. Avoid hot baths and hot showers for 48 hours. Avoid anything that involves chlorine (e.g. swimming) for 48 hours. Avoid make-up on the treated area for at least 48 hours.

In general, the more hairs you have, the more treatments you'll need. For women with regular hair patterns six to eight sessions usually does the trick. For women with hormonal hair growth, such as coarse hairs on the chin and face, 10 to 12 sessions may be required.

Why do you have to wait 6 weeks between laser hair removal?

Waiting six weeks between laser hair removal sessions gives time to body hairs that were not in the anagen phase to enter it. Again, since 20% of hair is in the right stage at any point of time, some will leave it while other will enter it as you go for your next session.

How often do I need to get Laser Hair Removal? Depending on the hair, skin type, and body area being treated, you will require treatments at 4-6 weeks intervals. For the facial area, treatments can be done at 2-4 week intervals.

Will it remove hair permanently? Laser treatment can either permanently reduce the density of the hair or permanently remove unwanted hair. Permanent reduction in hair density means some hairs will regrow after a single course of therapy and patients will need ongoing laser treatment.

After your laser session, the growth of new hair will be less noticeable. However, even though laser treatments damage hair follicles, they're not destroyed completely. Over time, the treated follicles may recover from the initial damage and grow hair again.

As we mentioned a little earlier, if you don't shave before your appointment, the laser will singe the hair resulting in a burn to your skin. In addition, if the hair hasn't been shaved properly, treatment will not be as effective, and it may result in small temporary grazes on the top layer of your skin.

But electrolysis seems to work the best. The results are more permanent. Electrolysis also carries fewer risks and side effects, and you don't need the maintenance treatments required for laser hair removal. The downside is that electrolysis must be spread out over more sessions.

Laser treatments are often sold in packages of four sessions or more. You may need 12 treatments or more to completely eliminate hair growth. After that, the need for touchups should be minimal. Some people may require semiannual treatments at first.

Laser hair removal is not a one-and-done sort of deal. After you're finished receiving all of your sessions, laser hair removal will last for two to six years. However, maintenance sessions one to four times a year may be needed to keep the area hairless forever.

Patients may notice more hair 1 – 3 weeks after laser hair removal sessions as follicles in the growing cycle begin to shed. During this process, exfoliating the skin, once swelling and redness have dissipated, can help hairs shed faster, leaving skin feeling smoother.

Most people need somewhere from 4 to 6 sessions for optimal results, and it's encouraged that you come back for maintenance treatments once a year or so. When scheduling your hair removal treatments, you'll need to space them out by several weeks, so the full treatment cycle can take a couple of months.

Is 2 sessions of laser hair removal enough?

Generally, clients need about two to six laser treatments in order to completely get rid of hair. You can expect to see about a 10% to 25% reduction in hair after your first treatment. As you continue your treatments, more and more hair will fall out, and you'll notice that it continues to grow back more slowly.

It is important to shave before your laser hair removal appointment, 24 hours before is recommended. Shaving on the day of your session can be dangerous and should be avoided completely. This is because when you shave the razor may lift a layer of skin off as it passes over your skin.

The legs usually respond great to laser hair removal. Leg hair is typically thicker and darker than hair in other areas. Because of this, you can often get amazing results in the fewest number of treatments.

Ideally, you should shave the treatment area about 24 hours before your laser hair removal treatment. This will give the hair time to grow back a bit so that the laser can more easily target the hair follicle. If you are unable to shave before your appointment, don't worry – our staff will be able to do it for you.

In the US and Japan, laser hair removal is safe and effective for all skin types. In most cases, the process will last for six to eight weeks. Since different parts of the body grow at different rates, it is necessary to schedule a few sessions for optimal results. You should also consider the cost.

What hair removal treatment is best? Both laser hair removal and electrolysis treatments provide a long-term solution to unwanted hair growth. All things considered, despite being a slower method of hair removal, electrolysis is more versatile, and permanently removes hair.

Most patients will see results after three to six visits. Additionally, treatments are spaced out about every six weeks since individual hairs grow in cycles. It can take nine months to a year to treat one area of the body. After each appointment, you will notice fewer hairs growing in that area.