Laser hair removal can be an effective way to rid unwanted body hair, but in rare cases it can actually stimulate hair growth – this phenomenon is known as paradoxical hypertrichosis.
Professional laser machines used in hair removal treatments use light rays to send hair follicles into dormancy and effectively rid patients of their unwanted locks – leaving only occasional touch up treatments needed afterward.
1. Hormonal Imbalance
Hormonal fluctuations as we age can influence where and how hair grows. Hormones control so much more than our appearance; they’re responsible for mood regulation and how food breaks down within our bodies, too. If our hormone levels become imbalanced, symptoms could include hot flashes or changes in skin texture/tone that are hard to pinpoint – leaving many women frustrated when doctors give temporary solutions such as antidepressants or birth control pills as solutions.
Laser hair removal can be an effective method to eliminate unwanted hair. However, due to differences in each area’s growth cycle and hair follicle growth cycles, permanent results may prove challenging to achieve. Anagen-phase hair follicles are most susceptible to laser treatments since they’re above the skin surface and ready for extraction; their melanin content draws extra energy from laser treatments during this phase.
If your hair is in its catagen or telogen stages, laser treatment won’t be able to easily target it. Therefore, it’s crucial that before any procedure plucked, waxed, or bleached hair in the treatment area is plucked, waxed, or bleached as this could make or break achieving great results and having to return for additional sessions.
Keep to your treatment plan and don’t skip sessions. Depending on the area being treated, this could take anywhere from six or more sessions until all your hair has entered its anagen phase and can be targeted with laser therapy – you can help expedite this process by scheduling appointments every six weeks or so.
2. Decreased Blood Flow
Laser hair removal treatments use high-intensity light beams to damage melanin in hair follicles and thus disable them, thus stopping new growth in the future. You will experience minor discomfort during treatment; many men and women describe the feeling as that of “tiny rubber bands flicking their skin.” Multiple treatment sessions are necessary in order to achieve maximum results due to laser technology only targeting hair follicles in anagen phase, or active growth stage; those in catagen (dormant stage), dormant stage will remain unaffected, leading them back into active hair growth again; touch-up treatments can also help address hair regrowth caused by hormonal changes.
Laser hair removal treatments may cause thicker, darker hair to grow back in its original place – known as paradoxical hypertrichosis – which is caused by heat produced by laser or by other factors. While its cause remains unknown, it could be related to heat generated from laser or to a combination of them all.
Laser hair removal can be an efficient and safe method to reduce unwanted body hair. Although not guaranteed as permanent by some companies, results will depend on multiple variables including hair color and location of follicles.
If you’re having problems with excess hair and want to explore your options, visit a salon. Professionals at these establishments will help determine whether laser hair removal suits your goals and needs, recommend the appropriate number of treatment sessions, and set up regular follow up appointments in order to achieve lasting results.
3. Poor Preparation
Careful consideration must be given when conducting laser hair removal treatments, in terms of both care for your skin and effectiveness of treatment. You must ensure the area being treated is clean and free from creams, lotions, makeup or powders – as these could prevent heat from the laser reaching its intended target follicle effectively and treat hair.
Plucking, waxing and bleaching should also not be performed before initiating laser treatment as these hair removal methods involve pulling out hair roots and may interfere with its process. When laser hair removal occurs, melanin in each follicle is targeted and killed with laser light to create new thin hair growth from within each follicle; over time this causes melanin levels to return back to their usual levels resulting in new thick growth from existing ones follicles; taking time for their bodies to fully restore normal functions again.
Following your treatment plan is also crucial; do not allow more than a few days between treatments as otherwise you might miss the anagen phase when hair growth is at its highest and is most prone to fallout.
Finally, it’s vital that any sun exposure be limited. Both natural sunlight and fake tanning beds expose you to laser light that can damage your skin and interfere with treatments, so always protect yourself with sunscreen before and after treatments to achieve the best outcomes. It usually takes six treatments for people to achieve permanent reduction in hair growth with this approach – because anagen-stage hair needs to be targeted by laser in order for laser to work effectively against it – once completed though, hair growth should become significantly less frequent and less bothersome over time.
4. Low Fluence
Low fluence refers to laser hair removal where energy concentration isn’t strong enough to destroy hair follicles, possibly due to improper adjustment or low power settings on an IPL device.
Fluence determines how much heat lasers emit into skin tissues. This heat can damage hair follicles and lead to permanent hair reduction, while an overly high fluence may result in painful treatments, thermal burns, blisters discoloration or scarring.
Newer technologies combine lower fluences with larger spot sizes to improve comfort and safety without compromising efficacy. Lumenis’ LightSheer 800nm diode laser features a high-speed handpiece with a large spot size, which facilitates effective heat rise in the dermis with lower fluence treatments for more comfortable, safe, and successful treatment sessions.
Studies conducted to demonstrate the non-inferiority of low-fluence 12 J treatments with larger spot sizes have proven equally as effective as traditional diode high-fluence treatments, minimizing exposure of skin and risk of adverse events while shortening treatment times and time to treat.
5. Infection
Hair follicles are sensitive to heat, and when exposed to it through laser treatments, they may experience paradoxical hypertrichosis – the process whereby thicker strands re-grow. Although this seems like something from a horror movie, it does actually happen during laser procedures when doctors press handheld instruments against skin in order to target hair follicles with laser light rays; typically equipped with cooling devices or gel to protect surrounding skin and minimize pain during this process; during which patients might feel discomfort or similar sensations as if a rubber band snapped against skin or even experience burning sensations during this procedure.
Laser light only damages hair follicles in their anagen, or active growth phase. At this stage, more melanin is present and easily targeted by laser light; when in its resting phase (telogen), however, melanin levels decrease considerably and therefore require multiple treatment sessions for optimal results.
Before and after laser treatments, it’s also important to avoid waxing, tweezing and plucking of the area being treated as these techniques can alter hair thickness and prevent its follicles from growing into anagen phase. Also it is advisable not to miss any scheduled sessions as missing them can push your follicles back into telogen phase before being treated again – leading to unwanted hair growth.
Keep in mind that multiple laser treatments will likely be required in order to halt hair growth, with results not always guaranteed permanently. But by taking steps like avoiding common mistakes and caring for your skin properly, smoother, thinner hair may come out over time!
