Laser hair removal is one of the most sought-after cosmetic treatments to achieve smooth and virtually hairless skin. Unlike shaving or waxing, its heat destroys hair follicles so they no longer produce hair growth.
However, several laser sessions may be necessary to target all hairs effectively and in some instances hair follicles may begin growing back – this condition is known as paradoxical hypertrichosis.
Why Does Hair Grow Back After Laser Treatments?
Laser treatment can be an excellent way to get rid of unwanted hair. Lasers emit highly concentrated beams of light that penetrate hair follicles, turning pigment into heat that destroys them – this prevents future growth from that follicle and ensures future hairless patches. There may be instances in which some hair may grow back after laser treatments have taken place due to hormonal fluctuations or changes in its growth cycle.
Laser treatments typically involve placing a handheld laser instrument against your skin. Depending on the type of laser device chosen, there may be an infrared cooling device or cool gel attached to protect and soothe any discomfort experienced during treatment. Your physician will press this device against your skin to emit laser light that passes through tissue layers while targeting any hair follicles in its path.
As it passes through your tissue, the laser will vaporize any existing hairs that are in their anagen phase (growing phase), but will have no effect on those in catagen (shedding) or telogen (resting) phases – thus necessitating multiple sessions over a number of months in order to experience results.
Many individuals fear laser hair removal because of concerns it will lead to hair regrowth, though this usually is not the case. The laser essentially destroys the hair follicle so that it cannot grow hair any longer, though due to hair’s natural growth cycle of resting, shedding, and growing periods it is possible for it to grow back from nearby destroyed follicles in its vicinity.
In these instances, it is recommended to visit a dermatologist and discuss additional ways of stimulating hair growth. Over-the-counter shampoos and thickening products may help stimulate new growth; plus there are prescription drugs like Minoxidil that stimulate follicles for stimulating new hair regrowth.
Hormonal Imbalance
Hair growth that seems excessive could be an indicator of hormonal imbalance. Hormones play an integral part in maintaining optimal body and mind function, from metabolism and endocrine health to reproductive systems and infertility in women; in men a hormonal imbalance can result in erectile dysfunction and prostate problems.
Your doctor may recommend performing hormone levels testing to assess any imbalance, and may also suggest pap smear screening for women.
Diet and lifestyle modifications may help restore hormonal equilibrium. Avoiding high-sugar processed foods, getting enough sleep and supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, iodine and adaptogenic Ashwagandha may all help. You could also consult with a physician regarding hormone-regulating medicines.
Hair Growth Cycle
Laser treatments use lightwaves to target and damage the follicles that produce your unwanted hair, drawing in lightwaves that attract melanin pigments in your follicles, which absorb energy from laser light and convert it to heat damage in your follicles – the damaged follicles no longer produce new strands, meaning shaving, waxing or tweezing no longer works to get rid of unwanted hair!
Researchers have recently discovered that certain low-level laser light (LLLT) techniques can stimulate hair follicles and encourage their growth, helping reduce hair loss and stimulate regrowth in some people with male pattern baldness and alopecia areata.
Scientists don’t yet fully understand the exact mechanism by which low-level laser therapy (LLLT) stimulates hair growth, but experts think it may work by encouraging anagen phase reentry in telogen hair follicles as well as increasing rates of proliferation for active anagen follicles. Furthermore, it may also help restore scalp function after hair loss by helping your follicles return to their physiological regeneration rate.
Some at-home low-level laser light therapy devices like combs, bands and helmets may be promoted as hair growth stimulators; but before making your choice, consult a dermatologist first to ensure it will meet your specific needs and is safe. Not all devices may be suitable for scarring alopecia conditions or women pregnant or breastfeeding; as well as talking with them about any medications taken currently or previously that could alter skin sensitivity to light.
These growth boosting devices often boast safer and more effective treatments than hair transplant surgery, which is generally considered one of the more invasive procedures for male or female pattern baldness or alopecia. Unfortunately, however, not everyone may consider surgery an option, since it can be both costly and time consuming to recover from.
The Causes of Excessive Hair Growth After Laser Treatments
Laser hair removal is a noninvasive treatment that uses intense laser light heat to destroy hair follicles under the skin, permanently disabling them so they no longer produce new hairs. Unfortunately, however, it is impossible to completely destroy all follicles responsible for unwanted hair production, so some growth may still persist even after multiple laser sessions have taken place.
The type of laser used for hair removal can greatly influence future growth. Diode lasers tend to be the safest and most effective choice, emitting specific wavelengths of light that target pigmented hair more effectively while being safer on darker skin tones.
Laser treatments work best when applied when your hair is in its anagen phase of growth cycle. Resting or telogen hair won’t respond as effectively; therefore, it is crucial that you adhere to your prescribed number of treatments.
Laser damage may cause hair follicles to be temporarily destroyed, yet still produce hair once it enters anagen phase of growth cycle. When they begin producing new growth however, it will likely be much lighter than previously expected.
Hormonal imbalances may also play a part in triggering unwanted hair growth after laser treatments. If your hormonal levels fluctuate frequently, it’s wise to consult your GP regularly for blood tests to monitor them and adapt your lifestyle to keep hormone levels balanced – such as cutting back on caffeine consumption or processed foods high in sugar for example – which could prevent an imbalance from developing that may lead to unwanted hair growth.
If you’re experiencing excessive hair growth following laser treatments, speak to your physician. They may prescribe hormone-regulating medication that will control it; alternatively, a dermatologist might suggest other therapies like acupuncture or PRP therapy to encourage your follicles back into anagen phase growth cycles.
