Hair grows in cycles, and laser hair removal works best when most of your anagen hair is present. Therefore, treatments should be spread out over six to eight weeks for best results.
However, many individuals find themselves going a considerable time between laser hair removal sessions and wonder whether this could harm their results.
Hair Growth Cycle
Timing is key when it comes to successful laser hair removal: each hair follicle undergoes its own set of stages as it grows, so treatments will only work effectively on those that have reached that particular stage. Therefore, it is crucial that you adhere to your treatment schedule for maximum effectiveness.
Laser treatments utilize selective photothermolysis, which targets melanin in hair follicles to destroy them quickly and painlessly. This method is more effective and faster than shaving since shaving only removes surface-level hair follicles – leaving yours still able to grow back within days!
If you are used to shaving or using depilatory creams for hair removal, you might be surprised to learn that hair growth is actually part of your body’s process. Follicles don’t completely remove all melanin from the hair shaft, meaning it starts growing back almost instantly. Laser treatments offer the most permanent way of decreasing or eliminating unwanted hair growth.
Laser treatments must take place when your hair follicles are in their anagen stage – this is when hair becomes visible above the surface of the skin and when visible regrowth begins. Therefore, for maximum effectiveness we advise scheduling sessions every four to six weeks.
The next phase in the hair growth cycle is known as catagen stage or “shedding phase,” lasting two days and typically marked by noticeable reduction of hair appearance. Unfortunately, laser treatment cannot target hair that has entered catagen phase as they don’t remain attached to dermal papillas.
Telogen stage (also called dormant stage) of hair growth cycle occurs at its endpoint. Here, hair follicles may go years without growing new hair but can eventually do so at any time; unlike anagen and catagen phases which can be targeted with laser treatments, telogen cannot.
If coronavirus lockdown or pregnancy have forced you to postpone laser treatments, or there have been significant gaps between sessions, this may hamper their results; but once regular treatments resume again, you should see impressive long-term benefits.
Anagen Stage
An anagen phase occurs during hair’s growth cycle when its follicles are at their most active. This stage makes laser treatment extremely effective as laser can remain on your skin’s surface to move heat through to disable hair follicles. To get optimal results it is recommended that no shaving, waxing, plucking, or tweezing of hair takes place during this phase as this could prevent it from accessing and damaging its target follicle.
The anagen phase typically lasts about three weeks and involves the hair becoming visible on your skin’s surface and quickly growing. You may discover an excess of extra hair during this phase, making it challenging. But it is an ideal opportunity for laser treatments!
Laser treatment may not be as effective during the catagen and telogen phases, which serve as transitional periods between anagen and resting phases. Hair will begin shedding during this stage for only a short period, leading to additional hair being visible on clothing or pillows after this phase.
Once the anagen phase ends, your body starts sending signals for the transitional catagen phase to begin. During this short transitional period before entering its restful telogen stage, your hair follicle shrinks and detaches from its dermal papilla source of nutrition, signaling its entry into telogen and eventually stopping growing altogether.
When in its telogen phase, hair follicles become dormant for days to months or even years at a time – rendering laser treatments ineffective at this point in time and necessitating at least 10 weeks between sessions to avoid unnecessary treatment failure.
Laser treatments administered during the telogen phase of hair growth may still damage follicles if administered at high fluences. One study concluded that lower laser fluences are more likely to produce nonscarring injuries; on the other hand, higher fluences increase scarring alopecia and damage in follicles.
Telogen Stage
Telogen phase of hair growth cycle, is the resting phase where no new hair is growing or developing. Follicles stop producing new hairs, while existing ones detach from them and fall out naturally – approximately 50-100 strands will fall out per day from healthy scalps during this phase, though stress or external factors could force more follicles into this stage prematurely, leading to noticeable thinning of your locks – this phenomenon is known as Telogen effluvium.
Anagen and catagen stages of hair growth have darker pigmentation that is most easily damaged by laser light, making these stages ideal for laser hair removal as this is when they can be most vulnerable to damage by its light. Heat energy from laser light destroys both the follicle and its hair root at once preventing further growth from taking place. During telogen phase follicles may not be easily damaged because they’re no longer visible above skin’s surface but could still be negatively impacted by other external factors like ageing hormone changes or diet low in essential fatty acids.
After laser hair removal sessions, many individuals report experiencing a “stuck” feeling due to hair follicles entering a state called the telogen phase and remaining there, hiding beneath the surface of their skin.
While it is unlikely, hair can regrowth after it has entered the telogen phase if its follicle remains there for too long or is exposed to stressors that compromise its functions and cause them to stay there; otherwise it won’t return until its function has returned normally and returned back into anagen phase.
Laser hair removal sessions must be completed regularly in order to achieve permanent results, otherwise missed appointments could disrupt hair cycles. Missed sessions could cause hair follicles to enter their telogen phase and remain beneath your skin’s surface longer, making treatment with lasers even more challenging. We suggest attending sessions every 4 weeks.
Hair Regrowth
Laser hair removal results may differ for each person depending on hormone levels and hair growth cycles, making adherence with your treatment schedule essential to seeing optimal results. Missed sessions could lead to hair follicles not becoming damaged enough for permanent hair reduction, leading to lighter or thinner growth upon follow-up treatments later on – something easily resolved with follow-up treatments in the future.
Color can also have an effect on how effective laser treatment is, as its light needs to penetrate your hair to destroy follicles. As darker hair creates greater contrast against skin tone, making it easier for laser light to locate and destroy follicles.
Before your laser session, it’s recommended that you avoid tanning and utilize sunless skin lightening creams. Furthermore, shaving for at least three days prior to your appointment will allow the hair to grow long enough so it can be seen by the laser light and destroyed by it.
Waxing or tweezing between treatments is also key, as this can damage the hair follicles and interfere with results of laser hair removal treatments. If shaving before an appointment is necessary, do it a few hours or days beforehand so the hair has time to grow out before making your appointment.
Though it is perfectly acceptable to take time off between laser hair removal appointments, experts advise sticking to 4 to 6 week intervals between each visit. This is due to hair follicles changing their active growth cycles approximately every 4-6 weeks depending on where they reside on your body; starting treatment and then having long gaps between appointments could hinder its effectiveness in targeting hair follicles effectively.
