Laser hair removal must be repeated four to six times for it to be successful and allow the hairs to reduce in thickness and lighten in color.
This will reduce or even eliminate the need for shaving, waxing and other hair removal methods such as epilation. Results will differ significantly between people.
How many treatments do I need?
Laser hair removal can be a cost-effective and time-saving solution for women and men looking to permanently eliminate unwanted body hair. One treatment session usually isn’t enough, though, as most patients require multiple laser hair removal sessions before seeing long-term results.
Numerous factors can play a part in determining how many treatments will be needed for laser hair removal, including skin color, texture and growth rate of hair. People with darker skin and lighter hair make ideal candidates because this contrast allows treatment to work more efficiently.
Between laser hair removal treatments, it is also important to refrain from other hair removal methods such as tweezing, waxing or shaving as these remove hair follicles from their roots and can prevent laser treatments from reaching their full potential. Furthermore, any medications which increase photosensitivity should also be avoided prior to beginning treatments sessions.
Hormones can also have an effect on how many treatment sessions are necessary; they may interfere with your hair growth cycle and cause it to occur more rapidly than normal, as can various health conditions; oral contraceptives or hormone therapy could have the same result; for those taking oral contraceptives or engaging in hormone therapy will require more sessions than those who don’t participate.
Your individual laser hair removal treatment requirements can best be determined during a consultation with an expert cosmetic dermatologist like Dr. Michele Green in New York City, who will tailor an individualized plan tailored specifically to meet your goals and needs.
Are You Tired of Tweezing, Waxing and Shaving? Contact Our Upper East Side Office Now To Schedule a Laser Hair Removal Consultation Now. Our team looks forward to helping you realize your goal of smoother skin! For more information or assistance contact our team.
How long do I have to wait between treatments?
Laser treatments offer long-term solutions to unwanted body hair that cannot be reached with shaving, waxing and depilatory creams alone. Although several treatment sessions may be necessary before seeing results that last permanently.
Your technician will use a handheld device to press against your skin and activate a laser’s light energy, heating pigment and disabling hair follicles, in order to eliminate future hair growth in treated areas such as your upper lip or back. Treatment times typically last less than an hour for small areas like upper lips while more extensive treatments such as back may take over an hour.
After laser hair removal, treated areas will experience gradual hair shedding over several days or weeks as the laser damages the follicles that control growth. Any hair that regrowth may be finer and less noticeable than their predecessors due to laser treatment.
Laser treatment only targets melanin-containing hair follicles; those with white or grey hair do not experience permanent results from laser hair removal; for this reason they must seek alternative hair-removal methods, such as electrolysis for permanent results.
Your doctor will suggest a customized series of treatment sessions designed to fit into your busy lifestyle and treat the areas you wish to treat. Results typically require four or eight treatments with six week gaps between each appointment for optimal outcomes.
Face and neck areas generally benefit from frequent treatment sessions as their hair follicles respond more readily to hormone fluctuations and enter anagen growth phase more frequently than elsewhere on the body. However, some women achieve excellent results from less treatment sessions when following a more consistent regimen.
After laser hair removal, it is crucial that you avoid direct sunlight and adhere to your doctor’s post-treatment care instructions in order to safeguard the treated skin. Furthermore, as laser treatment will cause more sensitive areas to be exposed to direct sunlight than usual, investing in a high-quality broad spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen would be highly advisable.
What happens after the first treatment?
After your treatment, your skin may look red and feel warm – this sensation has been likened to mild sunburn – for one to three days post-procedure and should eventually fade. To minimize irritation post-procedure and to promote healing quickly post-treatment, wear loose, comfortable clothing that allows airflow as much as possible while moisturizing treated areas several times daily with moisturizer. Makeup application should also be avoided until after this period as this could cause skin abrasions which would reduce or postpone results of laser hair removal treatment results.
Waxers and pluckers should refrain from waxing and plucking for at least six weeks prior to attending their laser session, as the laser treatment works by targeting hair shafts; waxing or plucking will disrupt this treatment and could impede its effectiveness. Shavers may still use an electric razor but should avoid shaving too closely or frequently during this period.
The initial treatment involves “shocking” the hair follicle with light energy to destroy it and stop producing new hair growth, while existing strands gradually fall out within days or weeks as the remaining ones gradually shed themselves out of existence. For optimal results, follow-up treatments must be scheduled.
After your hair removal treatment, the destroyed hairs will begin to fall out and your skin will look smoother almost instantly. Although some areas might take longer, results should typically be noticeable quickly. Gentle exfoliating products and moisturizers will speed up this process and prolong its effects for as long as possible.
Laser hair removal works best when administered during its anagen phase of growth, so multiple sessions must be taken in order to achieve long-lasting and permanent results. New hair may occasionally grow back after each laser session has concluded; however, its thickness and color usually will differ significantly from its predecessor. As a result, most patients remain hair free for months or years after having completed treatment with laser.
How long will the results last?
Laser hair removal results are long-term, with each individual experiencing differing amounts of reduction. Lasers use light energy to destroy hair follicles, stopping their production of more hair while making any new growth appear thinner and finer when it returns. Since hair grows back at different rates and as lasers only work during its growth stage, multiple sessions may be required in order to kill all follicles and create lasting and permanent reduction.
Hair may grow back less frequently and appear finer and lighter when it does return; however, the effectiveness will depend on several factors, including its thickness and color as well as where it grows on the body (e.g. armpit hair or chin hair) as well as skin type and tone of each individual person.
Women with darker hair and darker, tanner skin often experience longer-term results compared to their fair-skinned peers. Furthermore, where hair resides on the body — for instance in the pits and bikini area rather than arms or chest areas – tends to influence how quickly results come back.
Another key element in hair removal is the type of laser used. Spot size and fluence determine how much energy reaches hair follicles from laser light energy; using higher spot sizes/fluence will result in more permanent hair reduction as more light energy reaches these follicles.
Laser hair removal can be an ideal solution for people who prefer non-invasive ways of getting rid of unwanted hair, like shaving, waxing and creams. Laser removal offers fast, convenient and less painful removal with minimal downtime or discomfort associated with its use.
If you’re considering laser hair removal, speak to a certified specialist and learn more about what treatment and number of sessions would be necessary in your situation. Once informed, make an informed decision! To get the ball rolling for permanent hair reduction quickly. Our Cynosure Elite Nd:YAG and Alexandrite lasers offer treatments suitable for all skin types – making progress towards reaching hairless goals more attainable than ever!
