Laser hair removal is a safe and effective long-term hair reduction solution, replacing traditional depilation methods such as plucking, shaving, waxing or chemical depilatories with one non-invasive process.
Laser treatment is only effective against hairs in their anagen phase of growth cycle, so understanding your individual hair growth cycles will help explain why there may be some regrowth even after treatments are completed.
Anagen
Laser hair removal works by converting light energy into thermal (heat) energy that damages the pigmented bulb and bulge of hair follicles, stopping their growth. Lasers work best at treating anagen phase hairs containing melanin which absorbs laser light energy; its thermal energy destroys these melanin-containing follicles thereby stopping new hair production altogether and leaving behind scar tissue as evidence of treatment.
Anagen phase hair growth makes the follicle and its associated hair more accessible for removal via laser; thus it’s possible to target specific hairs for removal using this treatment technique. Note, however, that not all anagen phase hairs exist at once, therefore multiple treatment sessions will likely be necessary in order to see optimal results.
Anagen, catagen and telogen are the resting phases of hair cycle. Anagen typically lasts five-14 days and provides hairs an opportunity to absorb laser energy and be destroyed; however, only 15 percent of hair follicles will ever be in this phase at one time, thus taking multiple treatments to effectively rid an area of all unwanted hairs.
The catagen and telogen phase usually follows anagen phase and involves hair no longer being attached to its follicle, increasing its chances of falling out naturally during this period. Furthermore, catagen and telogen hair is less responsive to laser treatment.
As your hair enters the telogen phase, it becomes less and less visible as they shed and fall out, so it is essential to attend every scheduled treatment session without lengthy gaps between. This ensures the laser can effectively eliminate unwanted hair growth. Once complete, maintenance treatments may be required periodically in order to keep unwanted hairs from returning to the anagen stage and growing back out again; it should be noted, however, that laser hair removal results aren’t 100% permanent and hormones may influence their regrowth rate.
Catagen
The catagen phase is the second stage of hair growth cycle. In this brief intermediate period, hair bulb begins to shrink and become visible above skin’s surface while still attached to its papilla (“a knoblike vascular indentation at the base of hair follicle on which hair bulb fits”). Therefore, laser hair removal treatments should be conducted during this time frame.
Lasers work by targeting pigment, the color that gives your hair and skin its distinctive look. Hair follicles in their anagen phase contain higher levels of pigment that absorb light energy efficiently. Through laser treatments, melanin in hair follicles is targeted and damaged permanently disabling it’s ability to produce unwanted hair growth.
However, not all hair follicles are in their anagen phase at any one time; only about 20% do. Thus multiple treatments must be undertaken in order to achieve permanent hair reduction.
Once a hair follicle enters the catagen phase, it gradually loses melanin pigment and becomes less responsive to laser light. Furthermore, its structure begins to break down as its roots push out from their pores; eventually this results in no nourishment for its roots, leading it to fall out over a 7-30 day period – leading people to believe they’re growing new hair when in reality their body’s pushing out dead ones instead.
Telogen, or the final stage of hair growth cycle, occurs when up to 80% of your hair can be dormant and very fine and grey in texture. Unfortunately, true laser hair removal devices only target narrow segments of light spectrums, meaning they only work on certain combinations of skin tone and hair tones.
IPL devices employ a broad spectrum of light to perform laser-like treatments, making them more effective on more diverse combinations of skin and hair colors than their laser counterparts. Thus, many hair-reduction enthusiasts favor them over laser devices.
Telogen
Laser hair removal is a popular treatment option among both men and women looking for less-repetitive ways to achieve hairless skin. While laser treatments are relatively safe and effective, many may wonder whether their hair will return after receiving them; the answer is no; but you may require maintenance treatments in order to keep unwanted hair at bay.
Telogen, the final phase in the hair growth cycle, is where hair follicles rest and new hair growth begins to appear after laser treatments have taken effect. When new growth appears after repeated sessions with laser therapy, it could indicate your hair has entered the telogen phase; when hair grows back after such treatment without intervention during this phase, you might notice thinner and lighter-colored locks than usual when it reemerges.
Hair in the telogen phase could be caused by stress or diet deficiency, or may even be the result of medical condition telogen effluvium – an irreversible type of hair loss which affects all areas of the scalp; it typically affects older adults but has also been observed among pregnant women or people who ingested toxic substances like rat poison.
Although this form of hair loss typically ends within six to nine months, in rare instances it can continue for years or even decades.
When seeking laser hair removal treatments, it’s essential that you select an experienced and skilled practitioner. Look for someone registered as having attained minimum standards of training and skill and read their client reviews online. Additionally, if there’s any chance an underlying health condition could be the source of the problem it’s essential that an evaluation takes place first as this could prevent laser treatments being effective; some conditions like Genital Herpes prevent women from becoming suitable candidates while pregnant or breastfeeding women should avoid laser treatments as they cannot be recommended as viable candidates.
Post-treatment
Numerous factors can have an effect on laser hair removal results, from skin complexion and hair type to age and gender. To get an accurate idea of what you can expect from laser hair removal treatment, speak to a dermatologist or physician who specializes in this procedure – rather than going through non-clinical practitioners who do not possess extensive knowledge about your integumentary system and use non-medical grade machines for the procedure.
Laser hair removal treatments allow people to anticipate that unwanted hair will eventually grow back, though likely with thinner and lighter color than before. After several laser sessions have been administered, permanent or near-permanent reduction will occur; any hair that does regrow back usually grows back shorter than originally and at a slower pace.
Laser hair removal offers an effective alternative or supplement to more conventional solutions for hair growth, including over-the-counter thickening products, depilatory creams and prescription medication such as Minoxidil. Though more costly, laser treatments provide longer-term solutions than shaving or waxing alone.
Before embarking on laser hair removal sessions, it is crucial that a person refrain from plucking or waxing the area to be treated, as these methods disrupt the pigment of hair which absorbs more light, leading to burning follicles. Also important: avoid tanning products as these could make the skin darker and reduce effectiveness.
The treatment itself is usually painless; depending on the size and location of the area being treated, it could last from minutes to an hour. After receiving therapy, your skin may experience mild discomfort for a few days post-treatment; this is common and easily managed using over-the-counter pain relievers.
After receiving laser hair removal treatments, it is vital that a person does not shave for at least 24 hours post-treatment as shaving could compromise its efficacy as lasers target and damage only hair follicles with pigment in them. If hair has no longer entered its active growth phase, its pigment may no longer respond to heat generated by laser and it may not be effectively destroyed by it.
