Laser hair removal is a popular cosmetic procedure that can effectively eliminate unwanted body hair. Before undertaking treatment, however, it’s crucial that you understand the growth cycle of your individual hairs in order to be most successful with laser.
Hair follicles are at their most active during the anagen phase, when visible above the skin and still attached to their papillas. Unfortunately, only 20% of your hair may be at this stage at any given time.
Anagen Phase
The Anagen Phase is the stage in which hair growth is most visible, making it the optimal time and stage for laser hair removal treatments. This is because its pigment absorbs laser light and converts it to heat energy that destroys and disables its source, ultimately rendering its source incapable of producing new follicles that could produce new hair growth.
People typically experience up to 20% of their hair in anagen phase at any one time; however, only approximately 85% of hair follicles are typically present during this stage of growth. Therefore, multiple laser treatments may be required in order to reap its full benefits.
Catagen phase: the hair begins shedding and its follicle is shrunk in size; this short transitional stage lasts only two days and may account for why people sometimes find body hair on their pillows or clothes, as follicles shed. Unfortunately, laser cannot target this shedding hair as it no longer remains attached to dermal papilla.
At some point in time, the follicle enters a stage known as the telogen phase – considered dormant and resting– until new hair production resumes and it returns to anagen stage; this stage may last anywhere between six months to a year for full production to resume.
Hair in its telogen phase may not be visible or absorb laser light; however, the follicle remains alive and continues to produce melanin for hair production; thus laser light can still target melanin production in this stage; heat from laser may damage and prevent new hair growth while at the same time helping regenerate it and regrow later.
Waxing or tweezing of hair between laser treatments should be avoided to maximize effectiveness of treatment. Melanin in hair follicles absorb laser light, turning it into heat energy that destroys them; however if hair removal occurs during its resting or telogen phase it could regrow and require another round of treatments.
Catagen Phase
Hair develops from an underground bulb and follows a natural growth cycle with three distinct phases, the anagen phase being the growth stage and therefore an ideal time for laser treatments as the hair will have visible roots that contain pigment as well as being attached to their follicles.
As your hair transitions into its catagen phase, it stops growing and starts to decrease in size and start shedding; many believe their hair is “growing back faster”. This short period typically lasts approximately one week during which your follicle becomes detached from its dermal papilla that supplies it with nutrients.
At its darkest, hair pigment becomes easier for laser treatments to detect and target the follicle, and ultimately disable it to prevent future growth of new hair follicles. Typically lasting two or three weeks, this phase is crucial in order to achieve lasting results from laser treatments.
At Citrine MedSpa, our Motus AY device combines 755nm alexandrite and 1064nm Nd:YAG wavelengths to target melanin in hairs and prevent it from growing back again. While highly effective, this approach may take multiple treatment sessions before yielding desired results as only a portion of hairs are in their anagen phase at any one time; repeated sessions allow more anagen phase hairs to come online faster.
Shaving, waxing and tweezing alone cannot produce long-term results; as only anagen phase hair follicles are disabled during these procedures, and will eventually reemerge during the unpredictable telogen phase; due to this unpredictable period lasting days to years at a time it likely requires repeat laser treatments in the future.
Telogen Phase
Laser hair removal is an increasingly popular solution to achieve practically hair-free skin on both the face and body, although it’s not permanent due to natural growth cycles which vary based on age and hormones. When hair enters its telogen phase it no longer grows but becomes detached from its follicle; this lasts about 3 months before either falling out through pulling or natural shed of its own accord; at which time its follicle prepares for its transition back into anagen phase again.
Once a hair follicle reaches the anagen phase, it is ready for treatment with laser light. This process is far more effective than shaving or waxing due to pigmented hair follicles which the laser can detect and destroy during this phase. Most patients require multiple sessions before seeing complete removal from all their unwanted hair growth; plucked or tweezed hairs interfere with this treatment and reduce its effectiveness significantly. It is also vital that plucking or tweezing prevents it being effective!
Telogen effluvium (TE), one of the most prevalent forms of hair loss dermatologists encounter, occurs when anagen hair follicles dramatically decline for whatever reason, leading to an increase in dormant telogen follicles that produce dormant hair follicles – leading to significant hair shedding which may seem like continued growth.
If you are interested in exploring laser hair removal as a means to achieving virtually hair-free skin, come visit Med Spa at Seena One today. Our team can answer your queries and schedule an initial consultation where we will examine the area(s) that are of concern and discuss hair growth patterns before creating a tailored treatment plan for each of our guests. Give us a call now – 9544 782-7653- to set an appointment!
Regrowth
Laser hair removal is an efficient, safe way to eradicate unwanted body and facial hair. As a long-term solution, it may prevent further hair growth by disabling follicles that produce hair. Unfortunately, hair may grow back eventually after laser treatment has taken effect; you may require follow-up sessions in order to maintain results; whether or not that happens depends upon many factors including skin complexion and type of hair you have.
Laser light is directed at hair follicles to target their melanin-rich pigment. When converted to heat, this heat destroys dermal papillae and thus stops further hair production from the same hair follicle – this process is known as selective photothermolysis. As laser treatments only target active hair follicles, plucking or waxing prior to treatment does not increase its efficacy.
Laser treatments are most successful when applied during the Anagen stage of hair follicle development when hair strands can be seen emerging above the skin surface. At this time, laser treatment is best used as it targets active growth with higher melanin concentration levels in these follicles.
Once hair reaches Catagen phase, it transitions into the Telogen stage in which its follicles become dormant and cannot be targeted by laser treatment as they are no longer active. When in Telogen phase, hair begins to fall out naturally over a 7-30 day period without intervention from razor or tweezer; redness or bumps may appear due to your body pushing out hair from its follicle. Shaving or tweezing during this stage could interfere with laser treatments, triggering it back into Anagen phase prematurely. It is therefore imperative that no shaving or tweezing occurs as this will interfere with laser treatment and cause premature return into Anagen phase before needed.
While some hair regrowth is inevitable, most patients experience long-term results with occasional maintenance sessions. When hair does return, it usually grows back finer and lighter in color than before; additionally, hormone changes or other external influences such as medication may trigger new hair growth as well as genetic factors.
