Laser hair removal works by disabling the germ cells within your hair follicle, stopping them from producing new hair growth. Although not permanent, most people enjoy long-term results after six treatments with touch up sessions every once or twice annually for touch-up sessions.
Rarely, hair thickening following laser treatment occurs. But should this happen, there may be several possible explanations as to why.
1. Hormonal Imbalance
Many people become disgruntled with shaving, waxing and other temporary methods of hair removal only to have unwanted hair return within days. When searching for permanent solutions such as laser hair removal, laser technology offers excellent options; however it must be understood that laser treatment requires patience and commitment from those using it.
Laser hair removal works by targeting follicles – structures responsible for producing hair. When a laser shines on a patch of hair, it absorbs its pigment and converts it to heat energy, damaging the follicle and stopping further production of more hair follicles. To fully affect most follicles it usually requires multiple sessions.
One possible cause for post-laser hair removal regrowth could be hormonal imbalance, as hormonal fluctuations are known to induce hair regrowth, especially among women during perimenopause or menopause. If this is your situation, speaking with a physician and starting taking hormone supplements or bioidentical hormonal replacement therapy (BHRT) might help.
Make sure to attend all of your laser hair removal appointments regularly. Each session should reduce hair growth by 10%-25%; best results should appear after six to eight treatments.
Before scheduling laser hair removal appointments, it’s essential to refrain from waxing or tweezing in the three days preceding each laser hair removal session in order to ensure that hair remains in its growing phase (Anagen) so the laser can target it properly.
Before your appointments, it’s advisable to limit sun exposure as well as using any overly perfumed or chemical-laden skincare products, which could make your skin too sensitive to laser’s light, leading to unwanted regrowth.
2. Your Skin Is Sensitive To The Light
Laser hair removal provides an effective, permanent solution to unwanted hair growth, providing smooth and even skin with minimal effort and effort required from you. What’s even better about it is that it reduces shaving and waxing needs significantly – saving time spent otherwise on those tasks!
However, some factors could contribute to your hair regrowing faster than expected after laser treatment – some you may be able to influence and control, others outside your reach entirely.
Prior to your laser appointment, it is vital that you refrain from plucking or waxing the area as this may disturb hair follicles that cannot be targeted effectively by laser. Furthermore, sun exposure increases skin sensitivity to laser and may cause discolouration resulting in discolouration of affected areas.
On the day of your appointment, sunless tanning products should not be used, as these could darken your skin too much for it to work effectively with laser technology. Instead, lightening creams should be applied daily so your skin remains as white and ready for the laser to work effectively.
Keep in mind that laser treatments only target hair follicles in their shafts, making it essential to trim and shave around your follicles prior to receiving laser treatment. While it might be tempting to skip this step and rely solely on laser, long hairs will only get in its way and prevent its effectiveness.
Finally, it’s essential that you select an experienced practitioner for laser treatment. Failure to do so could leave scars or discolourations behind; always check that they are registered with an official register to prove they adhere to set standards of training and skill.
3. You Have A Hormone Deficiency
Laser hair removal is a noninvasive cosmetic procedure designed to diminish unwanted body and facial hair. While some people experience permanent or near-permanent results, others will see less hair grow back over time but will still need periodic touchup treatments in order to achieve their desired result.
Hormonal imbalance is one of the primary reasons that hair may grow back post-laser hair removal, often in faster than expected rates or being darker and thicker than before. Hormones influence how many hair follicles become active or growing, which in turn could cause your unwanted hair to return faster than expected and even become darker or thicker than it used to be.
Hair growth occurs naturally in cycles, with resting and growing periods for each hair follicle, so it may take some time before laser hair removal produces visible results. When you do notice results, they typically indicate that anagen (growing) phase hairs have transitioned out of their resting or growing phase and into their anagen (growing).
An anagen phase occurs when your hair grows longer and thicker than during its resting or growing phase, so it’s wise to refrain from plucking, waxing or bleaching your locks prior to laser treatment; these processes could interfere with its ability to penetrate hair follicles and eliminate them effectively.
Achieve optimal hormonal health is best achieved through eating a well-balanced diet and getting sufficient restful sleep, while limiting smoking and excessive alcohol intake as these may contribute to hormone imbalances.
Laser hair removal can be an ideal solution for people who are tired of spending both time and money shaving, waxing or using other traditional means to remove unwanted hair. Laser treatment is also effective against conditions like hypertrichosis where excess facial and body hair grows back quickly – helping improve both appearance and self-image while increasing confidence in areas with excess hair growth.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that no hair removal method can guarantee lasting results. Even if you get what you want out of a procedure, unwanted hair may reappear at some point; but in its place should come thinner and lighter-colored growth that should have no chance of returning as quickly.
4. You’re Using The Right Laser
Laser hair removal works by heating and damaging hair follicles to stop them producing any more hair. Over time, damaged follicles will repair themselves and regrow some hair; however, it should appear much lighter or thinner than what was growing prior to treatment.
But if the results you are after don’t appear as you expect, perhaps scheduling follow-up treatments every four to six weeks would help achieve them. But if that still isn’t doing the trick for you, perhaps checking that the clinic you chose has access to up-to-date technology is worth investigating further.
Modern laser technology may be more costly but safer and more effective. It typically has larger spot sizes with rapid repitition rates to provide treatment of large areas quickly. To maximize effectiveness and ensure you receive maximum benefit from your appointment it’s wise to avoid sun exposure and self-tanner in the days preceding it and bring dark sunglasses as this type of laser may discolour skin during sessions.
Avoid direct sun exposure as much as possible before scheduling a laser session, and refrain from plucking or waxing in the area as this can interfere with how effectively it works. After your appointment, expect some redness and swelling.
Some individuals have reported experiencing paradoxical hypertrichosis after laser treatment; it’s rare but worth being aware of. If you notice increased unwanted hairs than usual after receiving laser therapy, contact the clinic and request to speak with the dermatologist who performed your procedure.
Laser hair removal can be an expensive long-term investment; you’ll likely require touch-up sessions annually following your initial sessions. But laser is often better than shaving or waxing in helping address hormone imbalances like PCOS or an irregular menstrual cycle, while your health insurance may cover these treatments depending on the provider. Make sure your office offers package deals or inquire if it offers flexible spending accounts as a potential savings mechanism.
