Laser hair removal can provide an effective and permanent way of eliminating unwanted hair growth; however, some individuals experience regrowth after receiving laser treatments.
Hormonal fluctuations and natural hair cycles play a part in unwanted hair growth. To keep these at bay, it’s crucial that you follow your treatment plan and return for scheduled sessions as scheduled.
This will ensure that hair follicles are in their anagen phase during laser treatments.
Hormonal Imbalance
Laser hair removal is a non-invasive way of permanently eliminating unwanted facial and body hair. Patients can forgo shaving, waxing and plucking until their natural regrowth – often lighter and finer compared to before treatment – occurs.
Laser Hair Removal uses strong light to target dark hair follicles and kill them. Since skin is so delicate, most patients receive a topical anesthetic prior to their appointment in order to lessen any discomfort during their session. Once finished, their body will begin flushing out these dead follicles over a 7-30 day period resulting in redness, bumps or ingrown hairs as these dead cells break apart and move toward the surface of skin.
Once follicles begin to return, it’s essential that patients follow the maintenance schedule set forth by their technician. In general, this involves several treatments per year depending on which body area is being treated; though this varies from person to person. It is wise to avoid engaging in additional hair removal routines before each laser session as these could disrupt growth cycles and delay seeing desired results.
Hormonal imbalances may impede hair growth in women living with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This condition affects androgen levels in the body, resulting in excess hair on facial features and legs as well as infertility or other health complications for these women.
Hormones that stimulate hair growth can also be affected by poor lifestyle choices, including stress, lack of sleep and high-sugar processed food consumption. Such factors may lead to temporary hormonal imbalance that stimulates new hair growth; this condition can often be reversed with professional medical interventions like hormone replacement therapy and other medical therapies.
Low Fluence
Laser Hair Removal can be performed safely when patients are selected appropriately and proper parameters and techniques are implemented. Mild discomfort should be expected and typically correlates with treatment efficacy; excessive redness or swelling indicates unwanted thermal injury to nearby tissues.
Although it’s rare, a few individuals experience an increase in hair growth following multiple laser treatments. While this occurrence may seem troubling at first, it’s essential to understand why more hair comes back after laser therapy has taken place and why this may happen for various reasons.
One potential cause could be that the laser wasn’t set at an appropriate fluence for their skin type; this occurs because higher fluence requires shorter pulse durations and larger spot sizes to effectively heat dermal targets at depth for hair removal.
The ideal spot size for any laser treatment depends on the absorption coefficient of skin at a certain wavelength and pulse duration, so larger spot sizes allow more efficient heating at lower fluences, making treatment of dark-skinned patients with less discomfort and risk of complications more achievable.
Notably, smaller spot sizes require longer pulse durations and could increase side effects in certain individuals. Furthermore, lower spot sizes are less effective at providing energy delivery to deeper layers of skin where hair follicle germ cells reside.
Finally, it should be noted that certain diode lasers can provide effective treatments with lower fluences than traditional alexandrite lasers. A recent study revealed that using a 1064nm picosecond ND-YAG laser with collimated handpiece and large spot size achieved comparable results when treating Fitzpatrick skin types IV through VI weekly at 12J/cm2, without developing psoriasiform eruption or petechiae.
An alternative option for safer and more effective laser hair removal is Intense Pulsed Light (IPL). IPL works by sending out broad beams of light across your skin; though less precise than laser, it still achieves impressive hair loss over multiple treatments.
Skin Color
Your hair and skin color make it easier for the laser to identify and target pigment in hair follicles, enabling it to destroy them without harming surrounding tissues or cells. However, it should be remembered that not all anagen hair follicles will be active at once; some will remain dormant or in the telogen phase, unaffected by treatment; therefore multiple sessions will likely be needed in order to cover all your follicles effectively.
Hair regrowth following laser treatments will usually be much finer and lighter in color than before, as well as less densely packed against your skin. In some instances, darker or thicker-than-expected regrowth is possible but can usually be overcome with touch-up treatments in the future.
After receiving laser hair removal treatments, the best way to stop unwanted hair from growing back afterward is to refrain from shaving, waxing, or other methods of removal – this allows the hair follicles time to complete their cycle and enter anagen phase once more. Furthermore, make sure that you return for follow-up laser treatments as directed.
Laser treatment can be very effective when used correctly and for the right purpose. If you are interested in permanent hair reduction using an FDA-approved, comfortable and convenient technique, contact Metro Dermatology now and arrange an initial consultation session.
Laser treatments to reduce unwanted hair include PROVEN(r) Laser Therapy. We also provide comprehensive dermatology services such as Mohs surgery and acne treatment, so please get in touch today to discover more about how our practice can help you attain healthier, more radiant skin! Proudly serving clients across Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and Westchester areas.
Hair Type
Laser treatment results can vary considerably depending on the type of hair you have, with those with curlier locks generally experiencing better outcomes than those with straight locks due to higher melanin concentration in their locks and therefore being more resistant to laser effects; many individuals find their locks grow back stronger and thicker after treatment with this laser technology.
Permanently eliminating unwanted hair may require multiple laser treatments to be successful. Each hair follicle has its own growth cycle that needs to be targeted appropriately in order for laser therapy to effectively destroy it. While exact requirements will differ between individuals, typically 4-8 sessions should suffice to see results permanently.
Laser treatment begins by pressing a hand-held device against your skin that contains both a small laser instrument and cooling gel or cooling device. Once activated, its tip emits light that targets hair follicles through your skin; its heat then damages or destroys those targeted follicles as it passes.
After your laser session, it is crucial that you refrain from tweezing, waxing, picking or threading hair as this could result in it regrowing as it no longer remains trapped within its follicles. Instead, wait 7-30 days for it to naturally fall out naturally.
Maintaining regular follow-up appointments is also key in getting rid of unwanted hair. Missing just one laser treatment could cause it to enter its telogen phase and become hidden underneath your skin’s surface, so keeping a calendar or notebook of all of your upcoming appointments may help ensure they don’t slip by unnoticed.
Good news is, if and when hair does begin to grow back, it usually returns finer and lighter in color than before! Patience will be required in this process but in time you should enjoy the fruits of your permanent hair reduction efforts!
