Why is My Hair Growing Back After Laser?

Brian Lett
By Brian Lett
10 Min Read

why is my hair growing back after laser

Hair removal lasers only target anagen hairs in an area, and require multiple sessions in order to reach all anagen hairs in that region.

Some individuals may experience some minor hair growth a year or two post-treatment series completion due to hormone fluctuations. This phenomenon often causes sparse patches.

It’s normal

Many people assume that laser treatments will lead to immediate hair loss; however, this may not always be true. It takes time for your follicles to reach an appropriate temperature, stimulating hair growth. This could happen anytime after treatment and depends on individual body chemistry, skin complexion and hormones – therefore multiple sessions are often necessary in order to reach optimal results.

Hair removal treatments utilize lasers that target only those follicles in the anagen phase of hair growth cycle, which have extra melanin. This allows the laser to target these specific follicles without damaging your skin or other healthy follicles, without harming other follicles which have entered catagen or telogen phase; these follicles will still continue producing hair over time but more slowly and less noticeable than previously.

Hair growth after laser treatments is common, and it’s essential to know what to expect before beginning treatments. Multiple sessions may be necessary in order to fully eradicate hair follicles and reduce future regrowth; once you’ve undergone your initial sessions you should notice a significant reduction in unwanted body hair without needing to shave or wax anymore; but touch-up treatments will likely still be needed as some hair may come back.

An additional factor contributing to hair regrowth after laser treatments could be hormonal imbalance. Women living with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), for instance, often experience excess facial and body hair due to elevated testosterone and other androgens levels in their system. Hormonal fluctuations may disrupt how your body responds to laser treatments as well as delay other forms of hair removal methods.

To reduce hair growth, the key is to stick with your treatment plan and attend your appointments on schedule. Also remember that hair follicles go through cycles – even though they might appear dormant at times, they could just be resting in telogen mode!

It’s not normal

Laser hair removal is a popular solution to unwanted hair, as it is generally safe and considered permanent when done correctly. But if your hair grows back, it may leave you wondering whether the treatment worked at all – this is an understandable concern, so it’s essential that we understand why this happens.

Your doctor will use a hand-held laser instrument to press against your skin. Depending on the type of laser used, this might feature a cooling device or cool gel to reduce side effects and protect the surface of your skin. Once activated, an intense heat beam passes through your skin into hair follicles that produce hair growth; damaging these and inhibiting future hair growth – you may feel some pinpricks but shouldn’t experience significant pain.

Correct laser hair removal sessions cause your body’s bulb to gradually release over seven to 30 days, creating redness and bumps as dead hair is released from its follicles and pulled out by your body. Over time, hair should stop growing altogether leaving smooth skin without any visible hair growth.

Hair growth cycles are complex processes with multiple stages at any one time. For laser treatments to be successful, the anagen phase must be present; when this phase exists, visible and targetable by laser beams; Catagen and Telogen stages cannot be treated using lasers due to resting or growing phases respectively.

Although its cause remains elusive, some theories speculate that thicker hair growth after laser treatment could have something to do with hormone imbalance. Women suffering from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) often exhibit excessive facial and body hair due to high levels of testosterone and other androgens; unfortunately this condition can often remain undetected until its symptoms surface years later.

Another theory suggests that your hair could grow back thicker after laser, possibly because its beam failed to reach all the germ cells within its hair follicles due to low energy laser usage or because you visited an unprofessional clinic.

It’s a side effect

Laser hair removal is a safe, effective way to quickly reduce unwanted body hair. But results take time; therefore it’s crucial that before beginning this procedure you take all necessary precautions such as working with an experienced technician and following their post-treatment guidelines.

Before commencing laser hair removal therapy, it is advisable to refrain from performing other hair removal methods in the treated area – shaving, plucking and waxing can interfere with its effectiveness; so for maximum efficacy it is wise to wait at least a week after receiving laser therapy before engaging in these other hair removal strategies.

One reason that some hair grows back after laser is that not all your follicles were eliminated during your first session of laser. Laser kills only active, or anagen, phase hair follicles – approximately 15% at any given treatment session; as a result most patients typically require four – six sessions before long-term results are achieved.

As some hair follicles may be resistant to laser treatment or have already entered their dormant, or catagen, phase of growth, it is crucial that you consult a licensed professional with experience performing laser treatments on all skin types – ideally dermatologists are best qualified to ensure safe and effective laser treatments are administered.

One potential explanation for why laser treatment might cause your hair to grow back thicker and darker could lie with hormonal imbalance. Women diagnosed with PCOS, for instance, often develop excess facial and body hair due to increased levels of testosterone and other androgens; laser treatment might not actually be to blame but may speed up this process.

No matter why it has returned, laser treatment can still provide effective relief for unwanted hair. Safe, fast, and long-lasting solutions such as these exist for getting rid of unwelcome growth that last years with proper upkeep.

It’s not a side effect

Laser hair removal has proven safe and effective since its introduction into clinical use in 1996, as it helps reduce unwanted hair growth while simultaneously helping prevent future unwanted growth in some patients. Unfortunately, however, some individuals have reported their hair has grown back more quickly after treatment than before the procedure (called paradoxical hypertrichosis ), likely caused by hormones, the type of laser used or person’s skin color; more likely to occur among women with darker skin types and Middle Eastern or Mediterranean backgrounds or conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome ( POCOS).

Laser hair removal usually causes redness and irritation similar to waxing or other types of hair removal, due to heating of hair follicles by laser light. Therefore, it’s essential that patients follow doctor-prescribed aftercare guidelines in order to limit this side effect; additionally it is advised that sun exposure be limited after laser treatments in order to decrease risks of new hair growth in treated areas.

Many individuals worry that laser hair removal will increase their risk of cancer, since the lasers used to vaporise hair follicles emit some radiation. Although this is true, the amount released is significantly less than a cell phone emits; so this should not deter you from seeking this procedure but should instead be discussed with your physician prior to having it performed.

One of the most frequently asked questions about laser hair removal is if it can lead to infertility. Some individuals fear that bikini line treatments might expose ovaries and interfere with reproductive system, but no scientific studies have confirmed this as being a risk.

Concerns that laser hair removal could cause acne are also widely held; many believe the lasers will open their pores, leaving them more prone to clogs and breakouts. Unfortunately, however, no evidence has shown this connection between laser hair removal and acne outbreaks.

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