Laser hair removal utilizes light waves to target and damage pigmented hair follicles, but laser treatments can only target those in their anagen – or growing – phase.
No tanning, even with self-tanners, should be undertaken 1-2 weeks before and between treatments sessions for this reason.
1. You are not a good candidate
Laser hair removal is an increasingly popular modern treatment that provides an alternative to shaving, waxing or depilatory creams. But like any cosmetic procedure, laser hair removal may not be suitable for everyone – in this article we outline some key indicators that might indicate you may not be suitable as a candidate for laser hair removal.
At its core, laser hair therapy works by targeting pigments found both on hair and skin. As such, its most successful clients tend to have dark hair and light skin to allow the laser to concentrate on pigment within hair follicles – the primary target of treatment. However, its usefulness remains regardless of skin tone: Fitzpatrick skin tones IV or darker people could still find benefit in using this therapy.
Laser hair removal is ideal for anyone seeking an alternative to shaving, waxing and other temporary methods of hair removal. The treatment kills hair follicles to prevent them from growing back again – thus providing a semi-permanent solution.
As with any pain relief procedure, undergoing IV therapy can be quite uncomfortable – many compare its sensation to getting tattooed. Finally, candidates should understand that the procedure may require multiple sessions before producing results that match expectations.
Reputable clinics or med spas will offer advice about the most suitable treatment methods and equipment to their clients, in order to minimize side effects. Therefore, if you visit practitioners who do not adhere to such standards, chances are your treatment won’t be successful.
As well as using the appropriate equipment, it’s equally essential that treatments take place on time. Anagen phase hair growth must be targeted, and ideally multiple sessions should take place each four to six weeks for facial hair and six to eight for body hair removal.
2. You are not undergoing the right number of sessions
Laser hair removal can be an effective solution to unwanted body hair. Unfortunately, one session alone usually isn’t enough to permanently stop them from growing back – as the hair growth cycle occurs in phases and missing your target at its anagen stage won’t damage it with laser light – therefore multiple sessions must be scheduled in order to achieve long-lasting results.
Lasers work by emitting powerful lights that attract the melanin pigment present in hair follicles, turning that light into heat that damages them and prevents further production of hair follicles. If too many treatments are missed in succession, unwanted hair could grow back stronger and more stubborn than before if not fully addressed at one time.
If your unwanted hair has returned after laser treatment, there are a few things you can do to ensure optimal results from it. First and foremost, follow all instructions for preparation and aftercare provided to you – for instance, avoid sun exposure two weeks prior and after your session as this can cause hyperpigmentation and permanent skin damage.
Keep in mind that your skin needs time to recover from laser treatment. Hair should begin growing out within seven to 30 days of laser exposure and it may result in bumps or redness on the treated areas as your body works to eliminate hair damaged by its light.
After receiving laser treatments, it is wise to wait several days before shaving your hair; otherwise this can significantly compromise their results and even damage any growing hairs that remain. Shaving too soon could impede results as razor blades may irritate and cut hairs still in their growing stages, possibly leading them to break off or fall out prematurely. Instead, consider exfoliating prior to shaving in order to eliminate damaged strands.
3. You are not undergoing the right type of treatment
Laser hair removal offers an alternative to shaving, tweezing and waxing that won’t damage the skin and lead to itching or redness: light energy penetrates your skin to target pigment in hair follicles and disable them, rendering laser treatment safe and effective across most of the body.
As part of your procedure, you will experience sensations similar to rubber band snapping and sunburn-like stings. While most patients report painless experiences during laser procedures, discomfort due to heat produced by lasers may still arise; this discomfort can be managed with cooling devices.
Before performing larger treatments on larger areas of skin, professionals will first perform a preliminary test patch to see how your response to the treatment differs. You should avoid tanning prior to your appointment and inform them if you take medications that increase photosensitivity such as antibiotics or aspirin.
Melanin, or the color pigment found in your hair, plays an integral part in laser hair removal’s effectiveness. Darker locks are better targeted by laser beams; however, melanin levels vary across hair follicles and during laser hair removal sessions it targets those that are in their anagen phase, or growth stage – not all at the same time so multiple treatments may be necessary in order to effectively target all your follicles at once.
Different parts of your body require different levels of treatment in order to produce optimal results, which a licensed practitioner can assess based on factors like skin type and hair growth patterns.
Laser hair removal may be successful on most parts of your body; however, facial areas often respond more aggressively due to hormonal fluctuations, prompting thicker growth after untreated areas are not appropriately treated with laser. Therefore, it’s essential that you find a qualified practitioner trained specifically in facial laser hair removal for successful treatment results.
4. You are not undergoing the right type of maintenance
Laser hair removal utilizes light-based technology to disable the follicles that produce unwanted facial and body hair. Follicles affected by laser treatments will no longer produce new hair; when new growth does appear it will be thinner, lighter, and less numerous than before. Unfortunately there may be various factors that hinder its effectiveness: these include environment conditions (i.e. humidity) as well as genetics.
For optimal treatment results, both skin and hair must be in their Anagen growth cycle. To make sure this happens, continue receiving treatments until all your hair follicles have moved from Anagen into Telogen and are hidden beneath the surface of your skin. If any treatments are missed, anagen hair follicles could move back into Telogen and disappear from view altogether.
Laser hair removal does not produce immediate results. Instead, it takes time for the laser light to penetrate your follicles and cause them to enter their dormant phase, stopping them from producing further hair growth and creating lasting reduction of unwanted growth.
Quality treatment plays a pivotal role in the effectiveness of laser hair removal. You should seek treatment by a licensed practitioner familiar with best practices and techniques of laser hair removal, while taking certain steps before and after each session that will ensure optimal results – such as refraining from tanning (even sunless tanning) as well as shaving, waxing or plucking of any area being treated.
Apply a high-quality sunscreen with SPF 50 or higher when treating areas, particularly on areas that have been treated. This will protect the skin from sun damage and the formation of dark spots in treated areas. Finally, it’s a good idea to discuss any issues or difficulties that are hindering your treatment with your practitioner; they can then identify whether there may be additional reasons why hair growth has not responded as planned to laser therapy treatments.
