You've no doubt heard about the amazing benefits of laser hair removal. After all, it permanently reduces body and facial hair and can save you tons of time over a lifetime! However, it's important to understand the entire process of laser hair removal to keep expectations in check. Let's break down the laser hair removal process:
Laser Hair Removal Timeline
Laser hair removal is not a one-and-done treatment. For optimal results, 6 to 8 treatments are required, each 6 to 8weeks apart. (Note: Facial hair is hormonally influenced and grows faster, requiring more treatments at shorter intervals). Treatments are deliberately spaced out in this way to take into account the entire hair growth cycle: anagen (the active phase), anagen (the brief transitional phase between anagen and alopecia) and alopecia (the resting phase when you are ready to re-enter the anagen phase). These phases all occur at the same time, so targeting hair in the active phase means that hair will continue to grow in the other phases as well.
Here’s what you can expect along the way…
7-10 days after your treatment
About 10-15% of the hair in the treated area that was in the active growth stage during your treatment will begin to fall out.
5-6 weeks after your treatment
The hair that was not in the growth stage before treatment and that wasn’t completely destroyed begins to grow out. Your next treatment will target this hair.
With each progressive treatment
More hair in the active growth stage is targeted and permanently removed. At this point, more and more of your hair will stop growing back altogether.
After a series of treatments
Up to 80% of unwanted hair is permanently removed by the end of a series of sessions. Any hair that remains is softer, finer, less noticeable, and slower to grow back. The skin in the treated area is also smoother and softer. Any need for shaving or waxing is minimal, but the amount of hair left over after a series varies from person to person.
References
“Comparing Traditional and in Motion Nd:YAG Laser in Hair Removal: A Prospective Study,” Medicina, September 2, 2022.
“Integrative and Mechanistic Approach to the Hair Growth Cycle and Hair Loss,” Journal of Clinical Medicine, February 2023.
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