Does laser hair removal permanently remove hair? (2023)

Does laser hair removal remove all hair permanently?

Most people experience hair removal that lasts several months, and it might last for years. But laser hair removal doesn't guarantee permanent hair removal. When hair regrows, it's usually finer and lighter in color. You might need maintenance laser treatments for long-term hair reduction.

Although the procedure is often touted as a form of “permanent” hair removal, laser treatment only reduces the number of unwanted hairs in a given area. It doesn't get rid of unwanted hairs completely.

Numerous studies show the degree of permanent hair reduction to be from 85 to 90 percent. Those are consistent with what our patients experience.

However, even though laser treatments damage hair follicles, they're not destroyed completely. Over time, the treated follicles may recover from the initial damage and grow hair again. It's a tall order to eliminate every hair follicle in a given area. Therefore, you may notice a tiny amount of hair regrowth.

You can expect a 10% to 25% reduction in hair after the first treatment. To remove the hair, most patients need 2 to 6 laser treatments. After finishing the treatments, most patients do not see any hair on the treated skin for several months or even years. When the hair regrows, there tends to be less of it.

In rare instances, laser hair removal may cause thicker, darker hair to grow or regrow in an adjacent area to the one being treated. This condition is known as paradoxical hypertrichosis. Paradoxical hypertrichosis can occur anywhere on the face or body.

Unfortunately a possible side effect of laser hair removal is that the laser treatment actually makes the hair growth worse. This is called paradoxical hypertrichosis.

Yes, you can shave in between each session of laser hair removal. During your course of treatment you can shave any hairs that may regrow. After your first laser hair removal session you will notice that you won't need to shave as much as before. After 2-3 sessions you may only need to shave once in a 4-6 week period.

As we mentioned a little earlier, if you don't shave before your appointment, the laser will singe the hair resulting in a burn to your skin. In addition, if the hair hasn't been shaved properly, treatment will not be as effective, and it may result in small temporary grazes on the top layer of your skin.

How much hair do you lose after first laser treatment?

After you have competed a full course, you can expect anything from 80% + reduction in hair growth.

If hairs still do not fall out it is best to wait until they are naturally expelled from the body, or you will cause further irritation. If you have any questions or concerns about the hair growth or falling out process please ask our aestheticians, as they are very knowledgeable in this area.

Most people need somewhere from 4 to 6 sessions for optimal results, and it's encouraged that you come back for maintenance treatments once a year or so. When scheduling your hair removal treatments, you'll need to space them out by several weeks, so the full treatment cycle can take a couple of months.

The simple answer is no! I know the temptation is instant especially when you've used to pluck your hair for years. However for your laser treatment to be effective your follicles have to be intact underneath your skin.

While you can also shave after laser hair removal, be sure to wait for several hours after skin redness or discoloration has subsided. Avoid shaving on any skin that's: swollen. red or discolored.

Typically, the destroyed hair follicles shed their visible hair within a week of treatment. Therefore, assuming you need five sessions spaced four weeks apart, you should expect to see the final results of treatment within 21 weeks of your first session.

What happens right after the treatment? Do the hairs fall out right away? In many patients the skin is slightly pink for 1-2 days; in others (generally, fairer patients) there is no pinkness after laser hair removal. Hairs begin to fall out in 5-14 days and may continue to do so for weeks.

As a general rule of thumb, the majority of patients need four to six sessions. Individuals rarely need more than eight. Most patients will see results after three to six visits. Additionally, treatments are spaced out about every six weeks since individual hairs grow in cycles.

Electrolysis can permanently remove unwanted hair. Once your hair is gone, you won't need maintenance treatments. It works on all hair types, including light-colored hairs, which lasers cannot remove. There's no downtime.

Is getting laser hair removal worth it?

While laser treatment doesn't get rid of hair forever (only electrolysis is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for permanent hair removal), it does drastically reduce hair growth—to the point that many patients won't see any for months or even years, and the hairs that do crop up are often thinner ...

Stubble, representing dead hair being shed from the hair follicle, will appear within 5-30 days from the treatment date. that is normal & they will fall out quickly. Exfoliate to speed up hair shedding. Anywhere from 5-30 days after the treatment, shedding of the hair may occur & this may appear as new hair growth.

“Can I wax after hair removal” is quite a common question, but the answer is that no, you should not wax the area after any treatment or before the next one. If you have completed a laser hair removal treatment – and will not be treating the area again – then you may wax and hair regrowth occurring there.

Redness or Itchiness

It's completely normal to experience some skin irritation right after each laser hair removal session. Depending on your skin's sensitivity, you may experience some residual itchiness, discomfort similar to razor burn, and skin redness that may persist for the next 24 hours.

It is important to shave before your laser hair removal appointment, 24 hours before is recommended. Shaving on the day of your session can be dangerous and should be avoided completely. This is because when you shave the razor may lift a layer of skin off as it passes over your skin.