How Many Treatments Will I Need with Laser Hair Removal?

If you’re looking to prepare for the summer, planning for laser hair removal is good, as it takes several sessions to achieve desired results. Laser hair technology can help many people with unwanted hair!

Laser hair technology can be used to remove unwanted body hair from almost anywhere on the body, including sensitive areas such as the face or the bikini area. Below, we asked Dr. Daphne Panagotacos, our expert, to explain how long it takes to remove bodily hair using laser hair technology. 

Understanding how laser technology removes hair

Laser hair removal treatments target the pigment in the hair follicles. Before the treatment, you’ll be asked to shave, not pluck or wax. Shaving instead of plucking or waxing leaves the roots in place, which makes them easier for the laser to target. The laser heats the hair follicles and destroys them. 

Hair grows in cycles, and various hairs are in various cycles at different times. To be effectively removed, the hair must be in the anagen stage, the growth stage. 

Because all hairs aren’t always in the same cycle, and hair cycles aren’t predictable, you’ll need several treatments to target each hair when it’s most vulnerable. 

The length of your appointments will depend on the size of the area you need to treat. They can range from a few minutes to an hour. 

Scheduling your laser hair removal appointments 

Hair follicles grow in cycles that last about four to six weeks. To maximize the effectiveness of your laser hair removal treatments, you may need six to eight sessions every four to six weeks. This gives your skin enough time to recover. 

Typically, you’ll notice the biggest results in the first session. Results aren’t permanent, as hair may become sparser and lighter every 12 months. A yearly maintenance session is usually enough to keep the hairs at bay.

Find out of you’re a good candidate for laser hair removal 

Good candidates have healthy skin and don’t have very light or grey hair they need to remove. Skin covered with tattoos can’t be treated either. 

Before the treatments, you’ll be asked to skip tanning for a couple of weeks and stop using creams containing acids and retinol, as these may make your skin more sensitive. If you’re interested in removing your unwanted bodily hair, contact us to schedule an appointment and find out if you’re a good candidate for laser hair removal.