The most common forms of removing hair are shaving, waxing, and plucking. They are painful and only stop the hair for a few days. Renew MD offers laser hair removal to reduce your grooming time and provide a long-term hair removal solution.
What is Laser Hair Removal?
Hair grows in four stages: anagen, catagen, telogen, and exogen. At any point, you have hair in each stage. The anagen, also known as the growing phase, is the only phase that laser hair removal targets.
Using laser light energy to target the pigment in the hair, laser hair removal heats the follicle, causing the hair to fall out without damaging the surrounding skin.
How Long Does Laser Hair Removal Take?
One session of laser hair removal lasts between 30 and 45 minutes, depending on the size of your target area. Since laser hair removal can only target hair in the growing phase, the laser removes 15-30% of your hair per session. While it depends on the individual, most people require 6 to 8 sessions for optimal results.
How long between sessions depends on the area treated. In areas of slow hair growth like the back, you may need to wait 12-16 weeks between treatments. In areas of fast growth like the upper lip, treatments can be done in 4-8 weeks.
How Long Do the Effects of Laser Hair Removal Last?
Laser hair removal is semi-permanent. While it does not last forever, most see smooth, hairless skin for several months. Some people may not notice hair growth for years after their final treatment. Any hair that does grow back may be more delicate and more sparse.
Most people only need annual touch-ups, while others do not see regrowth for over ten years. Hair regrowth is more likely in faster-growing areas such as the chin, neck, and face.
Am I a Good Candidate for Laser Hair Removal?
Most people are good candidates for laser hair removal; however, ideal candidates have dark hair with medium-to-light skin tone. If you are tired of shaving, waxing, or plucking your hair, you may be a good candidate for laser hair removal.
Candidates should have realistic expectations about their hair reduction results. Laser hair removal cannot permanently remove all hair but is a long-term solution to replace shaving in your grooming routine.
Laser hair removal cannot treat hair on the eyelid or tattooed skin.