I wish there was a permanent answer to the issue of having to shave my legs every morning. Laser hair removal is the most permanent method, but for various reasons I have never saddled up to try it. Although I know that laser hair removal is the most effective method, I am concerned about the pain involved and I am curious as to how long the results actually last. For me, getting rid of my hair permanently is worth the time and money it takes to do so.
How Long Does 8 Sessions of Laser Hair Removal Last?
According to Saime Demirovic, co-founder of New York’s Glo Spa, “laser hair removal uses pulses of light to destroy the hair down to the root.” It accomplishes this by homing in on the hair follicle’s pigment and destroying it. Heat generated by these laser light pulses irreversibly damages the hair follicle. (More on that later). “You’re exposing the targeted hair follicle to a high energy beam of light without injuring the surrounding skin structures,” explains Leonard Bernstein, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York. Read on for details about the procedure and its expected results before scheduling your first appointment.
Dr. Bernstein claims significant progress has been made since its introduction in the mid-1990s. The Clarity II by Lutronic is one of the devices he employs at his facility; he praises it for its adaptability and says it has all the bells and whistles his clients could want. He explains that the proliferation of laser and Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) devices over the past few decades has made permanent hair reduction a safe procedure in the hands of a trained professional.
What factors can affect laser hair removal?
To figure out which laser to use on a patient, Dr. Bernstein takes into account factors such as skin tone, hair color, hair coarseness, tattoos, and past use of certain medications.
Contraindications for Laser Hair Removal
Pregnant women should avoid laser hair removal. It’s recommended to discontinue antibiotics (topical and oral) at least one to two weeks before the treatment, as they can make the skin extra sensitive to light and prone to burns. The same goes for retinoids, which should not be used for three to five days before the procedure. If you’re about a week away from your period, consider scheduling the appointment after, as the skin can be extra sensitive during this time.
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Advancements in laser technology have made it much safer for darker skin tones, which hasn’t always been the case. “When laser hair removal first came on the scene, the machines used were IPL lasers and were not designed to treat darker skin tones,” says Demirovic. That’s because the lasers weren’t able to differentiate between the melanin in the hair follicle and the melanin in the skin. This meant that those with melanin-rich skin were at an increased risk of experiencing burns, scarring, hypopigmentation (light spots on your skin), and other reactions when treated with a laser. “
But now, we have options. “We have two different wavelengths for laser hair removal,” says Nicole Frontera, an aesthetic nurse practitioner and founder of Nicole Frontera Beauty medspa. “One is for lighter, more fine hair, which is the 775 Alexandrite laser, and the other is 1064 or YAG laser, used for darker hair and skin types.” The Nd:YAG laser operates at a longer wavelength (1064 nm). Alexandrite lasers, by contrast, have shorter wavelengths (820 nm).
What are some laser hair removal contraindications?
Frontera says you shouldn’t be pregnant to have the treatment done.
“Basically, we don’t do anything on pregnant women,” says Frontera. “In theory, the laser wouldn’t penetrate the skin to cause any trouble, but we don’t want to chance it. If someone got laser hair removal and they didn’t know they were pregnant, it wouldn’t be a major cause for concern, but it’s not something we’d do knowingly.”
You must also be off of antibiotics (both topical and oral), for at least one to two weeks before starting laser because otherwise you’ll be extra sensitive to light and can be burned. The same goes for retinoids, which you should not use for three to five days before the treatment. Keep in mind that if you’re about a week away from starting your period, your skin can be extra sensitive, so you might want to schedule around that for pain’s sake.
When doesn’t laser hair removal work?
Because it works by seeking out the darker pigment in the hair follicle than in the skin itself, laser hair removal only works on hair that’s darker than the skin tone itself (sorry, peach fuzz and chin hairs!). Redheads, blondes, and those with gray hair are also out. “They are not a candidate for laser hair removal because they don’t have pigment in their hair, and the laser needs pigment to carry the heat down to the follicle,” says Frontera. “Brunettes or darker brown hair are best. Light brown isn’t as good. The best candidates are dark hair with light skin.”
How should you prep for your appointment?
Dr. Bernstein recommends having some of your own hair grown out on the surface of the skin before your first appointment so the technician can get a better sense of your hair’s density, quality, and color. You should shave or wax before your next appointment with your technician. In the words of Demirovic, “if there is hair on the surface, the laser will waste its energy burning the hair,” meaning that the laser won’t be able to reach the root and kill the hair.
How long does laser hair removal last?
Wondering if laser hair removal is permanent? The short answer is no. “All of the studies that have been done show it’s not actually permanent, but what you’ll see is its long-term hair removal,” says Frontera. However, Dr. Bernstein says that it’ll grow back finer and less coarse than what you had before. “We also expect to see a reduction in the density or numbers of active hairs in the treated area,” he says.
Beyond timing, it can also depend on where on the body you’re getting the treatment done. “Areas that respond best are underarms and the bikini area,” says Frontera. “Because in general, even if you have lighter skin, those areas will have darker, more coarse hair, which makes those lasers more efficient. Arms or upper thighs, where hair is finer, may grow back or not respond 100 percent to the lasers.” And since coarser hair responds best, men may see better results than women, as they tend to have coarser hair.
That said, other factors can influence how long laser hair removal lasts. “That would include the energy levels used, the expertise of the laser physician, and underlying conditions of the skin,” says Dr. Bernstein. Hormones can also play a role.
“As we change hormonally, hair can regrow,” says Frontera. “If someone gets pregnant, they may need another session or a touch-up session after they have children. Other hormonal changes like polycystic-ovary syndrome (PCOS) can cause hair growth on the face or grow hair out of nowhere. Some people can go on and off birth control with little to no effect, but for some people, it may cause a larger shift that will cause hair growth.”