Is Laser Hair Removal a Permanent Solution? – Listen from the Dermatologist
More and more people are realizing the value of professional laser hair removal to their well-being, health, and appearance. However, most have never even heard of it – much less realized its benefits over shaving, waxing, and tweezing.
One of the most frequently asked questions about laser hair removal is “Does laser hair removal last forever? Is it permanent?”
Also, it is a major misconception. In fact, the answer isn’t exactly what you’d expect. Skin care clinics in Bangalore offering Laser hair removal in Bangalore would agree to this.
Laser hair removal does not, in fact, “remove” hair from the body. Instead, by damaging the hair follicles, it offers long-lasting hair reduction. It can lower the number of hair-producing hair follicles by roughly 75%–90%; yet it can never eliminate 100% of all hair follicles. As the follicles are destroyed, the hair cannot regrow, which leaves the treated area with long-lasting hair reduction, razor bumps, and ingrown hairs.
Factors Affecting Laser Hair Removal Results
Certain factors can greatly affect laser hair removal results. It is extremely important to consider these factors and consult with your skincare service provider before opting for laser hair removal therapy. Let’s take a look at them.
- Skin Tone
A lot depends on your skin tone when it comes to laser hair removal. Generally, the lighter your skin tone, the better the outcomes. Though it may require many treatments to see the desired effects, the process is safe for all skin tones . Lighter skin tone darker hair is the ideal skin tone for laser hair reduction.
- Hair Color
The color of your hair also influences the effectiveness of Laser hair removal. Since it is simpler for the laser to target individual hair follicles, the treatment will be more successful in darker hair colour. The kind of laser that your doctor uses also affects how effective the treatment is. Some lasers use a different wavelength, which is stronger and more precise than others and can more effectively target lighter hair colours.
- Hormones
Hair growth is affected by hormone levels, so laser hair removal treatment can be affected as well. Your hair will grow more quickly and more likely to require laser hair removal treatments as your hormone levels rise. Your doctor will inquire about your past medical history and whether you are on any birth control that might affect your results. Most of the time, receiving a laser hair removal treatment is still safe, but for the best results, more sessions are required. 8-10 sessions are done on an average but this numbers vary according to hormones and consistent treatments . some require more and some less number of sessions .
- Growth Cycles Of Your Hair
It is impossible to remove all hair follicles at once, even with the best hair removal procedure. The simple fact that hair grows in several cycles explains the situation. The best time for laser hair removal is when the hair is actively growing, but the hairs on your body are not simultaneously actively growing. It can be challenging to determine exactly what stage of development your hair is in at any particular time, hair is usually in three states – Anagen or growing hair , catagen and telogen hair . after several treatments, you’ll likely treat a significant portion of hair which are in anagen phase and get destroyed . At your initial visit, your skincare service provider can give you more details regarding this and develop a treatment plan in accordance.
How Many Laser Hair Removal Sessions Are Required?
The cycle of hair growth prevents the destruction of all or even a majority of follicles with a single treatment, which is why repeated treatments are required for optimal results. Studies indicate that people require about 6–9 treatments for the best results. Therefore, most laser hair removal packages or treatment plans involve 8 or more sessions, and you can see a decrease in hair follicles following each session.
Even so, a few hair follicles won’t be completely destroyed. Hair that is left will be considerably thinner, lighter in colour, and grow back very slowly since the follicles are not completely destroyed but damaged, meaning their size has reduced.
Although waiting longer than the recommended period between treatments won’t have a detrimental impact on your results, but it is generally advised to space treatments out every six weeks. After completing 8 sessions, you should only have a few sparse, very fine-textured hairs left, and shaving should only be required every 2-3 weeks. Of course, individual results may differ. It is recommended that while opting for Laser hair removal therapy in Bangalore, you should get your pre and post-skin care tips for laser treatment from your service provider for improved results.
Dr.Tina Ramachander is one of the best dermatologist in Bangalore and Medical Director at Dr.Tina’s Skin Solutionz, a skin care clinic in Bangalore. She completed her master’s in dermatology from the well acclaimed JJM Medical college in Karnataka and is now a practicising dermatosurgeon and Medical Cosmetologist in Bangalore.