How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?

Many people have unwanted hair somewhere. It might be facial hair or body hair. It might be just a bit of hair restricted to a small area – say, your nose or the tops of your toes. Or it might be a lot of hair – on your back and shoulders, for example. We spend a tremendous amount of time, effort, and money to get rid of unwanted hair.

We shave, we tweeze, we wax (ow!), we smear on depilatory creams. These things can get the job done, but only as a temporary solution. You have to repeat them to maintain the hairless, smooth skin you want. And some parts of your body are not exactly convenient for DIY hair removal. So, if you’re looking for long-term results, these methods don’t work. But there’s good news: laser hair removal does.  

The Science Behind the Laser

Lasers work by targeting the melanin (pigment) in hair follicles with controlled, pinpoint heat or light. This effectively kills the follicles, so they no longer produce hairs. Seems simple enough, but there’s a catch. This process only works if the laser can target actively growing follicles, and most are not active at any given time.

Hair grows in phases – active, resting, and shedding – so you need multiple laser hair removal treatments to remove all the unwanted hair. Typically, it takes 3-7 sessions, depending on your hair and skin type and the size of the area. You lose more and more hair with each progressive session, until you are virtually hairless. Hairs may occasionally grow back, but a quick refresher treatment can quickly eliminate them.

For certain men and women, there is another potential catch – your hair or skin color. Because the laser targets melanin, it needs contrast to distinguish hairs from skin pigment. This is easy if you’re light-skinned and have dark hair, but it can pose a problem if you have a darker complexion and dark hair. Or if you’re a very fair-skinned blonde. That said, the latest laser technology is much more versatile. So don’t assume laser hair removal won’t work for you, let’s find out!

How the Procedure Works

Laser hair removal is an in-office treatment that takes anywhere from just a few minutes to about an hour, depending on your hair and the size of the area being treated. Here’s what will happen:

• We’ll trim hair in the treatment area so it’s short. (You can shave before or in between sessions, if you want.)
• We will adjust the laser settings according to your skin and hair color and thickness and the area being treated.
• For sensitive areas, we may apply a topical numbing or cooling agent for added comfort.
• You will wear protective eye wear while we’re using the laser device.

There’s no downtime required. Targeted follicles will shed hairs over the next several days, and in a month we’ll bring you back for your next treatment. This gives your skin a chance to calm and recover between treatment sessions.

See for Yourself

The best way to see if laser hair removal really works is to look at before and after photos of men and women who have undergone this procedure. We invite you to take a look at our Raval Facial Aesthetics patient photo gallery.

Will Laser Hair Removal Work for You? Let’s Check!

We always do a small test to confirm that laser treatment will be both safe and effective for each patient. We can do that as part of your consultation, and if all is well – usually the case – we can schedule your first treatment.