Experienced laser hair removal practitioners often become dismayed when their laser treatment results in hair regrowth after sessions have been performed, particularly given clinic closures due to lockdown situations. The sight of new growth after your treatments can be especially disheartening.
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1. It’s a normal part of the recovery process
Hair growth is a natural process governed by hormones and other environmental factors, making laser hair removal results vary dramatically depending on each person. Some may experience fast results while for others they might take longer. No matter when it returns, remember that unwanted hair will eventually return; just remember it will grow back thinner and lighter than before!
After laser treatments, it may appear as though your stubble is growing back due to hair that had been in its anogen stage now transitioning into its resting or telogen phase. It’s important to remember that laser treatment only impacts hair follicles which were actively growing at the time of treatment; other follicles remain dormant until later stages when they begin growing again over a few weeks.
At first glance, it may appear as though new hair growth is taking place after laser treatment, when in reality this is actually just old dead hair being shed from its follicles. Shedding may take place anywhere between one to three weeks post laser session and may sometimes be misinterpreted as new growth; but rest assured this is completely normal and needn’t cause worry.
Shedding is an integral part of healing, and can be assisted by exfoliating with loofah or washcloth regularly. Additionally, shaving or using waxing products should be avoided since this could disrupt laser targeted hair follicles and reverse your desired results.
Take note that you should always abide by your treatment plan and attend laser hair removal sessions on time to avoid missing out on an opportunity to destroy hair follicles in their anagen phase.
Drink plenty of water and use cool compresses after treatments to accelerate the shedding process. Also be sure to follow your laser therapy provider’s directions regarding sunscreen usage; this will help prevent dark, unwanted hairs from growing back quickly after laser treatment has completed and ensure long-term success of laser hair removal results.
2. It’s a sign that your hair is in the growth phase
Laser hair removal uses a highly focused beam of light to target individual hair follicles and destroy them, using pigment absorption to convert light energy to heat that damages or kills them. This leaves skin temporarily clear of unwanted hair growth allowing you to forgoing shaving & waxing for some time after treatment.
As is typical after any treatment, your skin may feel itchy after its removal of hair follicles (known as desquamation ) but this should pass within 24 hours or sooner if not. To manage this discomfort further, try applying cooling lotion or compress to the area until its feeling less irritating.
Over the next several days, you may notice your skin becoming less barren – this is a sure sign that hair follicles that were destroyed during your initial treatment are entering anagen phase and growing hair once again. As more follicles enter anagen phase, more stubble will fade faster.
Shedding of dead hairs may occur 5-30 days post laser treatment and manifest as new hair growth. This shedding represents dead hairs pushing their way through your skin’s layers; you can speed this process along by exfoliating with a washcloth or loofah to speed things along.
Once your full course of laser treatments are completed, they should result in permanent reduction of hair in your targeted area. Touch-up sessions may still be required every few months as hair follicles cycle through their anagen and telogen phases; for optimal results it’s advised that six-8 laser sessions be taken within 6 months to treat all phases. So if you want to finally say goodbye to stubble for good – contact us now to arrange your consultation!
3. It’s a sign that your hair is in the resting phase
Laser hair removal should leave you with a noticeable decrease in unwanted body hair for about four weeks following treatment, unlike shaving, waxing or threading which need frequent upkeep treatments. Laser hair removal provides long-term solutions and only occasional maintenance visits are needed to keep you hair free for years. To ensure long-lasting results from laser hair removal treatments it’s crucial to adhere closely to your treatment plan.
To stay on schedule with your treatment schedule, it is recommended that you forego tanning and shave the area that will be treated prior to each appointment. This will help your skin remain healthy and free of irritation from razor blades. Furthermore, plucking or tweezing hair from this treated area should also be avoided; alternatively you could use tweezers on eyebrows while plucking body or bikini line hair as needed manually.
When your stubble starts growing back a day or two post laser treatment, that could be a sure sign that your hair has entered its resting phase of growth – otherwise known as the “telogen phase.” In this final stage of hair growth cycle, dormant follicles no longer produce new hair growth; typically lasting from several weeks (in eyelashes) up to one year for scalp hair follicles.
Telogen phase hair follicles need time to prepare for anagen phase when new hair growth occurs; otherwise laser treatment won’t be able to target these follicles effectively and remove them from the growth cycle.
Laser hair removal sessions should be spaced out at least eight weeks apart to allow your skin time to recover between sessions and allow the hair follicles enough time to enter anagen phase prior to your next laser hair appointment. Skipping an appointment could result in catagen or telogen phase hair growth that will diminish results of laser hair removal treatments.
4. It’s a sign that your hair is in the telogen phase
Shedding hair after laser treatments is an expected part of recovery, but this doesn’t indicate your body has grown any new locks back. Instead, this could indicate it has entered its resting phase (called telogen).
Laser hair removal works by targeting dark-hued hairs and destroying their respective follicles, effectively blocking further hair growth while simultaneously stopping any potential future activation. Shedding occurs as your follicles transition into this stage; often seen as blackheads or stubble.
After your laser treatment, the bulb of your hair will gradually begin to shed over seven to 30 days, causing bumps and redness as your body pushes it toward the surface and pulls away to remove it. This may also result in ingrown hairs as it pulls upward through skin tissue into it and through pores.
If you don’t shave, pluck, or wax during this phase, there shouldn’t be too much stubble hair coming back too quickly. However, if you do choose to do any hair removal at this time period, be mindful to wait until the telogen phase for optimal results or else it will start growing back quickly and leave unwanted stubble hair behind.
Exfoliation before shaving can also help get rid of any dead hairs that might have become trapped underneath your skin, speeding up and improving the shedding process more comfortably.
Results may vary depending on your hormones and hair cycle; you may not notice any significant differences until a few weeks post treatment, though shed hairs and bumps indicate success of treatment.
If you have any concerns or inquiries about post-laser hair removal shedding, feel free to reach out below – our beauty experts would be more than happy to assist!
