Laser hair removal works best when targeted at hair follicles that have entered their new growth phase, which typically means multiple treatments will likely be necessary to reach all follicles simultaneously.
After receiving laser treatments, it’s common for hair to shed in the days and weeks following treatment, signaling that they have done their work successfully. This shedding serves as proof that the laser therapy was successful.
Hair is in the growth phase
Many patients expect their unwanted hair to start falling out instantly after receiving laser hair removal treatment, however most will fall off gradually within five days due to natural cycles and factors like your age, skin type, hormones and other environmental influences.
Laser hair removal works best when your hair is in its anagen stage or growing phase, when visible hair can be targeted by laser beams to transfer heat down each individual hair strand and into its respective hair follicle – in turn destroying it and stopping future hair from growing back in its place.
Laser treatments will have no adverse effect on hair in its resting phase as it’s no longer visible above your skin surface. However, you may see it grow differently or color differently after laser therapy due to missing pigment replacing itself in its growth process.
To achieve permanent results, multiple laser sessions must be conducted for every area of your body. As every area has a unique hair growth cycle, between four and six sessions should be sufficient to destroy all of the hair follicles and stop their production of new hair growth.
Tweezing, waxing, picking, plucking and threading should also be avoided as these activities can damage hair follicles targeted by laser and lead to skin irritation. Instead, scrub the area using a loofah or scrubber in order to accelerate hair shedding process and speed up shedding process.
Be patient after laser treatments; hair will fall out over several weeks or months. Furthermore, regular follow-up sessions with laser therapists are crucial. Missing sessions could result in thicker and darker follicles sprouting back up quicker than before your treatment; for long-lasting results it’s wise to adhere to your schedule of laser sessions and come back for touch up sessions once every year or so.
Hair is in the resting phase
Laser hair removal provides an alternative to shaving, waxing and plucking by targeting dark pigment in hair with laser light from a laser device. The heat destroyed from this laser device destroys hair follicles but new hair will grow back after some time has passed; typically taking six to eight sessions until all unwanted hairs are no longer growing back in place.
At its most susceptible, your hair follicles are closest to the surface of the skin and therefore easier for laser treatment to target; you will likely notice results after just one laser session!
The catagen phase is the transitional stage in your hair’s growth cycle, as your body prepares for its next stage, the telogen phase. At this time, hair follicles start shedding themselves over the course of 7-30 days from their papillae and out from your body over this time period – you may notice reddening or bumps as this happens but this is due to natural processes; they’re just your body pushing out hair so it can get ready for its next phase.
Telogen, or the resting or falling out stage of hair growth cycle, is usually not ideal for laser hair removal as it cannot target hidden hair follicles. At this point in its growth cycle, your hair can no longer attach itself to its follicle and become vulnerable to light damage, leading to thinned or patchy areas of baldness. When in telogen phase it is advised that loose clothing be worn to cover these patches while providing shade against direct sunlight exposure; additionally it would be beneficial to exfoliate this area so more hairs can fall out naturally.
Hair is in the antigen phase
Keep this in mind when approaching laser hair removal: results require time. Most individuals require multiple sessions of laser treatments in order to see optimal results due to our body hair’s growth cycle allowing only certain follicles in anagen phase at one time.
An anagen phase occurs when your hair is visible from the surface of your skin and makes for optimal laser treatment. Laser light can target pigment in order to destroy follicles and thus stop hair growth for one particular follicle while leaving others to continue in resting or telogen phases until eventually moving back into anagen mode.
Therefore, it is extremely important that you refrain from shaving, waxing or using other hair removal methods in the area being treated. Any method which pulls hair from its root prevents its follicle from entering anagen phase again – including plucking threading and picking at your chin or pubic area.
If you don’t want to wait for your hair follicles to return to anagen phase naturally, exfoliating can speed up this process by clearing away dead follicles. Doing this may remove dead follicles and allow the hair to fall out naturally over seven to 30-day period; during which you may notice redness or bumps as your body pulls hair from its follicle and sheds it, which many mistake for new growth but instead just suggests the body pushing dead follicles up towards surface for removal by pushing dead follicles onto surface where dead follicles have surfaced to be removed by pushing dead follicles up through.
After laser hair removal treatment, it is also advised that you avoid sunbathing or tanning to ensure that the skin remains undamaged by UV rays and any potential irritation. Furthermore, using an effective moisturizer will keep skin hydrated and help expedite hair shedding/removal processes faster.
Hair is in the telogen phase
At this stage, hair follicles have reached the final resting phase known as the telogen phase and typically lasts 2-4 months. Because hair follicles in this stage cannot be targeted directly using laser treatment, multiple sessions must be undertaken for lasting results to occur.
Shedding during the telogen phase can take days or weeks; it is your body’s way of clearing away old dead hair to make room for newer, healthier follicles to come through and replace them. To speed this process up faster, avoid hair removal methods that pull out hair at its roots like shaving, waxing, threading or plucking; instead use a gentle exfoliator twice weekly to help clear away shed follicles and stimulate their development into healthier new growth follicles.
If your hair continues to grow several years after laser treatments have taken place, this may be the result of temporary increases in telogen hair follicles or hormonal fluctuations; however, laser sessions could still provide the follicles an opportunity to move into anagen phase again. If this occurs again in future treatments, consider returning for another set.
Laser Hair Removal works most effectively during the anagen phase when hair follicles are producing active strands of hair and contain abundant melanin that the laser targets to destroy pigment strands and eliminate them. Unfortunately, as hair moves through its other phases and its melanin levels decrease, becoming inactive follicles will subsequently enter their respective telogen phases, where no new hair strands are produced and they shed off or grow back out altogether.
Some individuals experience more permanent hair loss through telogen effluvium, where some follicles enter telogen phase prematurely, which results in significant amounts of hair being shed prematurely. This condition can be brought on by stress or hormonal fluctuations; additionally, certain medications and prescriptions may also trigger it.
