Most of us will have unwanted hair on some part of our body at some point in our lives. What makes hair removal so challenging is that most methods do not permanently destroy the hair follicle. If the follicle is left behind, it will grow back. Also, hair that is not in the active growth phase, or dormant, will not be affected and someday will grow again. The other challenge with laser hair removal is that all the hair follicles are not at the same depth. The importance of the depth is that if the laser energy does not penetrate deep enough, it will not destroy the follicle. That is why home hair removal systems with low power and non-adjustable lasers will not uniformly give the long-term results that medical grade lasers will. When you look at the long-term results of these home-based systems, patients are satisfied with the amount of loss in the beginning, but after a year are generally not pleased.

This is why we counsel you that hair removal must be timed correctly, usually 6-8 weeks between treatments and sometimes longer, in order to catch as many hairs in an active growth phase as possible. Also, you must have approximately 6 treatments for maximum hair reduction followed by intermittent touch-up treatments for 2-3 years. If you follow this protocol, you will have excellent long-term hair loss. Once the follicles are gone, they do not come back. The hair you see growing are dormant follicles that have reactivated. That is why the touch-up sessions are necessary, especially for larger areas like the legs or back.

The technology is equally as important. Not all lasers are the same and you should have different wavelengths of energy in order to treat all skin types. Further, more modern systems have been designed so that the discomfort is minimal. Our LightSheer INFINITY system utilizes a suction system to stretch the skin in order to put the follicles at the same depth while minimizing the amount of energy used. This leads to a super comfortable treatment while reducing the time needed to treat you. We also see fewer touch-up treatments needed after the initial series is completed. At the Laser and Vein Center we have several other lasers that we can adjust for those stubborn hairs that just won’t go away. These lasers require special training and knowledge to use effectively, and all of our staff has ongoing education so as to maximize your results.

Timing of hair removal and the technology employed do matter. The cheapest package and the quickest treatment times do not always mean the best results. Your best option is to choose a facility where you feel comfortable with the knowledge base of the provider, you are offered the best technology options, and there is a good history of successful treatments. Be sure to do your homework before choosing a laser hair removal provider. We hope you will give us the opportunity to share our expertise during one of our complimentary hair removal consultations.