When the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared the first laser device for hair removal in 1995, the procedure of laser hair removal quickly became desirable among women looking for a more long-term way to address problem hair growth. Laser treatments can be used on most parts of the face, with the exception of the eye area. Dermatologist Eric Bernstein cautions that if you have excessive hair growth on your face, or if follicles are quite coarse, it's important to first see your doctor to make sure that you don't have an underlying medical condition that needs to be treated as well.
How Facial Laser Hair Removal Works
During laser hair removal, a bright beam of light (laser) is directed at a cluster of hair follicles at one time. The light targets the melanin in the follicles, which places the hair in the resting stage of growth. Before patients seek laser treatments for facial hair, they should understand that this process doesn't eliminate hair growth completely; according to the FDA, laser devices and those who offer services that employ them can make the claim that the treatments will result in permanent reduction, not permanent removal, of hair growth. The FDA defines permanent hair reduction as a "long-term, stable reduction in the number of hairs re-growing after a treatment regime, which may include several sessions."
Treatment Cautions
Laser hair removal treatments are generally used to reduce undesirable hair growth on the chin, upper lip and the sides of the face, Bernstein says, in "The Hair Removal Journal." This procedure should never be used around the area of the eyes, such as between the brows. Special care is taken with patients with darkly tanned skin or skin of color. The melanin in the surrounding skin absorbs the laser beam rather than the hair, making treatment difficult even for skilled medical professionals. Special laser devices that have a longer wavelength give better results on darker skin tones--even African-American skin.
Are You the Best Candidate?
People with pale skin and dark hair get the best results from treatments, says the American Academy of Dermatology. Before treatments begin, patients are urged to avoid suntanning and use of sunless tanners. Bernstein indicates that laser treatments don't yield good results on those with pale facial hair (light blond or white), and the Mayo Clinic flatly states that treatment is completely ineffective on this hair color.
What You Can Expect
The success of laser hair removal varies depending on the individual's response to treatment; however, according to Bernstein, between 50 and 70 percent reduction in hair growth on the face is noted after three treatments. These sessions may be performed every six weeks. Maintenance laser treatments are also required to keep hair growth in check, at least once a year. The cost of a single session varies depending on where you live, but Bernstein notes that the general range is between $150 and $350.
Your Other Options
The FDA has cleared personal laser hair removal devices for at-home use; however, these are not approved for use for anywhere on the face. If you're not a good candidate for this procedure, your other options include waxing or sugaring, electrolysis and tweezing. The FDA has also approved a topical prescription medication, eflornithine, for use by females over the age of 12; this inhibits the growth of facial hair when used on a continuous basis.
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