When you're dealing with unwanted hair growth, there are more options available to you than shaving, waxing or plucking. Laser hair removal is a solution for long-term hair removal, providing anywhere from six months to a year of hair-free skin after a round of treatment. But laser hair removal isn't a permanent answer for unwanted hair, as you'll eventually experience hair regrowth.
Laser Hair Removal
The American Academy of Dermatology characterizes laser hair removal as a cosmetic procedure that uses laser light energy to remove unwanted hair. A low-energy beam of laser energy penetrates the surface layer of the skin where it is then absorbed by the melanin in the hair follicle. This damages the follicle and thereby inhibits hair regrowth.
Treatment Session
The area being treated with laser therapy dictates the length of time of each treatment session. Your upper lip, neck or chin takes much less time to administer than legs, arms or back, so sessions can vary from a few minutes to several hours, advises the Mayo Clinic.
Hair Cycles
The only hairs affected by the laser energy are those currently in the anagen phase, or the active cycle of hair growth, maintains the American Vein and Aesthetic Institute. This means that approximately 80 percent of the unwanted hair removed during the process will not "regrow" right away. The remaining 20 percent are either in the catagen or telogen phases of hair growth. This is why it can take four to six sessions to provide long-term results.
Maintenance
After the four to six sessions, you shouldn't experience hair regrowth for anywhere between six to 12 months, notes the Mayo Clinic. This is the average length of time that the follicles remain in a dormant state. After this period of time, you'll notice regrowth that's similar to the growth pattern of your hair prior to laser hair removal. But some people even experience years without hair regrowth, advises the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. It all depends on how your body responds to the treatment.
Expert Insight
To avoid hair regrowth, talk to your dermatologist about electrolysis. This cosmetic procedure uses an electrical spark to destroy the hair follicle. Once the follicle is destroyed, you shouldn't experience any hair regrowth. However, this cosmetic procedure is much more time-intensive. Unlike laser hair removal, each hair follicle is treated as opposed to patches of skin.
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