What Affects Laser Hair Removal Results?

By Cahi De Thomas, CME

Laser hair removal is one of the fastest, most effective ways to get rid of dark, coarse, unwanted hair on the body.

However, there are times when it is just not very effective, and prospective patients need to know how and why this might occur.

First, and foremost, the hair must be dark and preferably coarse for effective results. There is no laser or light-based (ie: IPL) device out there that can get rid of blond, red, grey or white hair.  Those patients will have to have electrolysis treatments to get any kind of effective treatment.

Second, the hair must actually BE in the follicle. If you are waxing, tweezing or threading, then you have just removed the target of the laser, which is the hair itself!  The only method we recommend to deal with hair growth while getting treatments is to shave, or clip the hairs. This will ensure that the greatest amount of growth is available at each treatment session, which also means more hairs will be removed each session. This is why we get the best results by waiting 8 weeks between treatments, on most body parts.

Third, there are certain drugs, medical conditions and hormone imbalances that can cause NEW hair growth, even after the recommended number of treatments. Some women will have a condition called PCOS, which can stimulate coarse hair growth on the face, chest and other areas of the body. Medications like steroids, certain blood pressure drugs and Minoxidil, just to name a few, that can actually induce hair growth. This makes it more difficult to achieve effective laser hair removal results.

Outcome and Success

As a patient, you should be made aware of this information. It’s the best way to make an informed, educated decision. At Laser Skin Solutions we have 11 years experience treating all skin types and we offer a FREE consultation.