How does laser hair removal work?
"Laser hair removal works by targeting hair at the root to damage the follicle," says Dr Sam Ussamah (MRCS MSc MHEA), aesthetic doctor at London Premier Laser clinic group. "The light energy from the laser enters the skin and is absorbed by melanin surrounding the hair follicle. Melanin is naturally present in the hair follicle, and when targeted with the laser in the right stage of hair growth, the hair follicle overheats, damaging the bulb and preventing further hair growth. The process is called photothermolysis."
For best results, a course of laser hair removal treatments is recommended to ensure all hairs are caught over differing hair cycle growths, with eight sessions being commonplace.
What are the key benefits?
“The key benefit is long-term hair reduction, which potentially saves time and money on alternative hair removal methods, such as waxing, shaving, epilating and threading," says Dr. Ussamah. "In addition to the aesthetic benefits, there are some medical benefits. These include prevention of ingrown hairs which can sometimes lead to boils and abscesses, prevention of shaving rashes, and prevention of pilo-nidal sinuses, a condition that can occur in both men and women.”
What areas of the body can you have laser hair removal on?
You can have laser hair removal treatment on any part of your body, including the face. The underarms, bikini area and legs are popular spots, and many laser devices feature more intricate, precise applicators designed for smaller areas and the face.
How many sessions of laser hair removal do you need?
According to Dr. Ussamah, eight sessions spread over four-to-eight weeks is generally sufficient for most areas, but your therapist will adjust the frequency and strength of the laser treatment to match your response. "A session can take around 15-to-60 minutes per body part. Smaller areas of the face are quicker; upper lip treatment, for example, would take two minutes for the laser to cover," he says, adding that you can expect a promising difference in hair growth after the very first session.
Is the laser hair removal process painful?
"Most of our clients tell us that laser hair removal is just as tolerable as other methods of hair removal," says Dr. Ussamah. "While laser hair removal is not guaranteed to be completely pain-free, there are options that your therapist can use to make it as close to pain-free as possible. These include a cool-air fan (often built into the device), the use of specially formulated lotions, and adjusting the settings of the laser."
Is laser hair removal permanent?
There's confusion and conflicting opinions out there regarding the permanency of laser hair removal, with some claiming you'll be able to ditch the razors forever. As Charlotte Lundy, regional nurse trainer at Sk:n clinics explains, laser hair removal should not be billed as a permanent treatment. "It offers a reduction in hair growth and you find you will need top-up sessions – this can vary from person-to-person on when these need to be and how often."
If you are looking for something permanent, it's electrolysis you need. "This is the only permanent hair removal option: we offer it at some of our Sk:n clinics and it's great for the odd area where there may be a few stubborn patches, or for white/grey hairs, which lasers cannot treat. It's also a popular choice facial hair removal option," adds Lundy.
In terms of the results you can reasonably expect from a laser hair removal course, Lundy reports that the aim is to reach a 60-to-70 per cent reduction in new hair growth. "However, it can often be more with many clients reporting a 90 per cent reduction." To achieve the best results, "it important to stick to the recommended intervals between each treatment, as we need to be capturing the hair in the anagen phase of the hair cycle for the laser to be successful," she adds.
Is laser hair removal safe?
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What are the side-effects of laser hair removal?
"Directly after treatment the skin could feel itchy and appear red or raised – with a similar appearance to goose-bumps – but you can expect this to disappear within a couple of hours," explains Dr. Ussamah. "Occasionally the lasered hair may return slightly thicker than before in the first few sessions, but will eventually disappear with subsequent sessions. This is usually more common when dealing with thick dense hair on areas such as the back or chest in men," he adds.
Does laser hair removal work for all skin colours and hair types?
"Yes: today's treatments are suitable for all skin and hair types – except for white hair. No lasers on the market will be able to treat white hair due to the lack of melanin," says Dr. Ussamah.
Older equipment and technology might not be able to treat all skin colours, so it’s important to check which technology a salon is using (most should display whether the technology can treat all skin tones).
As Dr. Ussamah notes, advances in laser technology mean it is now possible to produce excellent and safe results when treating dark skin. "Older energy sources, like IPL and short wavelength lasers, are not generally recommended for dark skin, which has led to some people incorrectly assuming laser hair removal generally is unsafe," he says. "However, the experience of the practitioner and the clinic is crucial when performing laser hair removal on dark skin to ensure a safe treatment and excellent results. This is because the laser must target the melanin-containing root of the hair bulb and not the surrounding dark skin, which could lead to unpleasant reactions."
Generally speaking, Nd:YAG lasers are highly recommended for Black skin as they have been proven to be very safe and extremely effective at long-term hair removal. The longer wavelength of the YAG laser allows it to precisely target the hair follicle while minimising thermal damage to the surrounding skin.
What is the aftercare advice for laser hair removal?
One of the biggest benefits of laser hair removal is that there's no downtime involved: you will be able to return to your normal routine immediately after. However, you should avoid heat treatments such as visiting steam and sauna rooms for 48 hours and, of course, avoid direct sunlight without appropriate suncream protection. In-between your sessions you can continue to shave if you feel it's necessary, but waxing, tweezing and plucking are off the cards, as these might disrupt your natural hair-growth cycle, ultimately effecting your end results.
When is laser hair removal not advised?
"Laser hair removal is not recommended if you are taking certain medical prescriptions which your therapist will discuss with you, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. This is because hormonal changes can affect hair regrowth, so it’s not optimal to have the treatment at this stage," he says.
Lundy agrees, adding that "at S:kn we don’t treat anyone pregnant due to health and safety aspects and will always recommend waiting for at least six weeks postpartum before starting or restarting your laser hair removal course, in order to give your hormones a chance to settle back into their normal range".
"Laser therapy can only be applied to a natural skin tone without sunburn or fake tan, due to it not being the normal skin tone of the individual," says Dr. Ussamah. "This is the same for Caucasian, Asian and Black skin colours. You should normally wait around four-to-six weeks before you can have laser after sun damage has cleared or a tan (real or fake) has faded."
Finally, Dr. Ussamah also recommends approaching laser hair removal with caution if your skin is susceptible to acne, rosacea or dermatitis. "As part of safety procedures everyone should have a consultation and patch test regardless to ensure maximum safety and compatibility," he adds.
