Unwanted body hair is a problem that has plagued both men and women for years. Many try to manage their unwanted hair by plucking, shaving and waxing, but these techniques have to be repeated frequently in order to maintain smooth, hairless skin. Nowadays, laser hair removal has become the ideal approach for removing unwanted body hair, because it is the only solution that can provide truly permanent results. What many people don’t know, however, is that it usually takes more than one laser hair removal treatment to successfully treat all hair follicles and achieve hairless skin.
Why Does Laser Hair Removal Require Multiple Treatments?
Hair grows in three phases: growing, resting, and shedding. When you undergo laser hair removal treatment, the laser is targeting the pigment in hair follicles that are currently active in the growth cycle. This may include about 80% of all hair follicles at a given time. While these follicles will shed over the next few weeks, the remaining follicles that were dormant before are now active in their growth cycle. These hairs will then be treated in the next treatment session.
How Many Treatments Will I Need and Why?
The general rule that many providers go by is that laser hair removal requires anywhere from four to seven sessions to achieve maximum results. However, as with most things in medicine, the magic number largely depends on you as an individual. Your body is unique. Your skin and hair color and texture combination is unique. All of these factors play a role in how well your body responds to treatment and therefore, how many treatment sessions are necessary. While your doctor will recommend what they feel is the appropriate amount of sessions during your consultation, the number may need to be adjusted as your journey progresses. In addition, your body is complex and constantly changing. You may experience hormonal changes throughout life that can increase hair growth even after an area has been treated. Most patients do experience some fine hair re-growth after about a year, so it is recommended that one treatment per year be performed in addition in order to maintain results.
If you’re interested in long-lasting hair removal results, trust Coastal Cosmetic Center to provide quality laser hair removal treatments to you. Contact one of our offices, conveniently located in Jacksonville and Fleming Island, to set up your consultation and begin the journey to smooth, hair-free skin.
