Laser hair removal is a great way to get rid of unwanted hair for good. It doesn’t take too long to see your final results, either, so reach out to us at River Region Dermatology and Laser in Montgomery, AL to get started, and keep reading to learn about how quickly you can achieve flawless skin.

How Long Does Laser Hair Removal Take?

Most people are going to see their final results after about 3 to 8 sessions of laser hair removal. You will need to schedule your sessions about 4 to 6 weeks apart, so you should expect to have your final results in a minimum of three months and a maximum of about a year. The reason for this discrepancy is that there are several factors that can affect your timeline.

Your Goals

What is your goal in seeking laser hair removal? If your goal is to completely remove every hair from the treatment area, naturally this will take more sessions than if your goal is just to thin out the hair for easier shaving or a better look. Some men like to thin out their beards, for example, to minimize the possibility of razor burn while still allowing for the ability to grow a beard.

Your Skin/Hair Color Contrast

The sophisticated, modern lasers that we use are capable of treating nearly any hair color or skin tone. However, you will see the fastest results if you have a strong contrast between the color of your skin and the color of your hair. This is because the laser must be calibrated to target the melanin in your hair while avoiding the melanin in your skin, for the safety of your skin.

Those who have light skin and dark hair get the fastest results. Those with darker skin or with lighter hair will need a few more treatments to reach their goals.

Your Hair Density

How dense your hair is will also affect the speed of your treatment. If you have very dense hair in the treatment area, you can expect it to take a few more sessions than if you are just treating, for example, a few hairs on your upper lip.

Your Hair Growth Cycle

Our hair grows in four stages, meaning that the follicles are in one of those four stages at all times. Laser hair removal works by disabling the follicles that are in the active growing stage. This means that at each treatment, you will only be able to address those follicles which are in this growth stage. Follicles in other stages will be untouched until they move into the growth stage and are targeted in a future session.

Each of us experiences hair growth at a different speed, and the speed can also vary depending on which part of the body we’re talking about. For example, the hair on the face tends to grow more quickly than the hair on the head, which grows more quickly than hair in other areas. The number of treatment sessions you need will depend in part on how quickly enough follicles cycle into the growing stage so they can be effectively targeted.

How It Works

Laser hair removal works by sending a targeted laser beam down the hair itself. Where other hair removal treatments only address the hair, laser treatment actually uses the hair only to find the follicle. The real magic happens as the heat from the laser destroys the follicle so that it cannot grow hair again. This allows for a much more permanent solution than simply removing the hair itself.

Once the follicle has been disabled, the hair that is already in it will slowly shed out. At first, this may look like natural hair growth. But once that hair is gone, the follicle will not be able to grow a new one. You can help this process a bit by gently exfoliating with a soft washcloth after treatment.

Preparing

Since the laser needs your hair to find the follicle, it should make sense that you should avoid any hair removal method that completely removes all hair for about two weeks before your treatment. This means no waxing, plucking, or tweezing.

You can shave, and you should shave about 24 hours before your treatment for the best results. You want just enough hair for the laser to find the follicle, but not so much that any of the laser energy is wasted on the way down to the follicle. You should also avoid tanning during this time as you want to enhance, not minimize, the contrast between your skin and hair.

Aftercare

There’s very little you need to do after this treatment. You won’t be in any pain, and you can go right back to your normal schedule. The only thing you need to do is baby your skin for a bit in the treatment area by moisturizing it and keeping out of the sun.

Get Flawless Skin

It’s time to stop wasting time with other types of hair removal that must be endlessly repeated. Visit us at River Region Dermatology and Laser in Montgomery, AL today.