Is Laser Hair Removal Really Permanent? Here’s What You Need to Know!

Are you tired of having hair pulled from your skin every few weeks? If so, you may have been toying with the idea of diode laser hair removal that promises permanent results. The promise of permanent hair removal – of never having to worry about squeezing in appointments before a trip, braving pain for an hour, or suffering from nicks and ingrown hair. 

The question is: Is laser hair removal permanent?

In this article, we’ll answer this important question and everything you need to know about the process — how it compares against other methods, and what to expect before, during, and after the treatment. But first, let’s discuss what laser hair removal is and how it works.

What is Laser Hair Removal?

Laser hair removal is a procedure for reducing unwanted hair using a concentrated beam of light.

Laser treatment is a long-term hair removal method. The procedure uses a concentrated beam of light or laser to destroy hair follicles, so it doesn’t grow back.

Since the process pulses laser, laser hair removal typically targets small areas at a time, particularly the underarms, legs, upper lips, and bikini area. However, it is possible to complete a full-body hair removal.

How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?

We now know that laser hair removal uses pulses of laser to destroy hair follicles. But how does it work exactly?

In laser hair removal, the light from the laser attacks the pigment in each hair. The heat from the laser travels down the hair strand and into the hair follicle and proceeds to destroy it. When the laser successfully destroys the hair follicle, hair cannot grow there anymore.

However, it is worth noting that the hair growth cycle plays a significant role in the effectiveness of laser treatments. Hair goes through three cycles: resting, shedding, and growing. Hair strands are only attached to the hair follicles during the growing stage which lasts for two to three weeks.

Laser treatment works best on hair that is in the growing stage when it is darkest and is still attached to the root. It cannot target hair in resting or shedding because the light cannot reach the root at this point.

Because hair strands go through the cycle in different phases, laser hair removal often takes two to eight sessions or more, which can span three or more months, to eliminate hair. But you can surely notice results after the first session.

Does Laser Remove Hair Permanently?

One of the most popular benefits of underarm laser hair removal is that it can remove unwanted hair permanently.

This is true: laser hair removal is permanent.

However, this does not happen with just one session. Laser slows down hair growth and lightens hair with every session until it stops growing back. It cannot target all hair strands at once, and sometimes, hair grows back after a session or two for a few reasons:

The first reason is the individual hair’s stage in the hair growth cycle. Laser cannot target strands in the shedding and resting phases, so these hairs will grow back.

Another possibility is if you have a low contrast between your hair color and skin tone. The laser may only damage the hair follicles but not destroy them. So, they will likely grow back, albeit lighter and less noticeable.

Another factor in the success of laser treatment is the technician’s skill.

Nevertheless, if hair grows back, it can be treated again every four to six weeks until the laser destroys it.

So there, if you want to permanently remove unwanted body hair, laser hair removal is up for the job. However, keep in mind that will take a few sessions to completely destroy all hair follicles.

Is Laser Better Than Other Hair Removal Methods?

There are a few popular methods for removing unwanted body hair, including plucking, shaving, threading, waxing, sugaring, depilatory creams, and epilators.

Many of these methods have been used for a long time, but they do tend to have some downsides. It is a common belief that shaving makes hair grow back thicker. While this is not necessarily true, hair can feel thicker because of the blunt tip from where you shaved. Of course, anyone who has plucked, threaded, or waxed body hair has taken a deep breath before going through the painful process.

Laser Hair Removal Vs. Plucking, Shaving, and Waxing

While it may take a few months to achieve the results, especially for laser leg hair removal because of the large surface area, it is still more effective at inhibiting hair growth compared with other methods. Laser hair removal treatment only needs a few months while other methods like plucking or epilation, shaving, waxing, and threading need to be done regularly since they only remove hair temporarily.

Laser hair treatment is also a lot less painful. Most clients describe the sensation as like being snapped by a rubber band. Plus, you only need to tolerate the discomfort for about 15 minutes for small areas and about an hour for larger areas.

One reason that pushes some people to choose other methods is how much is laser hair removal. However, considering that you only need to invest once and enjoy the benefits for a long time while you need to pay for wax treatments or buy razors regularly throughout your lifetime. So, in the end, laser treatments can truly be an investment worth your time and money.

Laser Vs. Depilatory Creams

Depilatory creams are another temporary hair removal technique. These creams contain thioglycolic acid, which breaks down the hair’s keratin protein, so hair falls off after rinsing.

However, it should be noted that depilatory creams don’t remove the hair’s roots, and strands may break at random points under the skin. So, one dilemma most people have with this method is that hair may grow faster in general and hair regrowth may be uneven.

Another disadvantage of depilatory creams is the high risk of skin irritation or chemical burns, especially for those with sensitive skin. This is especially true for the bikini and underarm areas. Laser only causes temporary redness after each session, making bikini laser hair removal much safer.

Laser Vs. Electrolysis

Among the other methods, electrolysis is the only one that also provides permanent hair removal. Electrolysis uses a probe to deliver electric current directly to the hair follicle which kills it and stops regrowth. 

Electrolysis is an effective method for permanently removing hair as well. However, it requires targeting individual hairs one by one so individual sessions take longer to finish. It also takes at least 18 months to achieve the full results with electrolysis, unlike laser which only requires about three months.

Laser is also slightly less painful than electrolysis. The process of poking individual strands has been described to have a stinging or pricking sensation. This can be a challenge to tolerate for those with low pain tolerance, especially during longer sessions, but the discomfort is certainly tolerable.

That being said, electrolysis is still new, and thus, uncommon in the Philippines. In contrast, you can find laser hair removal in the Philippines at Facial Care Centre branches. 

Is Laser Hair Removal Safe?

Laser treatment is the most efficient painless method to remove unwanted body hair permanently. Like most treatments, the process requires clients to follow some rules to maximize its effectiveness in targeting hair roots and ensure the client’s and technician’s safety. With these safety measures in place and a trained professional to execute the treatment, laser hair removal is safe.

Going Into Your Laser Treatment Session

Now that you know how laser treatment works and how it differs from other hair removal methods, let’s talk about what to expect when you book a laser treatment session.

What to Do Before the Session

As you can see, laser treatment requires strict circumstances to work well. So, expect that you’ll need to follow a few rules before or between every session. Here are some of the most common ones:

• Avoid prolonged sun exposure and wear sunscreen as much as possible, especially after treatment.
• Avoid other hair removal methods four weeks before your appointment. This can disrupt the hair’s growth cycle and negatively affect the effectiveness of the laser.
• You may be asked to trim or shave the target area before the session. This will minimize the hair above the skin to allow the light to reach the root easier. However, these methods keep the roots intact for the laser to zap.

What to Expect During the Session

The length of your session depends on the size of the area being treated. An underarm laser hair removal session may take about 15 minutes, but a treatment session for your back may take an hour or so. The technician will inform you of how long a session will take.

Before your session begins, the assistant will clean the area to ensure that it is free from makeup, lotion, deodorant, and other products.

They may shave the area again if necessary. Otherwise, they may apply numbing cream to make the process painless.

You’ll be asked to wear goggles to protect your eyes from the laser beam.

The process will start with a patch test to ensure that your skin doesn’t have a strong reaction. This will also allow the technician to determine the best settings for your skin and hair.

Once it begins, the technician will press the instrument onto your skin. You’ll feel a warm zap on your skin as the light beam attacks the hair follicles. This will go on for a few minutes until the technician goes over the entire area.

After the session, the technician typically applies a cold pack on the area to alleviate any discomfort and redness.

What to Expect After the Session

Immediately after the session, you may notice some redness and swelling for a couple of hours. You may apply a cold pack to help it subside faster, but it will also go away on its own.

You’ll be asked to follow the same pre-treatment rules. However, the most important rule to follow is to avoid using any other hair removal methods between sessions to keep the hair growth and appointments in synch.

Expect some stubble to appear about five days after your session. These are dead hair and will fall out almost immediately. No need to pluck or shave them.

Why Choose Facial Care Center for Laser Hair Removal?

Facial Care Centre’s LaserLight uses a diode laser for hair removal, which is more effective at reaching hair follicles. Here are the benefits that make it worth investing in our LaserLight treatment:

Permanent Results

Laser hair removal is a long-term investment that gradually reduces hair growth and thickness until hair completely stops growing back. After a few sessions, you can expect hair in the targeted area to be unnoticeable, if not completely gone.

Hassle-Free

Laser hair removal sessions take only up to one hour per session. In fact, sessions for smaller areas like the upper lip can take less. So, it’s easier to squeeze the appointments into your busy schedule.

Plus, you can get right back into your schedule after each session because you don’t need to recover.

Skin-Friendly

Laser is the best choice for those who suffer from intense reactions from other methods. The most common side effect of laser is redness that usually goes away after a few hours.

The process also leaves skin looking and feeling silky smooth and hair-free.

Get Rid of Unwanted Hair for Good

Facial Care Centre’s diode laser hair removal offers an effective and painless way to get rid of unwanted body hair to reveal smoother and lighter skin.

We hope that this article helped answer some of your questions about laser treatments. Now that you know its benefits, including the permanent results it offers, go on and try LaserLight Hair Removal!

Book your appointment to start your journey toward a hair-free body. Don’t hesitate to leave us a message if you have further questions.