Preparation for the procedure and skin care after
For the most effective hair removal, grow hairs to 3-4 mm. Put off signing up for a tanning salon - laser exposure to freshly tanned skin sometimes causes burns.
Between treatments of the course, you should not pluck your hair or remove it with wax or sugar. Shaving the laser-treated area will not affect the effectiveness of the course.
After laser hair removal, the skin becomes a little drier than usual, so hair removal specialists advise using moisturizers.
What determines the success of laser hair removal?
Salons are vying with each other to offer laser hair removal, assuring that in this case the hair will not grow for several years. Is it really? There are some factors that lead to poor results:
- The hair removal deadlines were not met. Typically, about eight treatments are needed to achieve the desired effect. The time between the first and second is two weeks. Each time this period should be increased by another two weeks. At least six months must pass between the last two sessions. If you break this routine, your hair will begin to grow back much faster than promised.
- Hair has inappropriate pigmentation and contains little melanin. If you epilate gray or too light hair, the effect will be minimal. After all, the laser pulse affects only those hairs that are rich in this pigment.
- Hormonal imbalances resulting in hirsutism (increased hairiness). In this case, the hair becomes hard and thick. To ensure optimal results, it is necessary to develop an individual hair removal course.
- Preparation for the procedure went wrong. It is recommended to shave your hair before the session so that too long hairs do not damage the skin when heated. Also, do not manually pull out hairs before epilation.
- Insufficient specialist qualifications. As a result, the laser power may be selected incorrectly, without taking into account the patient's hair type. It is also necessary to exclude the presence of contraindications.
- What phase of growth were the hairs in during the procedure?
Sometimes the length of the effect of laser hair removal is negatively affected by the patient’s fresh tan, individual sensitivity, and taking certain medications. Therefore, you should very carefully re-read the list of recommendations and warnings before deciding to undergo laser hair removal.
Effect after the first session
You will not see smooth skin after your first laser hair removal session. There is no need to be upset: after 10-14 days, the hair on the laser-treated area of skin will fall out on its own.
Some hairs will remain on the skin two weeks after the first hair removal session, there is nothing to worry about. The laser affects hairs with a sufficient amount of melanin. If the hair was in the growth phase during the procedure, then melanin had not yet accumulated in it, and the laser did not burn its bulb. By one of the next sessions, the hair itself will prepare for removal.
How long does the effect of laser hair removal last?
On average, it takes 8 months to a year for hairs to stop growing. It is for this period of time that hair removal courses are calculated.
The duration of the effect depends on various indicators - on the state of the endocrine system, hormonal levels in the body. Therefore, there is no one hundred percent probability that in a few years the hair will not begin to grow rapidly. In most cases, after 4 years, women experience 30-40% of the vegetation at the site of removal.
Depending on the zone
Hair grows fastest on your legs. Their growth is observed a little slower in the axillary zone and in the bikini area. Therefore, on the legs after laser hair removal they will appear faster - after about 2-3 years, and in other places - after 3-4 years.
Depending on the thickness and hardness of the hair
The hairs can be vellus or bristly. The first occupy the surface of the entire body, they are very thin and almost invisible. The laser hardly captures them.
But the bristly ones are easily destroyed under laser exposure. They can have different thickness and hardness. They are removed equally effectively. But the thicker and tougher they are, the faster they will appear again.
Depending on hair color
During the procedure, too light hairs are not removed. The laser cannot affect them because they are devoid of pigment.
It can only destroy dark hair of any color. After complete removal, the rate at which unwanted vegetation appears depends on its color. Black hair begins to grow the fastest, appearing after about 4 years. And red, white and blond ones grow a little slower. They may be absent from the body for up to 5 years.
Depending on the growth rate
Different people's hair grows at different rates. And the faster they grow, the sooner they will appear again. In such women they can be observed after 2-3 years.
Does hair grow after laser hair removal?
It happens that after a laser hair removal session, the hair seems to begin to grow even stronger. This illusion occurs due to some of the consequences of laser hair removal.
For the first 7-10 days, all hair remains on the skin, but which of them have already died from exposure to the laser cannot be seen with the naked eye. The skin gradually rejects dead hair, pushing its subcutaneous part out, so it seems that laser hair removal did not get rid of excess hair, but only worsened the problem.
Sometimes after epilation there is actually more hair than before. The laser accelerates the metabolism in the skin, awakening the reserve of hair follicles. Hair enters an active growth phase, which is what is needed for the best effect of hair removal.
The full course eliminates hair for 3-5 years. To keep your skin smoother longer and save money, have one laser hair removal session as soon as the first hairs appear on the treated area.
The most popular myths about laser hair removal
"This is very painful!"
– some exclaim, looking warily at the laser device. If you compare the sensations when treating skin with laser or wax, then the first method is definitely more pleasant. If the bikini or armpit areas are particularly sensitive, then before using the laser device, a special anesthetic cream is applied to these areas.
"All hair can be removed in one go"
– very often this misconception confuses poorly informed patients. To achieve the best effect, several procedures are necessary, carried out at certain intervals.
“After the laser, new growths may appear on the skin.”
It is worth remembering that laser rays are not oncogenic, unlike ultraviolet rays. Therefore, tumors cannot appear from laser hair removal, but from visiting a solarium they can.
“Laser hair removal can be done at home.”
This is absolutely not recommended! You should not chase cheapness and visit dubious “salons” at home, where all manipulations are carried out by unqualified self-taught craftsmen. Such savings can be very expensive. Inept hair removal often ends in burns, skin irritation, and swelling.
“After laser hair removal, hair will never grow again.”
This misconception is very common among myth lovers. Of course, within four to five years you can forget about excess body hair, provided that the procedure is performed at a high professional level. But after this period, at least 40% of the hair grows back quite quickly.
“Laser hair removal is a purely female procedure.”
Not at all. Millions of men around the world resort to this medical service very successfully. Today, “increased hairiness” is not in fashion.
So how long are the results from laser hair removal? If you regularly resort to correction, the effect can last a very long time. But it is necessary to remove hairs that have already appeared at least once a year. No one can name the exact period of absence of vegetation on the body, since the indicators are influenced by the individual characteristics of each person’s body, the stiffness of his hair, and compliance with precautions.
What affects hair growth after laser hair removal
Each person's hair grows at a different rate. If a hormonal imbalance occurs in the body, additional hair follicles sometimes form in the skin and hair growth accelerates. A blood test for hormones will tell you whether everything is okay with your health and whether the laser will have an effect.
Sometimes the reason for the poor results of laser hair removal lies in heredity. There is nothing you can do if your hair is genetically very strong. A beauty center specialist will offer the most effective hair removal strategy. Sometimes you have to go through up to ten sessions to eliminate the toughest hairs.
Recommendations:
- Entrust hair removal to experienced specialists. OLA beauty centers employ expert-level masters.
- Follow all recommendations of the cosmetologist.
At Ola centers you will be offered an individual program taking into account the tasks and characteristics of the body. A lasting result will be obtained without pain and in a minimum number of sessions.
Is it possible to remove hair permanently
Since society has a strong belief that hair on the legs, arms and other parts of the body is a sign of unkemptness and bad taste, many women try to choose the most effective procedure for removing excess hair.
For the sake of the desired result, they are willing to endure unbearable pain and pay a lot of money. And every lady wants a one-time beauty procedure with a permanent effect. This is exactly how many people imagine hair removal using laser. Although in the reviews there are many who are perplexed as to why hair grows after laser hair removal.
This is interesting: Does laser hair removal permanently remove hair or not.
When does hair fall out after laser hair removal?
Be prepared that eliminating hair follicles right away will not remove hair from your body. This process takes some time. Only a specialist who will study the characteristics of your body, including hormonal levels, can tell you exactly how long you will have to wait. Therefore, do not rush to run to the salon with complaints the next day after the procedure to find out why your hair did not fall out after laser hair removal.
In most cases, the natural rejection of vegetation takes about a few weeks. In this case, the care that you provide to the depilated areas is of utmost importance. For example, after laser hair removal, it is prohibited to swim in the pool, take a bath, shower, or treat those areas with cosmetics for 5 days. And also sunbathe, visit the solarium. Ultraviolet rays retain melanin in the bulbs, weakening the effectiveness of the procedure.
Moreover, they can cause side effects that you may not be happy with.
Exercising in the gym during this period will also result in folliculitis, when inflammation and suppuration occur in the hair follicles. Dark hair responds more quickly to laser irradiation because it contains more melanin. And light and gray hairs are difficult to be exposed to light.
Will hair grow, how many procedures will it take to completely get rid of hair?
No matter how advertising imposes mythical properties on this method of getting rid of unwanted hair, experts warn that one should not expect a 100% effect right away.
After all, irradiation alone is not enough to destroy all vegetation. This is explained by the specifics of human hair.
- Firstly, the epithelium contains active and passive bulbs.
- Secondly, in the treated areas there are both one and the other.
- Thirdly, the rays only affect developed hairs in the mature stage of growth. It is much more difficult to kill a dormant follicle. As a result, some time after laser hair removal, ladies observe how hair grows from the depilated areas. To get rid of them, additional sessions of beauty treatments are needed until all passive bulbs are destroyed.
In addition, the result is affected by your skin type. It is much easier to work with a laser on light skin, while on tanned areas and for dark-skinned clients, careful selection of the light pulse power will be required. The color and length of the hairs matter. The experience of the specialist you trust is also important. After all, his ignorance can result in serious damage to your skin. Individual reactions to laser light are possible. These facts fully explain why laser hair removal does not help. Of the entire hairy surface that can be depilated, only 20-30% of the hair is active. They are the ones that are susceptible to laser light. The rest are in a passive stage. It will take several weeks for them to awaken.
Intervals and number of procedures
We figured out what factors you need to pay attention to when choosing intervals between sessions. It is important to take into account the individual reaction of each client’s body and focus on it. Now let's figure out how to choose the intervals between laser hair removal procedures, taking into account the stages of hair growth.
This table shows how many hairs are on the human body at a certain stage (average version):
Let's take the armpit area as an example. Its anagen stage, on average, lasts up to 16 weeks, telogen - up to 12 weeks. When choosing an interval between procedures, you can rely on the studies presented in the table.
If hair in the anagen stage is not removed during the procedure, it will continue to grow and enter the catagen and telogen stages. That is, we will again have to wait for the required phase.
The first 2 procedures are prescribed with an interval of 3-5 weeks. In this case, work is done with hair in the anagen stage. Now we add another 2 weeks to the previous interval. That is, if 4 weeks have passed since the first procedure, then another 6 weeks should pass after the second procedure.
The intervals will look like this: 4-6-8-10 weeks, etc.
In certain areas of the body, where the telogen stage is longer, the intervals between procedures can be increased by adding another 2 weeks. See table above. We explain to the client the following: where the hair is in long stages (for example, the telogen stage on the thighs and lower legs lasts 6 months), longer intervals are also required.
The course consists of 8-10 procedures (average figure). The duration of the course is based on several factors:
- zone;
- color of the skin;
- saturation of hair pigment;
- density;
- level of hormonal processes.
Individual patient characteristics may affect the duration of the course.
Hair begins to fall out 10-14 days after the procedure. During the first procedure, hair in the catagen and telogen stages is stimulated, so growth can increase. We warn the client about this in advance and sign him up for the next procedure, telling him about the recommendations and contraindications. The effectiveness of the course depends on the amount of hair treated in the anagen stage.
It may be that the hair has not yet had time to grow back for the next procedure; here the break can be increased by 1-2 weeks. And vice versa, if your hair has already grown in sufficient volume, then you can start hair removal earlier.
Interrupting the course after 2-3 procedures will create the impression that laser hair removal did not work. The client will think that hair continues to grow as before, or even in even greater quantities. A “hypercompensation” effect may occur when the body tries to restore lost hairs. Therefore, it is best to conduct the course without long breaks, so as not to increase the number of visits.
The number of procedures is determined based on the individual characteristics of the client:
- client sensitivity;
- predisposition to weak or strong hair growth;
- hair type, density and color.
We also take into account these factors:
- laser hair removal technique;
- set parameters;
- following the client’s recommendations before and after the procedure;
- laser technical characteristics.
For more information about the intervals between laser hair removal procedures, watch our video from a live broadcast with our expert.
Don’t forget to remind the client about the recommendations before and after the laser hair removal procedure! Their implementation affects the final result of the course.
We decided to make for you a checklist with recommendations that you can give to your clients.
Download the memo in high resolution
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Laser hair removal. My experience. Need advice
Hi all! 1.5 Years ago, October 2022, I started doing laser hair removal.
I chose the salon on the recommendation of a friend, who had already gone once and told me how my hair was falling out and all the corresponding advantages.
My hair grows quickly, black, thick. On your legs, if you shave in the morning, in the evening there will be stubble and red dots from erupting hair. Sugaring did not suit me, because... the hair grows unevenly, after the procedure, after a few days, stumps are already visible, so until the next visit you still walk around with hair. I did it for half a year, I didn’t achieve uniform vegetation, the artist is good, I blame her.
So. As a responsible person, I went to the laser once a month. I was literally delighted that some of the hair had fallen out, bald spots were visible, hair growth had decreased, I could not shave my legs for a week, although the hair was coming through, but it was sparse and light. I recommended it to everyone.
Everything would be fine, but 10 procedures have been done, and the hair is still growing. I asked the master when this will stop and how much money still needs to be spent in order to have smooth skin everywhere! I did shins with knees, a full bikini, and armpits. The master said that “everything is individual here, we have a good laser, of a new generation...” and blah blah blah. OK! I'm doing 2 more procedures. There is no 100% effect. The pubis is almost perfect, but in some places I see spots that stick out into the hairs later, a deep bikini, blond hair is sparse, but there are no bald spots or smoothness at all, legs are sparse, dark and blond hair. 12 procedures!!!
I began to study information about this laser. Yes, many people do it before, and I do it after, because... In the salon, the laser mark is covered with the salon logo. Secret! Told me. I started searching on the Internet based on appearance. It turned out to be 1S Pro.
An innovative laser, some company developed it, and it includes alexandrite and diode and alien lasers)))
I called this company and found out that this is not really a laser, more of a photoepilator. Yes! They did it without gel, but I firmly believed that this was how it should be. They are suckers, sometimes gullible people.
I read reviews about 1S Pro, there are very few good ones! Everyone is as gullible and shaggy as me!
By the way, a friend and her sister also went, but they all didn’t have 100% results.
Here he is.
I didn’t go to this salon again because... After receiving information from the manufacturer, I felt that I had really been deceived! Moreover, this “laser” has already been discontinued, another “miracle” has been invented. Price 1s pro 350,000 rub. (That's saying something.) Where was my brain before???
I came across another salon. There is a diode laser, the characteristics are good. I went. Did the whole body. Full legs, bikini, armpits, arms, mustache.
3 weeks have passed. Girls! Not a single hair fell out at all! I have a forest on my hands again, even less often I don’t see what has become. The saddest thing is that a strip of pigmentation appeared on the lower leg, where the bone is. I'm thin, there's no fat there at all.
I called the technician yesterday and explained the situation. She's all upset and says she'll call back.
My friend and sister also went there. These two ladies' hair turned black, like after a razor, and nothing fell out.
A man (perhaps one of the authorities) called me back and tried to explain that the problem was not with the device, but with me. That after photoepilation my bulbs developed “immunity” and that their good (is it good?) laser didn’t even work.
Could this really be the case??????
That my hormones are not all right, most likely. What did he do to himself, three procedures and his hair fell out. And now nothing will help me.
I say, maybe I’m an alien, but why do the other two have streaked hair, and black hair at that? And they, according to the man, have stress in their bodies.
Darkness, in short! I wished him all the best, and never set foot towards them again.
Here's the story. The question is, are there any girls among you who have achieved 100% smooth skin? How many procedures?
Please advise the laser model you used?
We now have a lot of studios/salons in our city. I don’t know how to choose... There are reviews everywhere after 3-4 procedures.
And most importantly, where did my pigmentation strip come from?
Maybe there are competent craftsmen. I would be glad for any advice
Why does leg hair take so long to disappear?
The duration of the telogen hair growth stage on the legs is long, from 5 months. You need to wait that long for the hair to enter the anagen stage, which can already be treated with laser. It is even better if hair removal does not take place immediately at the initial anagen stage, but a little later. It would be optimal to act on hair in the mature anagen stage, when the follicle and dermal papilla are fully formed. Only at the anagen stage can the laser damage the hair root, dermal papilla, matrix zone and bulge. Moreover, hair on the legs that has entered the anagen stage will be only 30% of the total amount.
It follows from this that it is impossible to remove all hair on the legs in 1-2 procedures. It is necessary to complete the full course, taking into account the time intervals during which the hair will move to the stage we need.
A similar situation occurs with other areas of the skin. See the table in the “Intervals and number of treatments” section, which shows the average duration of the telogen phase and the number of hairs in the anagen stage.
In some areas there will be very little hair at the anagen stage, and the effect of hair removal in these areas will be less noticeable. But in areas where there was more hair in the anagen stage, the client will immediately see the difference.
Effect of light beam on hair follicles
The lack of immediate results after the procedure is due to the peculiarities of the laser’s effect on the hair follicles. The light beam, penetrating the tissue, acts only on active follicles colored with dark pigment, completely destroying them. In this case, the hair remains intact and only after a while begins to come out. You can make sure that this is not a continuation of growth by pulling out a few hairs. Firstly, there will be no pain, and secondly, there are no hair follicles at their ends. That is why you should not worry if your hair does not fall out immediately after laser hair removal.
In addition, a certain part of the hair follicles is in an inactive state. Since they lack dark pigment, the light beam does not damage them. After the first sessions, these bulbs are activated and hairs begin to grow from them. They are removed during subsequent procedures.
