Understanding the hair growth cycle for laser hair removal is key to the success of laser hair removal treatments. There are three cycles of hair growth: anagen (growth), catagen (transition), and telogen (rest). At any point, our bodies grow hair within these cycles.
Your first appointment is timed appropriately according to any previous hair removal methods such as waxing, threading, sugaring, and shaving. In order to have a successful first treatment, you should wait 4-6 weeks post any method that removes hair from its root, including using Nair-like products. This ensures the hair is grown enough into the follicle to allow for absorption of laser energy. We need the follicle intact as a conductor to receive energy, traumatize the hair follicle, and reduce growth. Because the laser is attracted to the hair, it’s just as important to have a clean shave within 48 hours of your appointment so the laser is not distributing energy into hair on the surface, which can make the treatment more uncomfortable and less effective.
Post-Treatment Expectations
After your first treatment, it often seems that hair is growing back within the week following. This is actually hair that has been effectively treated and is pushing its way out of the body. Some people notice a dramatic “shed” at this time, as the hair brushes off with the swipe of a hand very noticeably and sometimes you do not notice at all. After one week, if the hair hasn’t fallen out on its own, you can give it a quick shave and it likely will not come back for weeks to follow, lengthening in time with no growth as your treatments progress.
Timing Your Next Appointment
Timing your next laser appointments is recommended appropriately by your technician considering reduction and hair cycle growth. Your next cycle of hair growth is generally occurring within 4-6 weeks, which is why we recommend you to rebook within that time for your first few appointments. You will likely start to see some hair growth, up to 20% of your starting amount, just leading up to the time of that appointment. This is GOOD. Active hair growth means there are follicles producing hair, which in turn, provide a conductor for laser energy to deliver into, yielding further results.
Waiting longer doesn’t always mean better. As you progress in your treatments, hair will be more fine and slower growing. We make assessments on where you were at during your visit to assess how long would be best to wait until your next visit when we assume you will begin to have active growth again.
Consistency is Key
You also do not want to regularly extend your length of time between visits too much longer than recommended. We don’t want our healthy bodies to do what they do best, heal and regenerate. This can cause slower treatment results and possibly require more treatments overall.
Every body is different; we assume 6-8 treatments is the average before achieving 95% reduction. We see an average of 20% reduction per treatment. Some people may need more treatments and some may need more maintenance. Genetics, hormones, and personal health are factors into hair growth and some parts of the body on each person may also respond differently. Especially when you progress further into treatments, the hair shed will be very different than when you first started and sometimes can take over a month and it may not obviously shed at all. That’s where I would always suggest a shave one week post, when needed, so you can enjoy your smooth investment as soon and as long as possible before your next appointment.
How to Know When You're Due
How do you know if you are due for your next treatment? After your first shave, if you are noticing you could shave every 1-2 weeks, you are due for an appointment or maintenance treatment.
Exfoliating and Moisturizing
Exfoliating and moisturizing the skin are key to ensure those fine hairs can easily push through hydrated skin to not become ingrown and to exfoliate and help slough away any unattached hair in the treatment area.
Some of our favourite, intimate area safe products we carry to help support the exfoliation and hydration process are as follows:
- Bush Balm: Exfoliator pads, ingrown hair/dark spot oil & dry brush
- DerMed: Glycolic body wash, lactic body lotion
- Additional items: Exfoliating mitts