How Long Does Laser Last?

Is laser hair removal really permanent? Well, for a fact, it is not guaranteed 100% hair reduction instantly. But with continuous laser treatments, you can get a high degree of hair loss on the treated area for a long time. You can go about without any shaving or waxing during that time. But regular touchups will still be essential. 

Unlike laser treatment on the face and sensitive areas of the body, hair on the leg and underarm tend to grow in a faster phase. Even then, laser hair removal is considered the most effective and semi-permanent solution to body hair reduction. 

Once you see the visible effects of laser on your body hair, you can expect to get hairless skin for a long time varying from months to years in some cases. While the result is definitely long-term, it isn’t a lifelong solution. 

How does laser hair removal work?

Laser hair removal is a cosmetic yet non-invasive procedure to remove unwanted body hair. While many claims that it provides Laser hair removal, the actual outcome might vary. This process is safe to apply on your face, bikini area, and many body parts. Several factors influence the effectiveness of the treatment, including the person’s hormonal level changes, dietary changes, maintenance, and many more. 

With laser treatment, the hair follicles rooted deep into the skin are targeted and destroyed with intense heat. Hence, they struggle to grow back to their usual phase. That is why technicians and doctors claim laser hair removal to be more of a permanent fix to remove unwanted body hair. 

To get the best results out of laser hair removal, you have to sit over multiple sessions over the course of 3 to 6 months. After that, as instructed by the technician, you should follow up with regular touchups. 

Today, more advanced laser technology makes the treatment much safer and more effective for darker skin tones. Previously, IPL and laser hair removal treatments were not effective on skin with high melanin. But with different variants of laser available, the applicability became more diverse. 

If you are dark-skinned, you can worry-free get your laser hair removal treatment without any risk of skin scarring, pigmentation, or skin burns. 

What influences the effectiveness of laser hair removal?

Body hair naturally grows back when it is removed. So, you can expect them to grow back in the laser-treated area, even if it is slow. You can only do so much to delay the growth rate of hair. But in rare cases with certain conditions, it may be possible to achieve permanent hair loss with the solution. 

Whether the hair on the treated area grows back or not is based on several factors. Notice hair growth after the laser treatment. It will be visibly lighter in color and less noticeable than before. 

Anyhow, these factors have a significant impact on how long the laser treatment last. 

Location of the treated area

We know that hair growth is different in different body parts. Likewise, the effectiveness of the laser hair removal treatment varies from other areas where it is treated. 

Facial laser hair removal is not that long-lasting as the hair on lips, forehead, chin, and cheeks tends to grow in a faster phase. That happens due to hormonal changes and the reactivation of hair follicles. Hence, you would likely need 6 to 6 weeks for them to visibly reduce hair growth with repeated treatments during the period. 

Body hair usually has slower hair growth. So, you might need about eight weeks of treatments at length with repeated seatings of laser hair removal. You can expect noticeable hair reduction on your legs, back, and arms. 

Hair on your bikini or pubes and underarm grow much thicker than in anybody. While the area is much more sensitive than the rest, the outcome will obviously be different. Continuous laser treatments will be needed for extended and high results during 6 to 7 weeks. 

After completing all the sessions, you can expect hairless skin for about a few months or a year at best. 

Skin color and hair type

Laser hair removal works best on light-skinned people with dark hair as the laser targets the melanin in the hair. But for people with dark skin and light hair, you will need more laser sessions compared to them. For best results, it is a must to apply the correct laser variant the right way. 

Laser treatments may not work well if you are someone with gray hair, white or blond. So, before you sit for a laser session, consult with the doctor or technician properly. 

Nonetheless, the maximum laser session for more permanent results is 12 seatings. Since several factors affect the results, you can always get semiannual treatments or touch-ups to improve the effectiveness.