Is Laser Hair Removal Really Permanent?

Getting rid of unwanted hair permanently is now possible with Laser Hair Removal, and permanent results can be achieved in a short period of time. But the performance of Laser Hair Removal depends on numerous points, embracing (i) the kind of laser being used, (ii) the color of your hair, (iii) the color / type of your skin and (iv) the stage of the hair in the hair growth cycle.

There are 5 different types of lasers that are currently used to remove hair. Choosing the most effective laser type for your hair will depend on your hair color and your skin type. And even if you get it all right, you still may not end up with permanent hair removal in the short term. You see, the answer lies in the hair growth cycle, and more explicitly, what stage of the cycle your problem hair is in.... sounds complex - it is !

Before we come to know the hair growth cycle, it is imperative to understand just how Laser Hair Removal literally works. That is, to comprehend precisely how you can obtain permanent hair removal, getting an appreciation of the laser process is critical.

The Laser Hair Removal process does not result in instant hair removal. The energy from the laser actually passes through the skin, and is absorbed by the pigment in the hair follicle and shaft. When this energy is soaked into a hair, the follicles are damaged, which then impairs that specific hairs capacity to grow. Eventually the hair will fall out, typically within a matter of weeks.

Getting an appreciation of how the laser works is essential. You need to always remember that the laser does not just make the hair fall out immediately. It actually impairs the ableness of a hair to grow, causing it to eventually fall out. Now that we have a brief understanding of how the laser performs, it is time to get an understanding of how the hair growth cycle affects the permanent nature of laser hair removal.

If the hair is in the right stage of the growth cycle, then permanent removal is more likely, otherwise further Laser Hair Removal sessions will be necessary. You see, the hair growth cycle encompasses three stages, and the permanency of Laser Hair Removal is more probable when the hair is in one stage specifically - the growth stage.

The growth cycle of hair includes 3 distinct stages : (1) Active/Anagen (2) Regressive/Catagen (3) Resting/Telogen.
Laser hair removal is more potent in the Anagen stage where the hair contains the most pigment, and is most affected by the laser light. If the laser treatment is applied when the hair is in either of the 2 other stages, then the likeliness of permanent hair removal is lesser.

Although hair is primarily the same thing from person to person, the way an individual's hair grows is so unique, owing to many factors including: weight, metabolism, age, genetics and environmental conditions. However, irrespective of how these factors affect individual hair growth, hair itself grows through three clear-cut phases:

1. The ACTIVE or ANAGEN growth phase, comprises approximately 85 % of our body hair at any given moment in time and can last up to several years. During this stage, the hair shaft and follicle has an exuberance of pigment and is most sensitive to the laser light.

2. The REGRESSIVE or CATAGEN phase is the stage during which the hair stops growing but is not yet shed. This phase often lasts a number of weeks comprising about 3 - 4% of our total body hair at any given point in time. The laser will work in this stage, but if it is late in this part of the cycle, a new hair might already be coming through and the new hair will not be affected by the laser.

3. The RESTING or TELOGEN phase lasts 5 - 6 weeks, at the end of which the hair falls out and the new hair arises. The new hair mightn't be affected by the laser because it will not have pigment in it yet, remembering that the laser actually relies on the pigment to find the hair. Approximately 10-13% of our body hair is in this phase at any one time.

Now that we have a brief understanding of the hair growth cycle, it must be asked, "Is Laser hair removal a permanent process?" The answer is Yes, Laser Hair Removal can literally provide a level of permanency. As you can see, if a hair in the Active/Anagen stage is subjected to the laser, then that hair will most likely be killed permanently. If a hair that is in either of the other 2 stages is exposed to the laser, then that hair will more than likely be killed, but the new hair coming through will still grow.

So to get permanent removal of your unwanted hair, you will more than likely need a number of laser sessions. You could be lucky - your first Laser hair removal session will permanently remove all of your unrequired hair, but the likelihood is that you will need numerous sessions at set intervals to ensure that you get to the hair when it is in the first stage of growth. And that's all there really is to know, permanent Laser Hair Removal is definitely possible !