Laser Hair Removal

Laser Hair Removal

Laser hair removal uses precise wavelengths of light to heat and damage hair follicles, reducing hair growth over multiple sessions. In medical terms it is classed as "permanent hair reduction" rather than a guaranteed permanent removal of every hair.

Key concepts

  • Selective photothermolysis: matching wavelength, pulse duration and energy to target melanin in the hair shaft while limiting damage to surrounding skin.
  • Chromophores: melanin in the hair shaft is the primary target. Dark, coarse hairs (high eumelanin content) respond best; white, grey or very light-blonde hair respond poorly.
  • Hair growth cycle: lasers only affect hairs in the anagen (active growth) phase, so multiple sessions are necessary to treat follicles as they enter anagen.

Who is a good candidate

  • Ideal: people with dark, coarse terminal hair and lighter skin tones (higher contrast between hair and skin).
  • Options for darker skin: longer-wavelength systems such as the Nd:YAG (1064 nm) penetrate deeper and are safer on pigmented skin when used with appropriate cooling and experienced operators.
  • Not ideal: people with white, grey, very light blonde or fine vellus hair; hormonal conditions (e.g. untreated hirsutism) may require more sessions or concurrent medical management.

Types of devices and brief comparisons

  • Alexandrite (about 755 nm): effective and fast for light-to-olive skin with coarse hair; larger spot sizes speed treatment of big areas.
  • Diode (typically 800nm range): versatile, widely used for many skin types when properly configured.
  • Nd:YAG (1064 nm): longer wavelength suitable for darker skin tones but may be less effective on finer hair; requires experienced operators and good epidermal cooling.
  • Intense Pulsed Light (IPL): not a laser but a broad-spectrum flashlamp device used for hair reduction; often compared with lasers for efficacy and side-effect profile. See Intense Pulsed Light.

Procedure, sessions and expectations

  • Typical course: multiple sessions (often 610 or more) spaced 38 weeks apart depending on body site and hair growth speed. Some areas (face, underarms, bikini) need shorter intervals than legs.
  • Results: many patients experience substantial and long-lasting reduction in hair count and thickness, but complete and permanent removal of all hairs is uncommon; maintenance "touch-up" sessions may be needed.
  • Shedding: treated hairs commonly fall out over 22 weeks; avoid plucking or waxing between sessions because the hair shaft presence in the follicle is needed for the laser to work (shaving is usually allowed and recommended).

Preparation & aftercare (practical)

  • Pre-treatment: avoid sun exposure and tanning for several weeks before and after treatment; stop photosensitising medications if medically advised; shave the area 242 hours before the session unless instructed otherwise.
  • During treatment: clinics often use epidermal cooling methods (contact cooling, cryogen spray, or cold air) and may apply topical anaesthetic for comfort.
  • Aftercare: cool compresses, topical soothing gels (aloe vera), avoid hot baths/saunas and intense exercise for 248 hours; protect treated skin from sun and use SPF.

Risks & complications

  • Common short-term: redness, swelling, follicular oedema, transient pigment changes and mild discomfort.
  • Less common/serious: burns, blistering, scarring, permanent hypo- or hyperpigmentation, infection, paradoxical hypertrichosis (temporary increased hair growth in treated or surrounding areas).
  • Risk factors: recent tanning, certain medications (photosensitisers), inexperienced operators or improper device settings, and some skin types.

Alternatives and adjuncts

  • Electrolysis (see Electrolysis) is currently the only widely accepted method for permanent removal of individual hairs and works on all colours of hair but is slow and often used for small areas.
  • Waxing and sugaring remove hairs from the root temporarily and should be avoided in the weeks immediately before laser sessions.
  • Depilatory creams and shaving remove hair at or above the skin surface and are compatible with laser; shaving is usually recommended as pre-treatment.

Writing tips

  • Tone: laser scenes can be clinical, intimate or ritualistic. Emphasise the mix of vulnerability and modern self-investment—sitting in a salon chair can feel medical and erotic at once if described from an internal perspective.
  • Sensory details: the machine's hum; a sharp, bright sting or snap; the metallic tang of adrenaline; the faint scent of singed hair; cool gel or cold air afterwards; tiny goosebumps where hairs have been zapped.
  • Stakes and character: use treatment choices to show resources (salon-grade machines vs home devices), risk tolerance, or body autonomy (electing permanent reduction vs temporary removal).

Example

"She kept her jaw loose as the handpiece coughed a thin blue light across her calf; each quick pulse felt like a white needle and left a tiny, blossoming heat that faded under the clinic's cool air."

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