Clinical endpoint is described as erythema (redness) and/or perifollicular edema (swelling around the follicle) and can be seen following each treatment. It typically lasts a couple of hours.
Answer: Not much ... If you stop laser hair removal after one treatment, the hair will regrow. It will likely be less dense than before. How much less dense it will be depends on the area treated and the effectiveness of the laser. There is no need to worry about a rebound effect. I hope this puts your mind at ease.
Properly done Laser hair removal is permanent. The FDA differentiates electrolysis from Laser hair removal as permanent hair removal vs permanent hair reduction. Laser is permanent hair reduction because not every hair hit by the laser dies, but every hair follicle that dies, stays dead.
Laser hair removal is a safe, effective way to remove unwanted body hair. Heat from a laser removes hair and destroys hair follicles. It's not permanent, but the results last longer than plucking, tweezing or waxing. Most people need multiple treatments.
Rarely, laser hair removal can cause blistering, crusting, scarring or other changes in skin texture. Other rare side effects include graying of treated hair or excessive hair growth around treated areas, particularly on darker skin.
This is a sign that the laser successfully treated the follicle, and it's clearing out the dead hair shaft. This shedding process, also called “peppering,” can last anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks. In some cases, it may feel like the hair is growing back because it's breaking through the skin.
While laser hair removal significantly reduces hair growth, it doesn't always eliminate it completely, and some may still require occasional touch-ups. Skin reactions can also play a role in feelings of regret, although this is rare when the procedure is done correctly.
Fact — Laser hair treatments don't work as well, and sometimes not at all on very fair or blond hair. The laser hair removal treatment requires pigment in the hair, or the beam of light will not reach the hair follicle. Hair that is gray or blond has less pigment, which can make laser hair removal ineffective.
Who Should Avoid Laser Hair Removal. People who are taking certain medications, such as acne treatments, should avoid laser hair removal. It can also be a bad fit for people with certain skin conditions, like a history of skin cancer or keloid scars. Women who are pregnant or nursing should also put off hair removal.
The best way to maintain your long-term results is to attend your regular maintenance appointments, which are usually scheduled once or twice a year. Your maintenance appointments will treat your hair follicles with laser energy again to continue stunting the function of the follicles.
To remove the hair, most patients need 2 to 6 laser treatments. After finishing the treatments, most patients do not see any hair on the treated skin for several months or even years. When the hair regrows, there tends to be less of it. The hairs also tend to be finer and lighter in color.
After a laser session, hair bulbs emerge over 7-30 days. This may cause redness and bumps, often mistaken for new hair growth. In reality, it's the body pushing out dead hair. Not all treated hairs shed immediately because they have different growth cycles.
Skipping a month of laser hair removal may prolong the treatment process, as it can disrupt the hair growth cycle. Especially if it happens multiple times.
LASER TREATMENTS
Don't go there if your peach fuzz is light in color – laser will do more damage than good, as laser hair removal works by targeting the pigment in the hair. You could end up with burns, permanent hyperpigmentation or scarring, with no reduction in peach fuzz.
Potential Regrowth
Stopping often means you're more likely to experience regrowth sooner. The hair might be finer than before or grow back at a slower rate, but the permanence promised by continuing treatment is unlikely.
Shave 24 to 48 Hours Before Your Appointment: It's best to shave 1-2 days before your session to give your skin time to recover and any potential irritation to settle. This timing helps ensure your skin is in its best condition for the treatment.
Other potential side effects include swelling, redness, and scarring. Permanent scarring or changes in skin color are rare. Blisters are rare but are more likely in people with darker complexions. Another rare side effect is the treated hair turning gray or more hair growing around the treated areas.
Hair Shedding – After a laser hair removal treatment, it's common for the treated hair to shed. This shedding process can take 10-14 days post treatment. And during this time, it may appear as though the hair is growing back thicker and darker. However, this is simply the hair follicle shedding the treated hair.
Thinking about laser hair removal on such an intimate area can definitely feel awkward at first. Many people worry about exposing this area or feel self-conscious about their bodies. But here's the truth – you're not alone, and this is entirely normal.
After undergoing the treatment, hairs begin a shedding phase which can last between 10 to 14 days. It's crucial during this period to let the hairs naturally fall out. Shaving too early can risk complications like ingrown hairs and other skin irritations.
Up to a few weeks after treatment, your skin will develop stubble or blackheads as a part of the shedding process that happens from hairs that were partially grown at the time of the procedure. Exfoliation during this period aids the shedding and diminishes the blackhead or stubble appearance.