What happens if hair doesn’t fall out after laser hair removal? | Skin Perfection (2024)

FAQs

What happens if hair doesn’t fall out after laser hair removal? | Skin Perfection? ›

If you notice hair not shedding a couple of weeks after your treatment, it's important not to forcefully remove it by waxing or plucking. This could disrupt the natural hair growth cycle, which could affect the success of future treatments. The best course of action is to consult with your laser hair removal expert.

Typically, anywhere from 6 to 8 sessions, spaced 4 to 6 weeks apart, are needed for optimal results. This cycle also explains why you might still see hair growth after several treatments. Some hairs were simply not in the right phase during earlier sessions. This is perfectly normal.

The treated hair follicles will remain stuck beneath the skin surface until the body's natural cellular cycle pushes them out. It is recommended to regularly and gently exfoliate the skin from 2 weeks post laser hair removal treatment in order to assist shedding of the treated hair follicles.

Laser hair removal may not work for a number of reasons. The most common ones are: Your hair growth is due to a hormonal imbalance – although a hormonal imbalance poses an extra set of problems, with thorough treatment, it is still possible to inhibit excess hair growth.

Some patients may be concerned because not all hairs within the treatment region were shed following the treatment. It is crucial to remember that every hair follicle may not necessarily have the same growth cycle as the hairs surrounding it. Lasers can kill hair only during the anagen stage.

The shedding process can take up to two weeks post-treatment, which is why you'll still see hair after laser sessions. Also, because not every hair will be in the growth stage when the area is treated, some will remain. In fact, in any one treatment only about 15% of the follicles are damaged.

If you feel like your hair isn't shedding at all, this could be due to a few factors. In some cases, the hair may be too light, the treatment intensity too low, or the hair might be in the wrong growth stage. Our laser hair removal experts can assess your progress and make necessary adjustments to your treatment.

Gently buff the treated area with a loofah or soft cotton washcloth in a circular motion. It's a great way to remove dead hair and reveal your smoother skin underneath.

The skin is usually sensitive after laser hair removal, and squeezing can cause further irritation and redness. Instead of squeezing, it's best to allow the hair follicles to shed naturally over time. This can take up to 10-14 days.

How can I tell if laser hair removal is working? ›

Most people start to see results of laser hair removal il treatments within the first few weeks after their first appointment. Your results will be obvious as your hair begins to fall out, and while you may see hair regrowth, you should notice that hair is growing back more slowly than before.

If treatments are not timed properly based on the area's specific growth cycle, they may fail to disable enough hair follicles to produce a noticeable reduction in hair growth.

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.

Patients may notice more hair 1 – 3 weeks after laser hair removal sessions as follicles in the growing cycle begin to shed. During this process, exfoliating the skin, once swelling and redness have dissipated, can help hairs shed faster, leaving skin feeling smoother.

First, the number of sessions completed is a factor. If you have only attended a few sessions, one of the most likely reasons to why you have yet to see a desired response to laser hair removal is that you need more treatment sessions.

Hormonal Influences: Hormonal changes can stimulate hair growth. Conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or thyroid imbalances might cause new hair growth even after laser treatment. Color and Thickness of Hair: Laser hair removal is less effective on light-colored or fine hair.

Because laser treatments are only able to target hair follicles that are in their anagen phase, there will be a few remaining follicles that have yet to “wake up” and grow hair in the next few weeks, so don't be surprised to see some minor regrowth after your initial treatment.

You can expect a 10% to 25% reduction in hair after the first treatment. 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.

Although the procedure is often touted as a form of “permanent” hair removal, laser treatment only reduces the number of unwanted hairs in a given area. It doesn't get rid of unwanted hairs completely. Laser therapy uses high-heat laser beams as a mild form of radiation.