Whether you need to have laser hair removal performed on you due to a cosmetic choice or a medical need, you might ask yourself if the procedure is permanent. Will you go through life with a hairless area forever? Well, not really, but it all depends on how effective the laser is as well as understanding how hair works.
First, hair has two main parts, the follicle, and the shaft. The follicle is under our skin and you can think of it as the roots of a tree. It is where hair keeps growing, and the shaft develops. The shaft is typically the part of the hair that we see whenever we look at ourselves and see our hair.
Our hair growth is one of three stages. The first is the active phase called Anagen, where new hair is formed and eventually pushes the dead hair out of the follicle to be shed. The Catagen phase is where the living hair gets secured to your body and the growth stops. Then the Telogen phase is the resting phase.
Hair rests on your body for about 100 days, and the hair eventually dies and the cycle is repeated with new growth from the follicle.
Cutting The Problem Off
Whenever it comes to laser hair removal, the laser focuses on going down the hair shafts and then down into the hair follicle. The follicle is burned and destroyed, and no more hair is grown. It takes about 2-3 months of treatment to completely destroy the hair follicle, but even then it isn’t permanent.
If the treatment destroys a hair follicle, the hair in that area will never grow back. However, not all laser hair removal is as permanent as you might think. In some cases, the laser doesn’t destroy the hair follicle and merely damages it. If a follicle is damaged, then the hair will grow back, however, it won’t be as dark as it was before.
In most cases, even the most extensive treatment will leave some hair behind from damaged follicles, so you might see a bit of hair growth. Even then, however, the hair can be treated again to get any missed follicles.
Why Get Laser Hair Removal?
Most of the time people remove unwanted hair from unwanted regions of their bodies. These areas can include the upper lip, bikini line, armpits, and legs. As long as you don’t want hair removed from your eyelid or the surrounding area, or any skin that has tattoos, you can have the treatment done anywhere.
While it was traditionally easier for people with darker skin to get laser hair removal done for them, you can receive the treatment no matter the color of your skin, especially with all the major advances in technology. If you have the same skin and hair color, you tend to risk more damage to your hair and skin due to your skin absorbing the light of the laser.
What Happens After The Procedure?
After you get hair removed from your body, you should focus on the treated area over the next few months. The time it takes for any damaged follicles to make hair grow back depends on the type of hair you have and its natural growth cycle. If you notice some new hair growth in the treated area, then you can come back and have the area retreated.
Some new hair growth is common, but you should have a relatively hair-free area, and won’t have to worry about the hair growing back! For some of the more notable areas, this can be very useful!
Laser Hair Removal in West Virginia and Ohio
Tired of plucking, waxing, and shaving? Whether it is unwanted facial hair, unsightly hair on your body, or you just want to get on with your morning routine and save some time, laser hair removal could be your solution. Rejuvenation Laser & Skin Center offers laser hair removal at our Williamstown, West Virginia location. Call us today and schedule your appointment with our professional staff.