Laser hair removal · 01 of 01
Laser Hair Removal
Long-term hair reduction across fifteen face and body areas.
- Typical visit
- 10–75 min
- Downtime
- Usually little downtimeRedness or swelling may last one to three days.
- First results
- Gradual, over the series
- Lasts
- Reduction, with occasional maintenance
- Treatment plan
- Usually a seriesSpacing and number depend on the area, hair and device.
Typical estimates. Your clinician explains the timing, recovery and treatment plan for you.
In brief
What this treatment does.
Laser energy targets pigment in hair follicles to reduce regrowth. A series is usually needed, and maintenance may help. Hair color, skin tone, the treatment area and the laser used all affect suitability and results.
- Tired of shaving or waxing
- Dark hair on lighter skin
- Razor bumps and ingrown hairs
Before you decide
Suitability and important risks.
Your health, medicines and previous treatments affect what is appropriate. Discuss benefits, risks and alternatives with the clinical team.
Who might consider it, and when to ask first
Often a good fit
- Adults with dark hair and light to medium skin
- People with darker skin tones, when the laser and settings suit them
- Anyone who wants fewer razor bumps or less shaving and waxing
Discuss before booking
- Blond, red, gray or white hair, which often responds poorly because it holds little pigment
- Anyone pregnant or breastfeeding
- Tanned or sunburned skin, active cold sores, or a tendency to keloid scars
- Certain medicines, a history of skin cancer, or any other question about your skin: ask your clinician first.
Visit & aftercare
Know what to expect.
The visit, step by step
Consultation
Your clinician reviews your hair color, skin tone, medicines and history, and confirms which areas to treat and whether laser suits you.
Preparation
Shave the area shortly before your visit, as we direct, and arrive without lotion, oil or makeup on it. We check for recent sun, since tanned skin raises the risk of side effects.
Treatment
Everyone in the room wears protective eyewear. Pulses of light feel like warm pinpricks or a rubber band snapped against the skin, and a numbing gel can be used beforehand on small, sensitive areas.
Afterwards
Skin is usually red and a little swollen, like a mild sunburn, for one to three days. A cool compress helps, and you can return to your normal activities.
Series and review
Usually a series. Spacing and number depend on the area, hair and device. Your clinician reviews the response and any need for maintenance.
Caring for your skin afterwards
- Keep treated skin out of direct sun for at least a week, and wear broad-spectrum sunscreen.
- Avoid tanning beds and sun lamps throughout your series.
- Apply a cool compress if the area feels warm or swollen.
- Shave rather than wax, tweeze or pluck between visits.
- Skip perfumes, deodorants and other irritants on the area until it settles.
Areas and concerns to discuss
Face
Full face, lip, chin, lip and chin, or side-burns, booked as the area you need.
Underarms
A small area where hair generally responds well to laser.
Arms
Full arms or half arms, booked by the area you want treated.
Legs
Full legs or half legs, where larger areas can take an hour or more.
Chest, abdomen & back
Chest, abdomen and full back are each treated as their own area.
Bikini & Brazilian
Bikini and Brazilian are booked as separate areas, and we confirm what each covers before your visit.
How it works & evidence
The detail behind the treatment.
How it works, evidence and device labeling
Laser hair removal sends pulses of light into the hair, where the pigment absorbs it as heat and the follicle beneath is damaged, so it grows less hair. Treatments are performed under the direction of Your clinician who checks that your hair and skin suit the laser. We treat fifteen areas, from the lip to the legs, in a planned series.
Hair removal lasers are medical devices that the FDA clears rather than approves, for hair removal and for permanent hair reduction. The FDA defines permanent hair reduction as a long-term, stable reduction in the number of hairs regrowing, measured at 6, 9 and 12 months after a course of treatment is finished. It does not mean every hair is gone, and which skin tones a laser suits depends on its wavelength and settings.
Only follicles in the growth phase respond at a given visit, so treatment is usually repeated. Usually a series. Spacing and number depend on the area, hair and device. Regrowth may be sparser, finer and lighter. Results vary with hair color, thickness, skin tone and the area treated.
Device clearance and approval apply to particular products and uses. Ask which device or formulation will be used for your treatment.
- Laser hair removal: FAQs (American Academy of Dermatology)
- Laser Hair Removal (StatPearls)
- Laser Therapy for Unwanted Hair (American Society for Dermatologic Surgery)
- Laser Hair Removal (Cleveland Clinic)
- FDA 510(k) record K232709, hair removal laser, 21 CFR 878.4810 (definition of permanent hair reduction)
Questions
Your questions about Laser Hair Removal.
Is it permanent?
It is a reduction rather than a removal. Many people see sparser, finer, lighter regrowth, and some return for occasional maintenance.
Does it hurt?
Most people describe warm pinpricks or a rubber band snapped against the skin. A numbing gel can be used on small, sensitive areas.
Can I treat blond, red or gray hair?
Usually not well. The laser targets pigment in the hair, and light hair holds little of it, so dermatology societies advise other methods for blond or white hair.
Can I wax between visits?
No. Waxing, tweezing and plucking pull out the hair root, which leaves the laser nothing to target. Shave instead, and stop waxing before your first visit for as long as we advise.
How much sun is too much?
Avoid sunbathing and tanning beds for at least two weeks before treatment, and direct sun for at least a week after. Tanned skin absorbs more of the light, which raises the risk of burns and color change.
How does it compare with dermaplaning?
Dermaplaning lifts away fine facial hair and dead skin at the surface, and the hair simply regrows. Laser hair removal acts on the follicle of pigmented hair and needs a series of visits.
General treatment information. Your clinician explains the choices appropriate for you.
Begin here
Ask about Laser Hair Removal.
A consultation is a conversation about what you would like to change, and what you would like to keep. Nothing is scheduled until you choose to.
Book online