Why doesn’t Laser Hair Removal always Permanently Remove Hair?

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Getting rid of unwanted hair permanently is now possible with Laser Hair Removal, and permanent results can be achieved in a short period of time. But the performance of Laser Hair Removal relies on a number of factors, inclusive of (i) the variety of laser being used, (ii) the color of your hair, (iii) the color / type of your skin and (iv) the phase of the hair in the hair growth cycle.

Today there is at least 5 types of laser that are used for hair removal. The best laser type for you will depend on the combination of you hair color and skin type. And even if you get it all right, you still might not end up with permanent hair removal in a short period of time. You see, the answer is in the hair growth cycle, and more explicitly, what stage of the cycle your problem hair is in.... sounds tricky - it is !

Before we get to know the hair growth cycle, it is essential to comprehend just how Laser Hair Removal really works. That is, to comprehend precisely how you can achieve permanent hair removal, obtaining an understanding of the laser process is imperative.

The laser process doesn't actually physically remove the unwanted hair. The energy from the laser actually passes through the skin, and is absorbed by the pigment in the hair follicle and shaft. When this energy is absorbed into a hair, the follicles are damaged, which then impairs that specific hairs capacity to grow. Eventually the hair will fall out, typically within a matter of weeks.

Getting an insight into how the laser works is important. You need to always remember that the laser doesn't just make the hair fall out right away. It actually impairs the ability of a hair to grow, causing it to eventually fall out. Now that we have a brief understanding of how the laser works, it is time to get an understanding of how the hair growth cycle relates to the permanency of laser hair removal.

For permanent hair removal, the hair needs to be in the right stage of the hair growth cycle, and if it is, you might not need further Laser Hair Removal treatment. You see, the hair growth cycle consists of three stages, and the permanent nature of Laser Hair Removal is more probable when the hair is in one stage in particular - the growth stage.

A hair will go through 3 stages in its lifetime : (1) Active/Anagen (2) Regressive/Catagen (3) Resting/Telogen. Laser hair removal is more potent in the Anagen stage where the hair contains the most pigment, and is most sensitive to the laser light. If the laser treatment is applied when the hair is in either of the 2 other phases, then the likeliness of permanent hair removal is lesser.

Although hair is primarily the same thing from person to person, the way an individual's hair grows is so unique, owing to many factors including: weight, metabolism, age, genetics and environmental conditions. However, in despite of how these factors bear upon individual hair growth, hair itself grows through three clear-cut phases:

1. The ACTIVE or ANAGEN growth phase, comprises approximately 85 % of our body hair at any given moment in time and can last up to several years. During this stage, the hair shaft and follicle has an accumulation of pigment and is most sensitive to the laser light.

2. The REGRESSIVE or CATAGEN phase is the phase during which the hair stops actively growing but is not yet shed. This phase often lasts several weeks comprising about 3 - 4% of our total body hair at any given moment in time. The laser will work in this stage, but if it is late in this part of the cycle, a new hair might already be coming through and the new hair will not be affected by the laser.

3. The RESTING or TELOGEN phase lasts 5 - 6 weeks, at the end of which the hair falls out and the new hair appears. The new hair may not be affected by the laser because it will not have pigment in it yet, remembering that the laser literally relies on the pigment to find the hair. Approximately 10-13% of our body hair is in this phase at any one time.

Understanding the growth cycle of hair leads to the million dollar question, "Is permanent hair removal possible?" The answer is Yes, Laser Hair Removal can certainly provide a level of permanent nature. As you can see, if a hair in the Active/Anagen stage is subjected to the laser, then that hair will most likely be killed permanently. If a hair that is in either of the other 2 stages is exposed to the laser, then that hair will most probably be killed, but the new hair coming through will still continue to grow.

So to achieve permanent hair removal, you will more than likely need multiple laser treatments. You could be lucky - your first Laser hair removal treatment will permanently remove all of your unrequired hair, but the likeliness is that you will need a number of sessions at set intervals to ensure that you get to the hair when it is in the first stage of growth. And that's all there really is to know, permanent Laser Hair Removal is definitely possible !

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