Laser hair removal is a semi-permanent way to remove unwanted body hair in areas such as the legs, the arms, the armpits, the chin, the upper lip, the back and the chest. If you want to invest in this treatment, you should go in with a complete understanding of what kind of results you can expect over the short and long term.
After the First Session
During your first session of laser hair removal treatment, each of the hair follicles in your targeted area will be hit with an intense, pulsating ray of light. This process takes a few seconds per hair. Depending on the extent of the area, your treatment could take between five minutes and one hour.
You may experience a slight discomfort and irritation immediately after your first session, but somewhere between 60 and 70% of your total body hair in the treated area should be gone and likely none will be visible. Over the next day or so, your skin may be red and dry and form small scabs. These symptoms are normal and will soon dissipate.
The First Month
The treated area of your skin will remain about 60 to 70% free of hair over the next month, but some hair growth may occur. This is because hairs that were not grown when you were first treated may grow and also the laser hair removal treatment may have not fully killed the hair follicles that were treated. You will need to come back for your second session for more work on the area about a month after the first.
The Next Few Months
You will need a total of four to seven laser hair removal treatment sessions spread one month apart each until you achieve ideal, long term results. After each session, you'll experience similar results to those you got after your first session--no or next to no hair in the treated area, slight irritation and potential scabbing--although after each session, even fewer hairs should grow back.
Results in the Long Term
After your initial series of treatments have been completed, you'll achieve somewhere between 80 to 90% complete hair loss in the treated area. The area should remain virtually hair-free for upwards of a year, after which you may have to undergo annual maintenance treatments for any missed hair follicles or hair that wasn't firmly destroyed. However, you'll only have to undergo one session most likely for these annual treatments.
Once you've completed treatment, you'll no longer have to worry about shaving, waxing or plucking hairs in those areas. (In fact, if you do get some hairs in the area and your yearly maintenance visit is coming up, let them grow so that they can be adequately destroyed during the next session.)
If you know what to expect with your laser hair removal treatment, you'll be satisfied with the results. Don't forget to discuss your candidacy with your cosmetic specialist, though, as some hair colors and skin tones are not ideal for the treatment.
