What is Laser Hair Removal?
Laser Treatment: Laser hair removal
Best For: hair removal
Downtime: skin sensitivity for a few hours
The non-ablative lasers used for laser hair removal are in fact pretty similar to a few of those used for skin rejuvenation. According to Mercedes Doan, the two laser devices used for laser hair removal are Nd:YAG (which is better for people with more melanated skin) and Alexandrite (which is better for lighter skin tones). "Lasers emit a highly concentrated laser pulse into the hair follicles," Doan says. "That energy converts to heat which is absorbed by the follicular bulb, meaning the root, destroying the follicle and inhibiting future hair growth."
The laser picks up on the pigment of the hair so if you have red, gray, or blond hair, your results may not be as drastic. The ideal candidate for laser hair removal is someone with contrasting hair pigment and skin color — for example, someone with pale skin and dark hair. When it comes to pain, you'll feel like your skin is getting snapped by tiny rubber bands (this is sort of a theme with many laser treatments) and you may experience sensitivity afterwards. "Laser hair removal typically takes 30 to 45 minutes per visit depending on the size of the area being treated," says Doan, "and 8 treatment sessions, with the area improving each time you come in."
Contrary to popular belief, laser hair removal is for permanent hair reduction, not permanent hair removal. "Everyone is different and has hormones that will naturally cause hair to grow back, so it's important to stay on top of your individual treatment timeline to help reduce the amount of growth," says Doan. "If you're in need of more sessions, or if you experience changes in hormone levels, which is often associated with a new pregnancy or hormone therapy, it's common to see hair growth as well. For hormonal areas, most will need to continue with maintenance."
— Additional reporting by Renee Rodriguez
Ani Palen is a contributor for PS Beauty.
Renee Rodriguez is a staff writer and social producer for PS. She writes across all verticals, but her main areas of expertise focus on fashion and beauty content with an emphasis on reviews and editor experiments. She also produces social content for the PS TikTok and Instagram accounts.
