Laser hair removal is often touted as a permanent solution to removing body hair. Since laser hair removal is far more expensive than shaving or waxing, many people want to know how long laser hair removal lasts before they take the plunge and try it out. As much as it would be nice if laser hair removal was a lifelong solution to the hair on the areas you want it gone, it’s rare for it to be truly permanent. However, laser hair removal lasts you far, far longer than the other body hair removal methods.

Here’s what you need to know about how long laser hair removal lasts, factors that can impact how long it will last for you, and how often you need to get laser hair removal done in order to see real results. Let’s dive into it!

How Long Laser Hair Removal Lasts

Although people claim laser hair removal is permanent, the truth is that it rarely is. It can be if it destroys your hair follicles. However, laser hair removal typically damages your hair follicles, which means that over time, your hair can grow back. This is why more and more doctors refer to laser hair removal as a long-term hair removal option rather than a permanent one. 

Just because laser hair removal rarely lasts forever doesn’t mean it isn’t effective and worth the investment, though. When your hair does grow back, most people find that it’s lighter and less noticeable prior to getting the treatments done. For some people, it may be months before they experience hair regrowth, while for others, it can take years. 

As it is difficult to destroy every hair follicle, it’s quite likely that you will need touch-up treatments at some point in the future in order to maintain your results. This is especially true if you have your face treated.

Factors That Impact How Long Laser Hair Removal Lasts

There are quite a few factors that impact how long laser hair removal lasts. Some of the major factors at play here include:

• Your hair growth cycle. Laser hair removal needs multiple treatments in order to target hair as it grows, and different hairs are at different stages, one treatment likely won’t give you the results you want. Your hair growth cycle impacts how long the results from laser hair removal last for you. For some people, their hair grows back much faster than others.
• Your skin and hair color. Laser hair removal is most effective on people who have light skin and dark, thick hair, because the contrast makes it easy for the laser to destroy your hair follicles. However, there are lasers for people with darker skintones and lasers for people with light hair are being developed. 
• The treatment area. Some hairs grow much faster on some parts of your body than others. For instance, you will need to have touch-up treatments done on your face more frequently than you would somewhere like your legs.

How Often Do You Need To Get Laser Hair Removal Treatments?

If you’ve never had laser hair removal before, it will likely take anywhere from 2 to 6 treatments before you notice a significant difference in the amount of hair you have. In general, people notice anywhere from a 10% to a 25% reduction in hair on the targeted area after the first session, but everyone is different. 

How often you will need your treatments done varies a great deal. Your dermatologist will be able to tell you when you should come back for your next treatment. Laser hair removal treatments are typically 4-6 weeks apart, but this depends on many factors specific to you.

After you’re hair-free, again, how often you’ll need touch-up treatments done varies. Some people have 1 to 4 touch-ups in a year while others have gone years on end without any touch-ups. You’ll know when it’s time to get a touch-up treatment when soft, downy hair grows back on the treated area. 

Can You Do Touch-Ups Yourself?

With the increasing amount of home lasers, you may be tempted to do any touch-ups yourself. If you have any hairs that are resistant to lasers, you can pluck or thread them. However, it’s best to leave the laser treatments to board-certified doctors. Many people tend to be too aggressive with home lasers and end up hurting themselves or with lasting side effects. A good rule of thumb with anything like this is: if it seems too good to be true, it is. 

Intermountain Aesthetics knows the proper procedures to take with laser hair removal that keep both you and us safe. If you want to schedule a laser hair removal treatment or have any questions about how long laser hair removal lasts, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.