Laser hair removal is an emerging technology that provides a long-term solution to unwanted facial and body hair. A laser device uses a monochromatic light beam to target your hair. This light is absorbed by the melanin pigment in the hair.
As a result, it travels down to the hair follicles, transforms into heat, and burns them. This slows down hair growth and removes already present hair. While it can show significant results, you can expect multiple sessions before achieving those results. Do you want to know further about the laser hair removal timeline? Let’s discuss it!
Understanding the Laser Hair Removal Timeline
Initial Consultation
The journey of laser hair removal starts with an initial consultation with a laser professional who assesses your skin’s compatibility with laser. During this time, they mostly examine your skin color and hair type to determine the type of laser that suits you the best.
It is not suitable for light hair colors like ginger or grey hair as they do not have any melanin in them. Similarly, it was also dangerous to use for dark skin tones in the past but now Nd: YAG laser is effective and safe against this skin tone.
If you are a suitable candidate for laser hair removal, they will provide you with a general plan. During this time, you can ask them any questions regarding pain, any medical conditions, results, possible side effects, and the total price. This will help you decide whether you should go for it or not.
First Treatment Session (Week 0)
The first treatment session can be a bit discomforting, particularly for those who have a low pain threshold. For this, your provider might apply a soothing gel or an anesthetic cream on the area to minimize the pain. The length of the session varies depending on the area being treated. For instance, it takes around 30 minutes to treat arm or leg hair.
Before going for the session, you must shave your hair at least 24 hours prior to the appointment. This allows the laser to target and destroy hair follicles effectively. In addition, you might experience redness and swelling after the first session.
The redness, itching, or swelling typically subsides within a few hours but it can also be minimized with cold compressions or soothing products like aloe vera gel. Also, wear loose clothes to prevent the clothes from touching your skin and irritating it.
Subsequent Treatment Sessions
Laser hair removal typically requires 3-6 sessions as all the hair needs to be targeted in its active growth phase. One session might not be enough to destroy the follicles effectively. Here are the further details about the next sessions:
Second Treatment Session
Each treatment session is scheduled around 4-6 weeks apart so that your skin can heal and be prepared for the next session. So, after the first session, you will be summoned again for the next one in the 4th to 6th week.
By this time, you might see your hair growing back in patches. The laser technician will assess the progress and decide the number of sessions required accordingly. However, heat from a laser device strips off the body of its moisture. So, start moisturizing your skin regularly after the first session to ensure that it is ready for the next session.
Third Treatment Session
The third session starts on the 10th to the 12th week after the first session. This is the time when the rate of hair growth slow down noticeably. As you keep on going for the sessions, they become more comfortable.
After the third session, the consultant will decide whether to continue the sessions or stop them now depending upon the hair regrowth. If there is a need to continue the sessions, you must prepare accordingly. Other than moisturizing regularly, protect your skin from sun damage and exfoliate it regularly. Regular exfoliation allows the treated hair to fall off easily.
Fourth Treatment Session
At this point, there will only be minimal hair growth. You will need to go for another session on the 16th to 18th week for complete hair removal. It can get a bit tiring at this time but you must not lose motivation and let all your hard work go in vain.
While you are already exfoliating and moisturizing your skin, ensure that you do not use any skincare products with harsh chemicals like retinol in them as they can cause skin irritation and damage your skin. Replace them with natural ingredient-based products till you are done with all the sessions.
Fifth Treatment Session
The fifth treatment session is usually scheduled for the 22nd to 24th week By this time, there is nearly no hair on the treated area. Some people do not even require 5th session. Your skin starts to feel more smoother and appear more cleaner than before. There will be another evaluation about the further need for sessions or to stop them.
Lost motivation to go for the fifth session? Just remind yourself how far you have come. Moreover, the results are going to last for years so you must not stop midway!
6th Treatment Session
This is the final session that is done on the 28th to 30th week after the first hair removal session. Once you are done with all the sessions, give your body a proper time to heal.
Even if your skin feels itchy, do not scratch it. You can rather apply cold compresses or over-the-counter products. Also, do not immediately plan a trip on a sunny day to flaunt your hairless body. The UV rays can damage the skin so avoid direct sun exposure for at least 2 weeks.
Touchup Sessions
Laser hair removal results typically last for 6 months to 2 years but they can be maintained for a long time by going for occasional touchup sessions. The hair growth starts again as follicles heal but getting a touchup session every 3 to 6 months can delay the healing process and eventually stop hair regrowth for a long time.
Part 2: At-home Laser Hair Removal
The laser hair removal results timeline is around 30 to 40 weeks which means it will take around 6 months to complete laser sessions and see the results. It can get quite tiring and frustrating. Want a solution? Rather than going for salon treatments, use an at-home IPL laser hair removal device that gives you similar results but in less time.
The Ulike Air 10 IPL handset takes only 2 weeks of consistent use to show you noticeable results. Worried about safety? It has a SkinSensor that detects your skin tone and zaps only if the technology is safe for your skin. The handset also has ice-cooling technology that maintains a contact temperature of 65°F to ensure comfort and prevent skin burns.
Conclusion
Laser hair removal requires around 3-6 sessions in most cases to show significant results. As each session is around 4 to weeks apart, it can take 6 months or more to complete all the sessions. Throughout these laser hair removal stages, the hair growth keeps on reducing and eventually stops for several months to years.
If you are looking for something more convenient, go for Ulike hair removal. It is quicker than professional laser hair removal and works for both the face and the body. In addition, the device costs only a quarter of total laser hair removal cost. So, it definitely is going to be a worth it choice for achieving nearly painless long-lasting hair removal at home.
