Why does laser take so long to work? | Skin Perfection (2024)

FAQs

Why does laser take so long to work? | Skin Perfection? ›

Understanding of the hair growth cycles

Your treatments aren't regular enough. As a result you hair cycles will overlap and the treatment won't be as effective as it should be. Solution – For the laser to destroy the root, the follicle has to be at a specific stage of its growth. So not too early and not too late.

Laser treatment begins working immediately after the first appointment. You'll first see hair falling out of treated areas within a day or two. Soon after that, you'll notice smoother skin. Once your treatment plan is complete, the results will last typically longer than waxing and can last for years.

While laser hair removal has proven to be a highly effective and popular method for reducing unwanted hair, it may not work equally well for everyone. Factors such as hair color, skin type, hormonal imbalances, and individual characteristics can influence the outcome of the treatment.

If your laser hair removal on face is not working, it could be that a hormonal imbalance is affecting your results. Speak to your GP if you are worried about a hormonal imbalance.

The primary reason why laser hair removal takes time lies in our biology – the human hair growth cycle. The lifecycle of a hair follicle comprises three stages: Anagen (active growth), Catagen (transitional), and Telogen (resting).

It does not work well on dark skin

Laser hair removal works better on people with pale skin and dark hair. It's not as effective on tanned skin or hair that's been bleached by the sun. If you've got a tan you'll need to let it fade before having treatment.

Follow Pre-Treatment Guidelines

Leading up to your first session, adhere to pre-treatment guidelines provided by your clinic. At Laser Clinics United Kingdom, we advise our clients to shave the treatment area 12-24 hours before their session, avoid sun exposure or tanning, and refraining from waxing or plucking.

How do you know if your laser is not working? ›

When do you know if laser hair removal is not working? If you have had 5-6 sessions and you haven't seen any reduction in growth then that's something to consider.

The pigmentation of the hair follicles must be dark enough relative to the skin so that the laser can pinpoint the hair follicles and burn them. If the hair follicles have too little pigmentation (white hair, light red hair, or light blonde hair), it will be difficult for the laser to properly target them.

Your treated skin will feel a little dry, irritated and will peel and flake after laser skin resurfacing. That's why it's critical to moisturize your skin often. Pick a topical product that is clinically tested and will provide excellent benefits for quick healing.

Overdoing laser hair removal can result in skin irritation, redness, and swelling. This can happen if the skin is exposed to too much laser energy, causing damage to the surrounding skin tissue. The skin can become sensitive, making it more prone to burns and hyperpigmentation.

Right after your treatment you'll see the dead hair growing out of the dead follicles and shedding away. Don't panic at this point, this doesn't mean your treatment isn't working, it means the process is working exactly as it should be. This shedding process can take anything between 7-14 days.

You didn't time your treatments correctly:

This will affect your results. If the laser is pass to quickly over the skin the energy from the laser will not be absorbed correctly. As a result you will notice some patches were missed of hair are growing back a lot faster than others.

As a general rule of thumb, you can expect to see the results of each session one to three weeks after your session is complete. After that, you need to wait until the hair follicles in the area enter the active growth phase.

Laser hair removal regrowth is usually down to hairs that were in the catagen or dormant phase at the time of the treatment. That's why we always recommend a course of treatments as this increases the number of hairs that get targeted during the active phase.