It is known that laser hair removal is the best method for getting rid of unwanted hairs. However, there are many misconceptions about this treatment.
If you’re thinking about getting a laser hair removal treatment but is still in doubt about its effectiveness, then this article might clarify some things for you and help you get rid of those doubts.
As we said, there are lots of myths and misconceptions regarding laser hair removal. One of them is that laser hair removal can result in thicker hair growth after the treatment. Let us tell you now that it does not. Read further through this article to find out why.
How it works
First of all, let’s cover how a laser hair removal procedure works. Basically, it uses beams of lasers which heats up and destroys the hair follicles. The pigment of the follicles absorbs the light, which in turn damages it and prevents future hair growth.
Laser hair removal treatment is usually done in multiple sessions. Each session can get rid of 10-25% of your hair follicles. After you have received all your sessions, you can expect up to 90% of unwanted hair removed.
What you can expect from the results
The main objective of laser hair removal is to prevent hair regrowth. That’s why it targets the roots or the follicles, which are responsible for producing new hair strands.
After a successful hair removal, you can expect no hair regrowth for months or even years. In some areas, hair does regrow. This is more common in the facial area, due to hormonal fluctuations.
Hair that grows back after a laser hair removal treatment will experience reductions in its growth rate, density, and thickness. Therefore, it is almost impossible for hair to grow thicker after laser hair removal treatment.
The only scenario where you hair might grow thicker and darker after the procedure is probably caused by some rare condition. This condition is known as paradoxical hypertrichosis, which can occur anywhere on the face or the body.
The risks and side effects
Even though your hair will not grow thicker or more dense, there are some known risks and side effects to laser hair removal treatment. These risks and side effects vary with skin type, hair colour, and treatment plan.
The most common side effects are skin irritation and pigment changes. With skin irritation, you may experience temporary discomfort along with redness and swelling on the area of the treatment. However, it usually disappears within several hours after the procedure.
You might also experience pigment changes in the form of skin lightening. This is commonly caused by having your skin exposed to the sun after the treatment. This side effect is also more common in people with darker skin tone.
Conclusion
Among all the risks and side effects mentioned above, not one of them includes excessive hair growth nor having thicker hair after the procedure.
Patients might experience some mild swelling around the hair follicles and slight redness to the skin. It is rare for patients to experience excessive hair growth in the target area. Patients may notice more hair in the first weeks after laser hair removal sessions as follicles in the growing cycle begin to shed. Once the swelling and redness have dissipated, the hair shall shed faster, leaving your skin feeling smoother and hair-free.
In conclusion, you can be sure that laser hair removal is still the safest bet for getting rid of unwanted hairs on your body near-permanently. If you have any other doubts or perhaps you’d like to get the procedure right away, we’re here for you.