Is laser hair removal permanent?
Theoretically, damage to the hair follicle can remove unwanted hair permanently, but because of the nature of hair and the many factors that influence the growth of hair, the results are variable. The effect of repeated treatments is cumulative. In fact, most people experience long-term hair removal.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, laser hair removal is considered a “permanent reduction.” What that means is that most people can expect an 80 to 90 percent reduction in hair growth to treated areas after a completed course six to eight treatments. Ultimately, you can’t expect every single hair in the treated area to be gone, and you may need ongoing, once-yearly touch-up treatments for regrowth as your body ages and new hair growth appears. In addition, although it’s not clear why, a small percentage of people simply do not respond to laser hair removal treatments.
Permanent hair removal” means: “ALL the hair is gone, FOREVER!” There is NO hair removal method (including laser) which can guarantee anybody “permanent hair removal”. The most realistic description of the results after laser treatment is: “long-term hair REDUCTION”. This means: “After four to six treatments the total amount of hair is greatly reduced — generally by 70% to 90% — and hair which does grow is often much finer and lighter in color.” Most people are very pleased with this degree of improvement, as long as they know that this is what to expect before they have laser hair removal treatment. It is important for you to realize that after having between four and six treatment sessions it is VERY LIKELY that there WILL BE a very substantial reduction in both the amount of hair and also a reduction in the thickness and color of the hair in the treated areas. You should expect that this reduction in hair may last for many years. This long-term hair reduction is exactly what most
