How Many Laser Hair Removal Sessions Are Recommended?


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Laser hair removal is possibly the most popular method for the permanent management and removal of unwanted body hair for both men and women. Although effective in just one session, to achieve the best and most long-lasting results, a full course of treatment sessions is recommended.

Likely, you will not achieve your desired smooth skin results from just one laser hair removal session. Typically a course of 6 to 8 sessions is required for your initial laser hair removal treatment to achieve maximum results and permanently remove hair. As your body generates new hair follicles that have not been treated by the laser, you will likely require short, infrequent top-up sessions to maintain permanent hair reduction and avoid unwanted hair growth.

Both the quality of the laser technology used during your treatment and the skill of your technician can influence how many sessions you need and how regularly you will require top-up treatments. At Xanadu Med Spa, our top-quality, cutting-edge technology, alongside our professionally trained team, allow us to consistently provide our patients with maximum, long-lasting hair removal results. Xanadu Med Spa’s laser technicians have years of experience helping our clients achieve the smooth skin they desire and are continually upskilling themselves to improve the service we provide to our patients.

To understand exactly how many laser treatments you will need for your requirements, you can schedule a free consultation with a member of the Xanadu Med Spa team to discuss your goals. Take the first step towards permanently removing the burden of unwanted hair from your life by calling us at 970-591-7919 to book.

How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?

Laser hair removal treatments harness the power of high-energy lasers to permanently reduce and remove unwanted hair. The laser emits light energy that is attracted to the pigment in the patient’s hair. The laser beam penetrates below the skin into the hair follicles to damage and destroy them at the hair root. Once the light energy reaches the hair follicle, it turns into heat energy that permanently damages the hair follicle and prevents further hair growth.

Once the initial course of laser treatment is complete, patients will experience significantly reduced, or completely halted hair growth. Once a hair follicle is destroyed it can not grow any more hair, however, our bodies will grow new follicles over time. Any re-growth patients experience over time will be much finer hair and more sparse across the treated area. This minor re-growth can be easily managed with short top-up treatments, although many patients do not require top-ups. On average, most patients achieve an approximately 90% permanent reduction in unwanted hair in the treated areas.

The Laser Hair Removal Process

To start the laser hair removal process, patients typically undergo a course of treatment that usually comprises 6-8 separate sessions, spaced around 4 to 8 weeks apart. The exact number of sessions required varies from patient to patient, and you will receive a more accurate estimation of the number of sessions you may need during a free consultation with Xanadu Med Spa.

Most patients will see the effects of laser treatment after their first session, but completing multiple sessions is advised to ensure maximum long-lasting results. Hairs can only be treated when they are in a growing phase. However, only around 20-40% of all hair is in the growing stage at one time. As such, multiple sessions are required to ensure that all hairs are treated while they are in a growing phase.

Factors That Can Influence How Long Laser Hair Removal Takes

Many factors can influence how many sessions of laser hair removal will be required and how long each of those sessions can take. For example, both hair and skin color can have an effect on how long it can take to achieve permanent hair removal. Other factors that can influence hair removal treatment include genetics and hormone levels.

The Size Of The Treatment Area

The size of the area you wish to treat with laser removal will influence both how long your sessions take and how many sessions could be required. For example, smaller areas, such as the upper lip, can be treated in sessions as short as 15 minutes and may require fewer sessions overall. Larger areas, such as the legs, require longer sessions and potentially more repeated treatments.

Additionally, some body areas are influenced by hormonal hair growth, such as the bikini line. These areas could require more treatments than non-hormonal areas such as the legs.

Hair Type

The type of hair in the specific treatment areas affects how many laser sessions might be required to remove the hair. Typically thicker and dark hair is easier for the laser to treat. Patients with lighter and finer hair or particular body areas with light-colored hair, such as the face, can require more sessions.

Skin Type

In order for the laser to be the most effective during laser hair treatments, it must be able to ‘see’ the hair. As such, treatments are usually the most effective on individuals with dark and light skin, as this contrast means the laser can easily locate the pigmentation in the hair follicles.

Laser hair removal will usually work on individuals with darker skin tones. However, more treatment sessions may be needed for patients with less pigmentation contrast between their body hair and dark skin. The same principle applies to individuals with both light skin and light or fair hair.

How Can I Make My Laser Treatment Sessions More Effective?

Understandably, most patients want to make their laser hair removal sessions as effective as possible and see results quickly. At Xanadu Med Spa, your laser hair removal clinician will talk through all the steps to take to prepare ahead of your session to ensure you receive the maximum benefit from the treatment and avoid any unnecessary skin irritation. Steps your clinician may recommend to prepare your skin include exfoliating, avoiding waxing in the run-up to your session, and shaving either the night before or the morning of your treatment.

Additional preparations, such as avoiding chemical peels, retinol skin creams, and excessive exercise before your appointment can help patients to reduce the likelihood of skin irritation and side effects.

Exfoliate

Exfoliation can be extremely beneficial for maximizing the efficiency of your laser hair removal sessions. When skin and pores are clogged with dead skin and residue, this hinders the laser’s ability to access the hair follicle. In fact, if the laser can only partially target and penetrate the hair follicle, it could just reduce the size of the follicle instead of damaging it. This can make it harder to treat effectively with laser hair removal in the future.

Proper exfoliation before a laser hair removal session will remove dry skin and anything darkening the skin, such as self-tan, to improve how effective your laser treatment is. However, exfoliation can leave skin sensitive. As a result, the skin should not be exfoliated too close to your appointment to avoid irritation. Ideally, you should exfoliate 48 hours before your laser treatment.

Shave

It is essential that patients shave the treatment area either the evening before or the day of their laser appointment. This is important for several reasons. Excess hair on the skin’s surface can increase the risk of thermal injury as the laser energy can remain on the surface of the skin as opposed to traveling down the hair to the follicle. Similarly, shaving can increase the pigment in the hair, which means the laser can locate the hair more efficiently.

Avoiding waxing and plucking hairs for 3 to 6 weeks before your treatment will also increase how effective your treatment is. Both waxing and plucking remove the hair at the follicle and can decrease the efficiency of the laser during treatment.

Avoid Sun Exposure

Exposing your skin to the sun and using a tanning bed can hinder your laser treatment sessions in several ways. Sun exposure can increase skin sensitivity and the likelihood of irritation after your treatment. However, tanning your skin and making your skin tone darker could also make it harder for the laser to locate hairs against your skin and treat them. Avoiding sun exposure can increase the efficacy of laser hair removal treatments and also protect your skin from irritation.

Avoid Self-tan Products

Similarly to sun exposure, self-tanning products can change your skin tone and mean that the laser is less efficient at treating the hair than it would have been on your natural skin tone. As such, avoiding self-tanning products can increase the effectiveness of your laser hair removal sessions.

On the other hand, using skin-lightening products, such as skin bleaching cream, can also increase the likelihood of skin irritation and should be avoided before laser hair removal treatments.

Benefits Of Laser Hair Removal

The list of benefits of hair removal is extensive. Patients consistently praise the increased confidence they feel after their treatment and the amount of time they have freed up now they are not continually shaving or waxing. Many patients also report a reduction in body odor in the treated area and that their skin feels smoother and more toned. Additional benefits of laser hair removal that mean it is such a popular treatment include the following:

  • It is both an immediate short-term and long-term solution to manage unwanted hair.
  • There is no requirement to grow hair to a certain length before the treatment.
  • It addresses both current hair growth and future hair growth.
  • Stops cuts and scarring that occur from shaving.
  • Overall smoother skin and a softer feeling.
  • Long-lasting and permanent results.
  • Little to no side effects.
  • FDA-approved and safe for use almost anywhere on the body.
  • Less pain than other hair removal methods, such as plucking and waxing.
  • Unlike other hair removal methods, it does not cause ingrown hairs as it does not pull the hair against the hair follicle to remove it.
  • Low maintenance.
  • Cost-effective.
  • Any future hair growth will be finer and more sparse than before the treatment.
  • Any hair re-growth will continue to decrease with maintenance top-up treatments.

Why Choose Xanadu Med Spa For Laser Hair Removal

Xanadu Med Spa’s expertly trained laser hair removal professionals have helped hundreds of clients on their journeys to hair-free skin.

Our highly trained team prides ourselves on efficient hair removal treatments that achieve maximum hair reduction results for our clients. If you book with Xanadu Med Spa, you can rest assured that our team’s years of training and experience will be used to ensure your treatments are as effective as possible and that your overall experience is comfortable, relaxing, and even enjoyable.

Laser Hair Removal FAQs

Who is suitable for laser hair removal?

Modern technological advances mean that laser hair removal is an option for more individuals than it ever has been previously. Your skin tone and hair type no longer automatically exclude you from laser hair removal. However, some individuals may still not achieve the results they expect from laser treatment. Individuals with very thin, fine, and light-colored hair may not find that their hair responds well to laser treatment. These individuals may not benefit from laser hair removal the same way patients with other hair types can expect to.

Unfortunately, laser hair removal can not be used on individuals with specific health conditions. Individuals who have previously suffered from skin cancer, or have keloid scars, are also not candidates for laser treatments. Some medications may exclude patients from laser hair removal, at least until they have not taken them for an extended period before treatment. Medications include acne treatments, retinoids, and blood thinners. Pregnant and breastfeeding women are also unable to undergo laser hair removal procedures.

Additionally, laser hair removal treatments cannot be used on top of tattoos, as the pigment in the tattoo can interfere with the laser processes.

Is laser hair removal permanent?

The simple answer is that laser hair removal treatments cannot guarantee permanent hair removal. However, many patients do experience permanent results with less than 10% of the unwanted hair follicles remaining. Genetics, hormones, and hair type influence the permanency of results. If not permanent, results are long-lasting, and patients can often maintain hair-free skin with minor annual or bi-annual top-up treatments.

How often will I need top-up sessions?

After your initial course of laser treatments, you may require short top-up treatments as your body produces new hair follicles that grow hair. The frequency of maintenance laser treatments varies substantially between individuals, and some patients require little to no top-ups at all. Regardless, top-up sessions will be infrequent as new hair follicles take a long time to grow, and the hair is often finer. On average, patients usually return to Xanadu Med Spa for 1 to 2 top-up sessions a year after their initial course, and these sessions are much shorter than their first treatments.

In addition to genetics and hormones, additional factors can influence how many top-up sessions you could require. The experience of your technician and the quality of the technology they use can play a substantial role in this as a result of how effective your first course was. Similarly, if you only had one treatment session or did not complete your course, you will likely require more top-up sessions to maintain your results.

Hormonal changes, such as pregnancy, can also affect hair regrowth, and women may require a top-up session after a pregnancy.

How much does laser hair removal cost?

The exact amount that your laser hair removal treatment will cost will depend upon the size of the area you wish to treat and the number of sessions you require. You can discuss pricing and get a realistic expectation of how much your exact treatment will cost during a free consultation with a Xanadu Med Spa practitioner.

Although the initial upfront cost of laser hair removal procedures may seem higher than other hair removal options, such as waxing, in the long term, it can work out far more cost-effective. The main benefit of laser hair removal is that how much it is required continuously decreases over time until most patients do not need any further treatments or very infrequent sessions to maintain their results and smooth skin. This differs from other hair removal methods that only manage the existing hair that has grown and do not address any future hair growth.

As such, although laser hair removal can cost more at first, overall, you will spend far less money on managing unwanted body hair if you proceed with laser treatments.

Book Your Free Consultation With Xanadu Med Spa Today!

As laser hair removal continues to increase in popularity, it is rapidly becoming the favorite method for efficient, low-maintenance hair removal. As popularity increases, so does the number of facilities that offer the treatment. As Northern Colorado’s leading med spa and the winner of the 2022 NOCO style’s Best of NOCO award, Xanadu Med Spa’s services stand out from the crowd. 

Our top-of-the-range laser technologies and talented, highly-trained, technicians provide the most efficient and successful laser hair removal treatments available. The skill of your laser technician and the quality of their equipment play a substantial role in how many treatments you will need and the results you can expect. At Xanadu Med Spa, you relax knowing that you are receiving top-quality service and your results will reflect our extensive expertise. 

Xanadu Med Spa offers complimentary consultations to anyone considering laser hair removal who would like advice from our experienced laser clinicians. Our team is here to help you understand what the process could look like, how many sessions you may need, and whether it is the right approach for you, completely free of charge.

Contact us today at 970-591-7919 to book.