Length of time between laser hair treatments

A few laser practioners I have been to have given me conflicting advice about the length of time I should wait between treatments. Some say 4-5 weeks is the ideal period while others have indicated 7-8 weeks is much better if one is to target a greater proportion of hair in the right growth phase. What is your view on the ideal length of time that one should wait between treatments?

4 answers to “Length of time between laser hair...”

A: Depends on the treated area

Gregory Turowski, MD, PhD

If the laser is done on upper lip, chin or any area on the face it should be spaced out 4-6 weeks apart. For the body areas, it should be repeated every 8-10 weeks. Facial hair grows faster than lower body hair and it should be done more often. In order for the laser to be effective, you should try to keep up... more

A: Length of Time between Laser Hair Removal Sessions

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD

Laser Hair Removal in extremely effective.  Our office has a strict protocol that maximizes success in treating excessive hair of the face and body.  We follow these guidelines: Aggressive pre procedural documentation and treatment of excessive pigmentation. Treatment intervals of 6-8 weeks between... more

A: the upper half of the body 4-6 weeks, lower 6-8 weeks

John E. Gross, MD

The hair growth cycles are different in deiiferent parts of the body and may vary among individuals to some degree. As a generalization it seems that in the upper half of the body about 4-6 week intervals may be optimum and in the lower half, 6-8 weeks. Therefore if patients are teating multiple areas we... more

A: Hair regrowth is variable for different areas and individuals

William Groff, DO

In general, the best way to approach this topic is to use the regrowth of hair in the treated area as your guide... in other words, when a significant percentage of the hair starts growing back, return for the next treatment.  It could be as short as 4 weeks on the face, and as long as 12 weeks for the... more

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Comments

lhaney
156 posts
17 Nov 2008

The length of time between laser hair reduction treatments should be based upon the hair growth cycle.  Because each part of the body has a different cycle, our protocols are based upon which area we are treating.  For example, treatments for the face are spaced 6 weeks apart whereas treatment for the legs is at 8 week intervals.  It would be perfectly safe to treat sooner than these times; however, by waiting the recommended time to allow for more hair to grow into the anagen phase, the better success rate one will have with each treatment.  Ideally, this will lead to less treatments (less money) with overall better outcomes - a win-win for patients.  There is still a window of opportunity on either side of the recommended waiting period for potential efficacy, and patient compliance with the treatment schedule is an important factor.  This may account for the varying time frames provided. L. Haney, RN, MEP-C Certified Medical Laser Safety Officer

Steven A. Schlosser M.D.
92 posts
19 Nov 2008

In our office, 4 weeks seems to work well for underarms and female bikini. Leg treatments are usually done at 6-8 week intervals, and male back for example at 8 weeks. The timing can be moved up or slowed down by the hair growth returning sooner or later. Generally 6 treatments are required to meet the FDA definition of permant hair reduction.

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