Permanent Laser Hair Reduction vs. Permanent Laser Hair Removal, what's the difference?

The FDA, when approving laser hair removal devices, approved these devices for permanent hair reduction. The wording comes from the types of studies that are performed to measure efficacy of treatment. Hairs in an area are meticulously counted and then treated at intervals and recounted at differing intervals. For approval the different removal devices are rated to see that they at least reduce the number of hairs growing in the area. Almost any device can reduce the number of hairs for a period of time. The goal is long term and permanent hair reduction through fewer treatments. This is where some devices are certainly better than others.

There are also certain hormonal conditions, medical conditions or medications that can stimulate new hair growth. When a new hair grows in an area being treated with Laser Hair Removal it will need to have the same number of treatments as all of the previous hairs needed to be eradicated. Because of new hair growth some people need some maintenance treatments for full resolution and some do not.

Although these terms may sound similar - they have two very different meanings. The term "permanent laser hair removal" implies that the patient will achieve complete and permanent hair loss to areas treated.
This can be misleading inasmuch as there is no available technology that can guarantee this outcome. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on the way one looks at it) our bodies have an amazing way of wanting to regenerate itself...including hair! A better representation is to use the term, "Permanent Laser Hair Reduction." Although it sounds like a tricky play on words - it is used to indicate realistic expectations. This means that there will be areas that DO achieve permanent hair loss as well as areas that have a reduction of hair. However, a patient/consumer should not be "guaranteed" permanent hair removal unless they expect to maintain treatments indefinitely. Although there are a variety of excellent treatment modalities - keep in mind that there are no "guarantees" with medicine and the same would apply with laser treatments. Patients appreciate honest, realistic
expectations and usually understand and accept this concept and standard.