Transgender Laser Hair Removal: What You Need to Know
Pros & cons
What to expect
How soon you see results
Fast facts
Transgender laser hair removal uses light energy to destroy hair follicles on your face and body as part of the male-to-female gender confirmation process. For many trans women, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) gradually reduces new hair growth. Combining HRT with laser treatments is a safe way to accelerate the hair removal process.
Most people need 6 to 12 sessions, spaced four to six weeks apart, to see optimal results—and an annual maintenance treatment to maintain them.
Because hair removal lasers target the pigment in your hair, best results will be seen in those with dark brown or black hair.
Lasers are also most effective at passing through light skin, so people with olive or brown complexions (or tanned skin) are at higher risk for burns, scarring, and hyperpigmentation. However, there are now several lasers that work effectively on all skin tones. Talk to an experienced provider to find out which one they’d recommend for you.
Pros
- Results are very long-lasting and seemingly permanent for some (though electrolysis is the only method of hair removal that’s FDA-approved as permanent). Hair that does return will generally be lighter and finer.
- Laser hair removal requires no downtime.
- It can be performed anywhere you want to remove hair, including your face, back, chest, arms, underarms, legs, and genitals.Â
- Lasers can target larger areas more quickly than electrolysis, which targets one individual hair at a time.Â
- For most people, the pain of laser hair removal is far less than the pain of waxing.Â
Cons
- Results aren’t considered permanent. Most people will experience returned hair growth over time and require maintenance touch-ups once a year or so.
- Â Multiple treatments are required, so the entire initial series can take as long as a year.
- Laser hair removal doesn’t tend to work well for people with light hair, and some lasers are risky for people with olive or brown skin.
- If laser hair removal is done by an inexperienced provider, there’s a risk of ending up with burns, blisters, scars, and hyperpigmentation. Seek out an experienced, licensed provider to avoid these risks.
Your provider will use a handheld device that delivers concentrated pulses of light energy to the treatment area. The settings will be adjusted for hair color and skin tone.
The laser light will be absorbed by the melanin in your hair and converted to heat, which damages or destroys the hair follicle. (Because the laser is targeting the root of the hair, it’s helpful to shave prior to your appointment.)
Each pulse of the laser takes less than a second, so even larger areas, such as the back or chest, can be treated quickly.Â
Many patients describe the sensation like the snapping of a rubber band across the skin—slightly uncomfortable but not truly painful.
Your skin may be a little pink or red and warm for a few hours afterward. Applying aloe vera gel on the treated area can help. It’s also important to avoid sun exposure between treatments or to wear sunscreen with an SFP of 30 or higher.
Lasers can destroy only hair that’s in an active growth phase, which is why you may need up to 12 treatments in order to achieve lasting results.
Still, after a few sessions, you should start to notice that the amount of hair in the treated area is greatly reduced.
How far apart these sessions are spaced depends largely on the area being treated. “The laser targets active growing hair, and hair grows at different rates on different parts of your body,” says Boston physician Dr. Paul Flashner, who suggests waiting at least four weeks between treatments on the face and six weeks for treatments on the body.Â
Results aren’t permanent, but they can last many years after your initial treatment series. You may need to get touch-ups down the line or supplement your results with other forms of hair removal, like electrolysis.
Updated June 13, 2023