Laser hair removal - destroyed vs damaged follicle?

Great question!The answer stems from how the light energy from lasers and IPL machines affect the hair follicles. Light energy will heat the pigmented portions of the skin and hair components. The energy that builds up in the pigments can achieve a temperature that can damage or destroy the surrounding tissue. If this happens in the skin it results in a burn. If the damage is in the hair shaft (not the follicle) then it can result in lost of hair shaft but the intact follicle will regenerate a new shaft over time. The goal is to adjust the settings on the machine to achieve pain free treatments but also allow the destruction of the hair follicle to minimize the chance of regrowth. Another variable is the current stage of growth of the hair follicle, as not all stages that receive light energy at the correct settings will result in follicle destruction. This is why multiple sessions are recommended to allow undamaged follicles to enter into a susceptible growth phase.Hope that helps.