In What Age my Daughter Can Start Laser Hair Removal?

The decision to start laser hair removal or any other cosmetic procedure on our younger patients has been and will continue to be a debate which has no correct answer and will continue to be done no matter what the choice is. The main decision here needs to come from the young patient – is she wanting this or are you? Is she smart enough and mature enough to understand the procedure, the after care and what is expected? And what is the motivation at this age? These need to be considered before beginning treatments. So a thorough assessment is needed, and this needs to be documented completely in the medical records. But there is no age minimum to start laser hair removal treatments – it is up to you to sign her consent and to pay for the procedures – and most of us would recommend shaving first and seeing how that does before embarking on a laser procedure – at least to start.

Laser hair removal targets active hairs so it doesn't matter the age of the person receiving treatment. The reason we don't recommend treatment on those who are young doesn't have to do with hormones or anything like that. It has to do with fear and pain. Laser hair removal can feel like a rubber band snap and it can create fear in some children, who then will jump or move a lot, which causes difficulty (and potential burning) during treatment. If you are ok with her going, you consent to her treatment, and you can be in the room to help her remain calm, it's fine to treat her. I would also suggest that you start with very small areas and have the technician use lower settings. Don't try to make her go for a full leg and arm treatment which could be over 90 minutes.