Is laser hair removal permanent rather than lasting for 1 or 2 years?

Here at Biospa at Pacific Center for Plastic Surgery, we use the Gentle Max Pro for hair removal. A highly concentrated beam of light is absorbed by the pigment in the hair follicles, which creates the destruction of numerous follicles at a time. Depending on hair color and skin type, With a single treatment 15-20% REDUCTION is seen.

LASER hair removal is best described as permanent hair reduction.  In some individuals, certain areas such as a women's legs or underarm area can have permanent reduction in hair.  Other areas, such as female facial hair or male back's may require multiple sessions on an ongoing basis to keep hair from regrowing.  Even though for those individuals laser hair is not "permanent', it still maintains a high satisfaction rate as the type of hair is often changed to a finer hair and the overall amount of hair is dramatically reduced with a full series of treatments.

Laser hair removal is designed for the permanent reduction of unwanted hair. Therefore, it is permanent but because hair in a single area grows at different rates the technology is only designed to target actively growing hair, you'll need more than one session to achieve desired results.  

Laser hair removal is considered more permanent reduction
than permanent removal. Laser hair removal is very effective for the treatment
of dark hair and we can treat all skin types . You can expect about 70 %
hair reduction once you complete a series of treatments (usually 6-8) .

Follow up visits are needed to treat regrowth and to
maintain the results. Factors like heredity, hormone imbalances and reactions
to medications can also determine the results, however, my patients are
very pleased with their results

Laser hair removal results in a permanent reduction in the number of hairs. It can only address existing hairs. The laser cannot prevent new hair from growing. Hair growth cycles are different, depending on individual factors such as: heredity, hormone imbalances, resistance to insulin, pregnancy, thyroid issues, reactions to medications and aging. 

This is a good question and I find that many clinics will over-promise their results.  The truth is that any existing hairs should be removed by an appropriate number of sessions of laser hair removal.However, no place should promise that you won't experience *new* hair growth in the future.  Almost all body tissues will experience new growth and hair is one of them. One benefit of laser hair removal however is that new hair growth does tend to be slower, fewer and more sparse compared with other methods of hair removal. Only period touch-up treatments may be required.  In the long run, for this reason, laser hair removal actually ends up being cheaper.Hope that helps.

Thank you for your question. Laser hair removal is considered more permanent reduction than permanent removal and you can expect 70%-90% reduction in hair growth. Please not that annual touch ups to may be needed. I recommend having a consultation with an expert to determine the best treatment plan for you. Best of Luck!

Laser hair removal is amazing and permanently reduces hair growth.  At times, if there is a hormonal influence it may not be permanent.  However, in general, laser hair removal is a permanent way to remove hairs.  Many of my patients have called laser hair removal "life changing" because they no longer have to worry about waxing or shaving or ingrown hairs.  Please consult an expert in laser hair removal for the best cosmetic results.  Best, Dr. Green

Laser hair removal uses and intense, pulsating beam of light to remove unwanted hair. The intense heat of the laser damages the hair follicle, which inhibits future hair growth. Laser hair removal is most effective for people who have light skin and dark hair. Laser hair removal is considered more permanent reduction than permanent removal. It takes 6-9 sessions to see 70%-90% reduction in hair growth. 

There is a big difference between claiming permanent hair reduction and permanent hair removal.  Permanent hair removal implies that there will be no regrowth, whereas with permanent hair reduction you may seem some regrowth of fine, thin hairs.  Patients should expect that after a full course (usually 6 treatments) they will need a single booster treatment roughly annually to maintain their results.  Certainly, the characteristics of your hair have a major impact on how effective the treatment is.  Generally, the darker and thicker the hair the more effective any kind of laser hair removal is.  Another variable is the pigment in your skin.  All of these issues should be discussed in detail during your initial consultation.