Is it normal for hair to grow the day after IPL laser treatment?

Question

I got my first session of IPL laser hair removal for full face and neck yesterday but there is a lot of stubble today. Is this normal? I do have PCOS so I'm assuming this is a massive contributing factor. We decided to give electrolysis a rest and try to reduce the amount of hair using laser first and do electrolysis after 6 laser sessions. Will the hair continue to grow or fall out? I don't want to shave today just in case it negates the effect of the laser.

Thomas Wright, MD · Answer

After an IPL laser treatment the hairs will grow back as usual and then immediately fall off. It can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks for you to start noticing the hair shedding.

Katherine Dee, MD · Answer

IPL targets the pigment in the hair and damages the follicle, killing it permanently. Many of the hairs will then fall out in the next few days. It may look like they are growing, but if the follicle is dead, it will not grow back. So this may look like the hair is growing, but it is just working its way out of the pore. A good session kills around 15-20% of the hairs, so you will find you will need between 6-10 sessions to completely treat an area.

Is it normal for hair to grow the day after IPL laser treatment?

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Is it normal for hair to grow the day after IPL laser treatment?

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Everything you need to know about IPL

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.