Why is laser hair removal not working on my face?

Question

I have been doing laser hair removal on my face for over 5 yrs and my hair still grow bacm every month. The hairs are fine but when they start growing they cause me bumps, acne even eczema at times. Im very tired of this! I dont have pcos and have been using vaniqa which just slows the process. Im thinking if electrolysis is a better option. As a dermatologist told me that laser just doesnt suit my sensitive skin. Is there any medication or supplement i can take to prevent facial hair?

Sheryl D. Clark, MD, FAAD · Answer

Dear bkay12:Don’t despair! Hair removal needs to be performed with lasers rather than light devices, and the highest tolerable settings need to be chosen with the very first treatment. Otherwise, hairs will only be stunned and smaller rather than permanently eliminated, and with subsequent treatments, more difficult to eradicate.  The timing between treatments is also critical, as the hairs that are growing in after a prior treatment are in the early growing phase and have the most melanin, the target for the laser. If you feel you have not achieved more than, say, 70% reduction after several treatments, it may be because you are being treated with light or one of the less expensive but less effective devices, and/or you are having treatment at a spa or without a physician’s supervision. (The newest, most powerful and most expensive device, the Cutera HR, costs about $135,000 so you can imagine a spa would not be able to afford a great device.) In these situations, either too low or ineffective settings are used, often to prevent the possibility of burning, discoloration or blistering. This results in smaller finer hairs temporarily and return of most of the hairs after treatment is discontinued.You might consider getting a second opinion with a dermatologist who can request your treatment records and help you to understand why you have not seen better results. All the best,  Dr. Clark

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