If I shave between my Candela Gentle Yag laser treatment, will it be effective? Can my hair be long during treatment? (Photo)

For laser hair removal to be effective, hair needs to be intact in the follicle, but should be short and shaved for two reasons: First because if the hair is long, the long portion of the hair will absorb some of the laser's energy as opposed to all the energy being directed to the hair bulb itself, making the treatment less effective. Second, since some of the laser's energy will be directed to the hair laying on top of your skin, you risk receiving burns and unwanted pigmentation. In our office, we would not require you to shave your legs because we will shave them prior to treatment so that all of the energy can be focused on the bulb, the growth center of the hair so that the treatment is maximally effective.