Sometimes a client will come into our beautiful offices on 57th Street and look to schedule a single laser hair removal session. They assume this will be all they need to zap away those unwanted hairs. Many people assume laser hair removal deals with the visible hairs above the surface skin, so hitting them with laser energy can just make them vaporize or otherwise die and go away.
But it doesn’t work like that. First, applying laser energy to basically vaporize hair would involve energy levels that would harm the skin. Plus, getting rid of the visible hair wouldn’t necessarily stop the hair from returning anyway. That’s because you wouldn’t be targeting the hair follicle, where the hair actually grows.
The reality of laser hair removal is that it takes multiple sessions to achieve the degree of permanent hair removal most of our clients seek. Taking that into consideration, fall is a great time to get started removing your unwanted hair at Romeo & Juliette Laser Hair Removal. That way you’ll be ready for spring and summer 2021!
How does laser hair removal work?
There are two keys to laser hair removal: melanin and the hair being anchored in the hair follicle. Melanin in your hair provides the hair color (it also gives our skin its color). When laser light energy pulses are directed onto an area of unwanted hair, the melanin absorbs the laser light energy, and it converts to heat. That heat then travels down the hair shaft into the follicle damaging the follicle and preventing it from producing hair.
The phase of growth matters
Our patients wonder why multiple sessions are required to permanently remove most of the hair in the treatment areas. The reason is the growth cycle.
Human hair has three phases to its growth cycle: anagen (growth), catagen (transitional), and telogen (resting). Only during the anagen phase is the hair actively anchored in the follicle. During the catagen and telogen phases, the hair is being pushed out of the follicle in the process of shedding. Laser energy can’t get to the follicle in these stages because the hair is already on the way out.
All five million or so of the hairs on our bodies operate independently, moving through the growth cycle. The goal is to catch as many of the unwanted hairs in the growth phase as possible, and it takes multiple sessions to get as many as necessary to achieve the degree of permanent hair reduction the patient desires.
How many treatments will I need?
Since our individual hairs are constantly rotating in and out of the growth phase (when the laser energy is effective for damaging the hair follicle), multiple sessions are necessary to catch as many hairs as possible in this phase. At Romeo & Juliette, our experience is that between six and 10 treatments achieves the degree of hair reduction that satisfies most patients. Each session needs to be spaced from 4-6 weeks apart. Annual maintenance sessions can catch any follicles that were only partially damaged and returned to growing hair.
Let’s get started on removing your unwanted hair in time for next year’s beach season. Call us at Romeo & Juliette Laser Hair Removal, (212) 750-2000, to schedule your appointment.
