What You Can Expect

The effectiveness and safety of the laser hair removal procedure can be influenced a great deal by the skill and/or the experience of the laser technician and the choice of laser technology used at the clinic for your hair and skin color.

People should also be aware that, contrary to many advertised claims, there is currently no laser on the market that provides “permanent hair removal”. The FDA’s approval clearly describes the lasers as providing only “permanent hair reduction,” which is defined as the loss of at least 85 percent of the hair in the treated area. This means it’s quite possible that some follicles in the treated area will not be totally destroyed but will be sufficiently disabled to the point where they produce only fine, light hairs that will no longer respond to further laser treatment. This is backed up by extensive clinical studies and you should be wary of anyone who claims otherwise. Furthermore, the only time the FDA allows the term “permanent hair removal” is for the use of electrolysis, which is effective on all hair colors.

With this in mind, you should have realistic expectations when seeking laser hair removal services. Also, it is highly recommended that you visit several clinics first to question the doctor about the costs, the experience of the technician, the laser technology used at the clinic, etc.

With all of these cautions aside, however, the good news is that when laser hair removal is performed correctly, it can be well worth the cost and time for the results you will receive when it is done.