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Is Laser Hair Removal a Permanent Treatment for Unwanted Hair?
Laser Hair Removal is a very high-tech method of removing unwanted hair and can be extremely effective in providing permanent hair removal. But the effectiveness of Laser Hair Removal relies on numerous points, including (i) the type of laser being used, (ii) the color of your hair, (iii) the color / type of your skin and (iv) the phase of the hair in the hair growth cycle.
Today there are 5 different types of lasers that can be used to remove unwanted hair. The best laser type for you will depend on the combination of you hair color and skin type. And even if you get it all correct, you still mightn't be left with permanent hair removal instantly. You see, the answer lies in the hair growth cycle, and more especially, what phase of the cycle your unwanted hair is in.... sounds complicated - it is !
Before we get to know the hair growth cycle, it is important to comprehend just how Laser Hair Removal actually works. That is, to appreciate exactly how you can achieve permanent hair removal, obtaining an insight into the laser process is imperative.
Laser Hair Removal does not instantly remove the hair, nor does it burn it off right away. The energy from the laser literally travels through the skin, and is soaked up by the pigment in the hair follicle and shaft. When this energy is soaked into a hair, the follicles are damaged, which then impairs that particular hairs capacity to grow. Eventually the hair will fall out, typically within a matter of weeks.
Getting an insight into how the laser performs is important. You need to always remember that the laser does not just make the hair fall out instantly. It actually impairs the capability of a hair to grow, causing it to eventually fall out. Now that we have a brief understanding of how the laser operates, it is time to get an understanding of how the hair growth cycle impinges upon the permanency of laser hair removal.
If the hair is in the right stage of the growth cycle, then permanent removal is more likely, otherwise further Laser Hair Removal sessions will be necessary. You see, the hair growth cycle consists of three stages, and the permanence of Laser Hair Removal is more probable when the hair is in one stage especially - the growth stage.
A hair will go through 3 stages in its lifetime : (1) Active/Anagen (2) Regressive/Catagen (3) Resting/Telogen. Laser hair removal is most potent in the Anagen stage where the hair contains the most pigment, and is most affected by the laser light. If the laser treatment is applied when the hair is in either of the 2 other phases, then the likeliness of permanent hair removal is lower.
Everyone's hair grows differently, and factors affecting hair growth include: age, weight, metabolism, hormones, genetics, medications and environmental influences. However, in despite of how these factors influence individual hair growth, hair itself grows through three distinct phases:
1. The ACTIVE or ANAGEN growth phase, consists of approximately 85 % of our body hair at any given point in time and can last up to several years. During this stage, the hair shaft and follicle has an abundance of pigment and is most affected by the laser light.
2. The REGRESSIVE or CATAGEN phase is the period during which the hair stops actively growing but is not yet shed. This phase often lasts a number of weeks comprising about 3 - 4% of our total body hair at any given moment in time. The laser will work in this stage, but if it is late in this part of the cycle, a new hair might already be coming through and the new hair will not be affected by the laser.
3. The RESTING or TELOGEN phase lasts 5 - 6 weeks, at the end of which the hair falls out and the new hair arises. The new hair may not be affected by the laser because it will not have pigment in it yet, remembering that the laser literally relies on the pigment to find the hair. Approximately 10-13% of our body hair is in this phase at any one time.
Now that we have a brief understanding of the hair growth cycle, it must be asked, "Is Laser hair removal a permanent process?" The answer is Yes, Laser Hair Removal can absolutely provide a level of permanency. As you can see, if a hair in the Active/Anagen stage is subjected to the laser, then that hair will most likely be killed permanently. If a hair that is in either of the other 2 stages is subjected to the laser, then that hair will most probably be killed, but the new hair coming through will still grow.
So to get permanent removal of your unwanted hair, you will more than likely need a number of laser sessions. You could be lucky - your first Laser hair removal session will permanently remove all of your unrequired hair, but the likeliness is that you will need numerous sessions at set intervals to ensure that you get to the hair when it is in the first stage of growth. And that's all there really is to comprehend, permanent Laser Hair Removal is definitely possible !
About the Author: Laser hair removal permanently removes un-wanted body hair by targeting the follicles or root of growing hair. Shaving the area to be treated several days before lazer hair removal is advised and will increase the effectiveness of the treatment. For further information please visit http://www.permanent-hair-removal-laser.com
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