Laser Hair Removal - Does it Really Work?

It is acceptable for advertisers to claim that certain specified products permanently reduce hair, but they should not suggest that the hair will disappear completely.

Over the last year the Compliance team has contacted 22 advertisers and several publications with this advice.
[Source: The Advertising Standards Authority, United Kingdom]

Laser and IPL (Intense Light Pulse)

They’re expensive - a course of lower leg treatments can cost £1200.00, with no guarantee of performance. IPL is often advertised under a brand name such as Epilight™ or Aculight™. Some patients experience no reduction at all. According to consultant dermatologist, Dr Neil Walker, "neither laser nor IPL works well on blonde and red hair." The woman should clearly have been told of the treatments’ limitations, before paying for them, but as Dr Walker says: "Unfortunately, salons can be more interested in closing a deal than explaining how likely the treatment is to be successful".

Risks…"If they’re incorrectly used, lasers and IPL can leave you burned and scarred, and alter the pigment of your skin… There is more risk of skin damage with darker skin. Similarly, electrolysis can cause scarring if carried out be an untrained or unskilled operator". [ Source: Dr Neil Walker, for the Which Report on Hair Removal, August 2002]

"Manufacturers may not claim that laser hair removal is either painless or permanent unless the FDA determines that there are sufficient data to demonstrate such results. Several manufacturers received FDA permission to claim, "permanent reduction" NOT "permanent removal" for their lasers.

This means that although laser treatments with these devices will permanently reduce the total number of body hairs, they will not result in a permanent removal of all hair. The specific claim granted is "intended to effect stable, long-term, or permanent reduction" through selective targeting of melanin in hair follicles.

Permanent hair reduction is defined as the long-term, stable reduction in the number of hairs re-growing after a treatment regime, which may include several sessions. The number of hairs regrowing must be stable over time greater than the duration of the complete growth cycle of hair follicles, which varies from four to twelve months according to body location. Permanent hair reduction does not necessarily imply the elimination of all hairs in the treatment area." [Source: US Food and Drug Administration, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, Consumer Information, USA 2002]

Laser Hair Removal General Info

Laser hair removal systems have been around for years now. The first generation of lasers were very ineffective, but now after years of improvements there are many lasers on the market today that can offer fast, effective, long term hair removal. Some of the systems on the market today are the alexandrite, diode, and ruby's. Some have very efficient cooling systems to cool the skin before the laser pulse. This limits edema (swelling) and erythema (redness) of the skin.

The reduction in re-growth after a laser treatment will increase after each treatment. This means that after a client's first treatment they will generally come back for their second treatment sometime between 5 and 12 weeks. After the second treatment you can usually expect to come back for your third treatment around 6 1/2 weeks up to 16 weeks. After each laser treatment you will extend your time between treatments until there is only scattered re-growth. At that time you should finish up with electrolysis to complete the cycle for permanent hair removal.

The length of time between treatments varies and depends on factors like hair growth. Someone who has waxed or tweezed an area will need more treatments on a more frequent basis than someone who has not tampered with the area.

Most lasers of today are still not capable to treat white, gray, or light blonde hairs. These hairs do not have enough pigment to attract the laser light. In these cases electrolysis is the only answer for permanent hair removal. Also red hair is in the red spectrum of light which the ruby and alexandrite lasers utilize. Therefore the laser light will not see the red hairs.

Also at the end of the laser cycle of treatments (usually 6-7 treatments over 12 to 24 months) you may still have some scattered regrowth. At this time you will need a few 15 to 30 minute electrolysis treatments over the following 6-18 months to clean up the area. Larger areas may need more time and smaller areas will need less time. Each case will be different because each individual's hair growth is different.