Laser hair removal uses laser energy to target the pigments in the roots of the hair. This allows the laser to heat up and deactivate the hair follicle, stopping it from growing more hair. As a result, with each treatment, you will see more follicles deactivated and fewer hairs growing back.
How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?
Because the laser targets pigments in the root of a hair, it causes the root and the follicle around it to heat up. This shuts down the follicle. However, at any time, only some of your hair follicles have hair growing from them. Others are in their resting phase, and with no hair root, these follicles cannot be treated by the laser. After several sessions, more and more of these resting follicles will return to their growth phase so the laser can target them.
How Do I Prepare for Laser Hair Removal?
Unlike some procedures, laser hair removal has several preparations that you must take starting several weeks before your treatment. First, you must stop bleaching your hair in the treatment area. Bleached roots have no pigment, so the laser will miss them. You will also need to stop waxing or plucking. Without hair roots, the laser has no pigment to target. You can shave and should do so about 24 hours before treatment to keep the hair short. You should also avoid tanning before treatment as this will make skin more sensitive and can make your skin darker, making the laser less effective.