Is Laser Hair Removal Permanent?

Who wants to spend their summer worrying about body hair every day? Waxing and shaving can be tedious, we get it.  A lot of people look to laser hair removal as an option.  But, once you decide to spend the money and devote the time, does it last forever? One of our readers asked, and we reached to one of our experts to answer. Medical esthetician Meredith Brown of Russak Plus helped us get to the root of this question (pun intended).

Q—Charlotte's Book Reader

Is laser hair removal really permanent? And, if I am thinking of getting laser hair removal, where should I start?

A—Esthetician Meredith Brown At Russak Dermatology

Laser hair removal should really be called laser hair reduction and for good reason. Laser hair treatment is not a permanent solution for hair growth, but it helps change the quality of your hair to make it manageable since the hair becomes finer. Hair growth fluctuates as hormones fluctuate due to imbalances, aging, or pregnancy. To say laser hair removal is the permanent solution is false. If you're new to laser hair removal, a good starter area are the underarms because we can see how your skin reacts, and you can see immediate and helpful results there. That's because the hair follicles are typically darker in the underarms, and so the laser is more easily attracted to them. My clients enjoy being able to go days without maintaining their underarms, especially in the summer months. Typically, you’d want to do five treatments depending on the area, 4-6 weeks apart for best results. I recommend always doing your research. Groupon daily deals aren't always the best way to go - cheaper doesn't always mean better. Doctor’s offices can catch different conditions the patient may be undergoing that could be affecting hormonal imbalances, which then would affect their results. We wouldn’t want a patient to waste their money. Also, it's all about quality versus quantity, right? Our machines are top quality and we keep our credentials up to date, but the same can’t be said of most places.

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