Those painful waxing sessions or those annoying razor cuts can push anyone to look for permanent hair removal solutions. After all, no one wants to endure that pain or deal with the mess of razors every month. And this is what drives many people to salons and clinics that offer laser hair removal procedures, which appear to be a permanent solution that can put an end to all these troubles.

But is hair removal really permanent?

This procedure has been marketed in such a way that there is a misconception among people that it gets rid of your hair forever. Although this easily available procedure can help a lot in reducing hair growth, results vary and the procedure continues in the form of maintenance sessions. Only, the frequency of your visits to the clinic or salon can be reduced to twice a year.

If money isn’t an issue and you’re making an informed decision, this is definitely a reasonable process.

However, many people continue to be mislead by claims of ‘permanent’ hair removal by some salons. First of all, the treatment should not be called laser hair ‘removal’ but laser hair ‘reduction’.

it is not permanent

“The first thing we tell our patients is that hair removal is not permanent. It is the reduction, which is permanent. Even this reduction is not 100 per cent; it can reduce hair growth by up to 80 per cent after 6-8 sessions in a body part and eventually lead to slow or negligible hair growth,” explains Dr (Major) Gurveen Waraich Garekar, Garekar MD Dermatology Clinic, Gurugram. india today,

“To see results in terms of significant reduction, you will need at least 6-8 sessions for a given body part. Each session is initially scheduled after an interval of 1 and 1.5 months, and eventually the interval increases. For example, the interval increases to 4 months when you reach the eighth session,” she explains.

This is followed by maintenance sessions, which can happen about twice a year. So, it is an ongoing process.

Mumbai-based cosmetologist and aesthetic surgeon Dr Vivek Nigam Jagmohan agrees and says, “It is true that laser hair removal is not permanent. It should be called laser hair reduction, not laser hair removal. Especially in the case of facial hair as it involves hormone dependency which causes hair to grow again and again.”

Laser hair treatment uses focused light beams to target and destroy hair follicles. Laser light of a particular wavelength selectively targets the pigment in the hair shaft and follicle. The heat generated by the laser damages the hair follicle, inhibiting its ability to produce new hair. The follicle is either completely destroyed or damaged to such an extent that future hair growth is significantly reduced or thinned.

However, results vary from person to person. Some people may see only a 50 percent reduction in hair growth after 7-8 sessions; for many, it can be up to 80 percent. People suffering from PCOD may also find it difficult to see significant results in terms of facial hair.

Prachi, a 29-year-old working professional in Noida, realised the same after a few sessions. “I paid in advance for 8 sessions for laser treatment of my chin. Even after 3 sessions, there was no difference in hair growth. The only difference was that the hair had become a little thinner than when I started the treatment. When I asked the salon about this, they asked me if I had PCOD,” she said.

Prachi says, “I was surprised that they did not discuss this before starting the treatment. Still, I visited the doctor and found out that I had PCOD. After controlling it with the help of medicines and lifestyle changes, I resumed the laser treatment sessions. Now the results are getting better.”

Dr Nigam said laser hair reduction procedure along with electrolysis can give better results, but very few clinics do this.

Facial hair is the hardest thing to deal with

Dr. Garekar explains that while laser hair reduction is very effective on parts of the body with thick and dark hair like underarms and bikini area, removing hair from the face is the most difficult task. This is where the role of a certified dermatologist becomes important.

“Although many salons have started providing laser hair reduction services, you should consult a dermatologist,” says Dr Nigam.

The facial area is also more prone to paradoxical growth, which means hair growth increases rather than decreases. This is what happened with Yukti Chatwal, a Delhi-based entrepreneur, who started full-body hair treatment from a skin clinic in the last months of 2022.

“About 1.5 years after starting laser hair treatment, I have almost no growth on my arms, legs and underarms. Now, I take laser treatment only once in 3-4 months. Although I feel I can easily use a razor now as the hair growth is not too much, I am still considering continuing the laser treatment. However, I cannot say the same about my facial hair,” she said.

“Laser sessions to the upper lip area resulted in even more growth, which caused a lot of problems,” she says.

“I have now stopped laser treatment for the upper lip area, but it was very troublesome. The growth was very fast and abundant, but I had to wait for the next sitting (which meant at least 4-6 weeks). And during that time, I couldn’t even opt for threading,” she adds.

“This increased hair growth is called paradoxical hair growth, and it’s a rare side effect of laser hair treatment,” says Dr. Garekar.

Booking Process

The booking process can also be a bit challenging to complete. Most clinics offer packages and charge for about 6-8 sittings at once. Some clinics even charge for multiple sittings (for example 8) and then offer two complimentary sessions. If one wants to pay per session, the charges are very high.

If the procedure works out for you and you plan to stay in that city for at least a year and a half, then it is all fine. If you get a job somewhere else or have to move to another city for education purposes, it will be difficult for you to continue with the laser procedure, unless that particular clinic has branches across the country and they are willing to transfer your treatment to the branch in the new city.

Side effects and how to avoid them

Although laser hair reduction is generally a safe procedure, burning and hyper-pigmentation are some of the common side effects. These can be avoided if the person performing the procedure is well trained.

Dr Nigam says, “For those with dark skin, a laser with a different wavelength is used during the procedure. Otherwise, apart from the hair follicles (the target area), the skin will also absorb the laser, which may eventually lead to burns or hyper-pigmentation.”

Dr Garekar agrees and says one should consult a certified dermatologist, research the procedure and machine, ask as many questions as possible at the clinic, and get a senior laser technician to do the job.

Another way is to visit a clinic where someone you know has had a good experience. So, if you want to opt for laser hair treatment, you should visit a dermatologist rather than a salon. Research well, choose wisely and manage your expectations accordingly.