Laser Hair Removal
Laser hair removal is a light-based medical procedure that uses selective photothermolysis to heat pigment in the hair and damage the follicle, reducing unwanted hair over a course of multiple sessions. Its realistic goal is long-term hair reduction—hair that grows back finer and sparser—rather than one-time, absolutely permanent removal.
- Light-based reduction
- Redness for a few hours to a day
- Medical aesthetic
Overview
The procedure targets dark, coarse terminal hair in areas where people want less of it—commonly the underarms, legs, bikini line, upper lip and chin, arms, chest, and back. Because the laser is absorbed by melanin, it works best when the hair is clearly darker than the surrounding skin; white, gray, and very light blond or red hair contains little usable pigment and generally responds poorly.
Laser hair removal can noticeably reduce hair density and thickness and slow regrowth, but it does not guarantee a permanently hair-free area—occasional maintenance sessions are common, and hormone-driven hair growth may return unless the underlying cause is addressed. Home IPL (intense pulsed light) devices and IPL-based treatments are related but distinct technologies; this entry focuses on clinic-based laser hair removal.
How it works
The principle is selective photothermolysis: a wavelength preferentially absorbed by melanin—commonly around 755 nm (alexandrite), 800–810 nm (diode), or 1064 nm (Nd:YAG)—heats the hair shaft and damages the follicle while cooling protects the surrounding skin. Only follicles in the active growth phase respond well, which is why a full course requires multiple sessions spaced weeks apart. On darker skin, epidermal melanin also absorbs light, so longer wavelengths such as 1064 nm plus effective cooling are usually favored to reduce the risk of surface injury.
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