As the laser beam is moved over your skin, the laser
energy is absorbed by melanin (color pigment) in your
hair follicles and skin. Heat from the laser then breaks
apart the hair follicle, literally destroying the
follicles as the laser passes over it. Skin in the
treated area will be extremely sensitive for a few days,
so protective clothing and sun block are necessary for a
day or two.
Multiple sessions will likely be required to treat any
given body area. Three or four treatments, six to eight
weeks apart, may be needed to achieve a meaningful
reduction in the amount of unwanted hair on the legs,
back, upper lip, or elsewhere. After that, you'll need
to wait a year to see the full effect of the treatment.
Hair growth cycles are about six months long, so it's
best to wait through two growth cycles to see the final
results.
Because melanin is the key, people who are fair-skinned
with dark hair get the best results. If you're tan or
have a darker skin tone, the laser gets absorbed by the
pigment in the skin, making it harder to reach the hair
follicle. Light-haired people don't get great results
either because their hair contains little melanin.
Dark-skinned and light-haired people usually require
more treatments, and results may not be as good.
