Had to take a break from your laser hair removal treatments due to Coronavirus?
If you have had to take a break from your laser hair removal treatments due to coronavirus here’s what you can expect to see.
You will see more regrowth than normal if you have had to take a break from laser hair removal treatment
If you have had to take extended breaks from your laser hair removal treatments due to Covid-19 lock downs chances are you are seeing more regrowth. This is completely normal.
During a course of laser hair removal each one of your hairs are in a different growth cycle. For laser to work effectively only hairs in the active or anagen stage of growth will respond to treatment. When hairs are in this stage they are attached to a blood supply so laser will be effective. Approx 20% of your hairs are in this stage at any one time. The other 80% of hairs are either in a resting (catogen) or shedding (telogen) phase. These hairs are not attached to a blood supply so if laser is performed on hairs in these stages it will have no effect on them. Find out more about how laser works here.
These growth phases are constantly changing all of the time so we can not tell for certain how many hairs have been treated. If you are seeing regrowth it is possible these hairs that were not in the correct stage of growth during your previous sessions. When you resume your laser sessions this will resolve and your results will get back on track.
How do long gaps due to coronavirus lockdowns in between sessions affect your laser hair removal results?
Long gaps in between your laser hair removal can affect your results. The growth cycles mentioned above change approx every 4-6 weeks depending on the area of the body. Hairs on the face change approx every 4-5 weeks and on the body this happens approx every 6-7 weeks. In order to capture these follicles at the optimum time it is best to perform treatments at these intervals. For example if you have managed to have your first 3 sessions on the bikini at 6 week interval and then leave a 12 week gap before your 4th session this will impact on how many active follicles we target. You will also see an increase in the amount of regrowth you experience as you have missed a full phase of growth. This will reduce again on your next session but it may slow down progress for you temporarily.
How much regrowth can you expect to see in your treatment areas if you have had to take a break from laser?
If you are at the beginning of your treatment course (Sessions 1-4) it is not uncommon for you to be seeing a lot of regrowth. This is normal as we have not been able to treat very many growth cycles yet. Don’t worry this does not mean your previous sessions have not been successful it just means you just need more to achieve your final results.
If you are quite far into your course (8-10 sessions) you may be seeing light, sparse regrowth levels. For some areas like the bikini especially the labia and bum areas it is not uncommon to see more here. These areas can be a little slower to respond during treatment but when you resume your sessions they will reduce again.
As you can see the more sessions you have the less regrowth you should be experiencing. As we may have missed a few sessions due to lock downs this process may be slower for you. If you have had to take a break from your laser hair removal treatments due to corona virus lock downs please know we will get you back on track.
Factors that contribute to the level of regrowth you will see due to coronavirus lock downs
If you have had to take a break from your laser hair removal treatments due to coronavirus the following factors may also affect your results.
Underlying medical issues
If you have an underlying medical issue these longer gaps may affect your results. Hormonal conditions like PCOS for example can cause hair to grow. You may find hair in your treatment areas growing a little more than usual. Again this is to be expected, as soon as you resume your treatments hair will reduce again.
Treatment intervals before coronavirus lockdowns
If you have not been consistent with your time frames during the initial parts of your course this may also impact on the level of regrowth you are experiencing. Due to coronavirus lockdowns some people will have been unable to keep to the recommended time frames. When things go back to normal try as much as possible to stick to the 4-6 week interval times to get back on track.
Previous laser hair removal settings used before your break due to coronavirus lock down
Everyone tolerates laser differently, some find it a breeze, others find it slightly uncomfortable and that’s ok. Laser should never be excruciating. If you have found some sessions a little harder to manage chances are your settings have been increased at a slower rate than someone who finds laser less sensitive. If this is the case you might be seeing some thicker, coarser hairs regrow. It’s important to take laser at your pace when you come back in to see us, we’ll take things slowly and make sure to continue to feel at ease.
Hair type
For hairs that may have been lighter and finer ie facial hair at the very start of a course results may not be as good as in areas where hairs may have been thicker ie bikini area. Laser works much quicker on thicker, more robust hairs and it can take some time for finer hairs to reduce.
Skin type
Dark skin types are treated using an Nd:Yag laser, results from this laser are typically slower. The reason for this is the delivery of heat from this laser is more gentle on the skin. You may be seeing slightly more regrowth if you have not had regular sessions due to lock downs.
If you’ve had to take a break due to coronavirus we will get your laser hair removal results back on track
It’s important to note that these longer gaps you may have had to leave because of lock downs may have temporarily slowed down results. You will begin to see hairs reduce again as soon as you begin to have treatment. It may look as if previous sessions have had no impact on your hair growth but they have. You have so many cycles of growth that it is impossible for treatment to have been completely effective with so little hairs treated. We would urge you not to become despondent with laser completely. You will achieve the results you are looking for if you continue and we will work closely with you to do this. One of the reasons why we assign one therapist to one client is to help with this. When you come back to see us you will see the same therapist and you can pick up where you left off. Your therapist knows your skin type and will work out a treatment plan for you to get you back on track.
How to maintain your laser hair removal results over Covid-19 lock down?
You may be wondering what’s the best way to maintain your results and look after your skin. There are a few ways you can prepare for your treatment in a few weeks. Laser works best on healthy, hydrated skin. It’s less effective on very dry, dehydrated skin. Skin may feel a little more irritated after your session if it is particularly dry. If skin in your treatment area is particularly dry it can make treatment less effective. Dry, dead skin cells can act as a barrier to the laser targeting your hairs beneath the skin. Just a few simple steps done regularly will help your skin be in tip top shape for laser.
What to avoid over coronavirus lock down if you are having laser hair removal?
There are a few things to completely avoid at the moment if possible during lock down. If you were to do any of the following things your treatment course will be affected.
If you have had to take a break from your laser hair removal treatments due to coronavirus lock downs we understand if you are feeling concerned. Please know we will do all we can when we reopen to get you back on track. If you feel comfortable to take photo’s of any regrowth you are seeing in any of your areas please do. These can be shown to your therapist when you are back in for treatment. This way they will know where to focus on so we can quickly improve things for you.
Make the most of these few weeks before your next session. Take some time to look after yourself so that you get the best out of your upcoming treatment. If you have any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us, you can email info@urbana.ie.
