Laser Hair Removal Not Working?

There are a number of reasons why laser hair removal may not be working for you.  Laser is an absolutely amazing treatment and works well for the majority of people.   If you are undergoing a course of laser treatment it is important that the clinic you have chosen are focusing on these things. If not you will not be seeing the results you should and will end up needing more sessions in the long term.

Reasons why laser hair removal may not be working for you

Your treatment time is being cut short

Proper treatment times are essential. If not enough time has been allocated to each one of your sessions this will result in large areas being left untreated. Laser hair removal treatments should not be rushed in any way. This will dramatically affect your results. During each treatment, the whole treatment area should be covered. If the laser is passed too quickly over the skin the energy from the laser will not be absorbed correctly. As a result, you will notice some patches were missed of hair are growing back a lot faster than others. Treatment will feel uncomfortable if you are not given breaks during a session.

Our treatment times for the following areas

• Brazilian and Hollywood area should take a full 20 minutes.
• Full legs – approx 40 – 50 mins
• Face – 20 mins
• Full leg, Brazilian and underarm – 1hr 15 mins

If your treatment time is considerably shorter than these examples your treatments are being rushed. Clinics that use larger spot sizes will be faster but energies used during treatment will be much less effective.  This is one of the main reasons why laser may not be working for you.

Treatment settings

In general, most people will need 6-10+ sessions to see a reduction in growth of approx 80-85%. At the start of your treatment course settings tend to be on the lower scale. Because the hair is thick at this stage less energy is needed to target hairs. As your course progresses and your hair reduces these settings need to be adjusted.  If settings are not increased enough you will see this impact on your results.

We use the full range of settings on our lasers and deliver them in a safe but effective way.

Spot size

When a medical-grade laser is used for treatment the energy is delivered via a spot size. This spot size varies from laser to laser. Larger spot sizes deliver less energy and therefore are less effective at targeting finer hairs. They are quicker during treatment but are limited in the amount of energy they produce. Slightly smaller spot sizes allow higher energies to be used and are much more effective especially when the hair becomes lighter.

We use 15mm spot sizes which allow for the maximum output of energy from our lasers.

Medical-grade lasers guarantee the best results

These lasers are specifically designed to target and effectively remove hairs safely over fewer sessions.  They are clinically proven to reduce hair long term. Energies from the laser penetrate deeper into the skin to target hair follicles. In addition, they also have better cooling systems that allow for a more comfortable treatment.  Alexandrite is recommended for pale skin. Nd:YAG is recommended for dark skin.

We use both in our clinics to safely treat all skin types.

Experienced, confident therapists are key

If you have had several therapists during your course of treatment this may be the issue. Each person will respond to laser differently so results need to be monitored closely. Dedicated hair removal specialists perform laser hair removal daily in our clinics.  We don’t do other treatments, we solely focus on one. Safety and comfort are without doubt the most important factors for us. Experienced hair removal specialists will also be confident to use the full range of settings on the laser. They will know when and how to adjust these settings so you get the maximum benefit from each one of your laser sessions.

We assign one therapist to each client for the duration of your course. We also monitor your results closely throughout your course.

The right number of sessions

We would always recommend a minimum of 6-10+ sessions for the majority of clients. If you have been told that you will have 100% hair removal in 6 sessions this is untrue. Your hair will be reduced greatly after 6 sessions but this is not the end of your hair removal journey. After you have finished your initial course you will need to have top-ups also. This will maintain your level of reduction. 2-3 top-ups are needed each year.

We believe in being honest from the start, it’s important you know what to expect.

Internal factors

There are a number of different internal factors that may be contributing to your results not progressing. Hormonal, hereditary and genetic factors influence your treatment outcome. Laser with can only treat hairs externally so there is a limit to what results we can achieve for people with underlying issues. In most cases, clients who may have hormonal issues need more sessions to achieve their desired result. Top-ups 2-4 times a year will be needed to maintain results.

If laser hair removal is not working we would recommend seeing your GP for a blood test.

Hair colour

If you are having laser treatments and your hair is blond, red or grey we would recommend that you stop. Due to the lack of pigment in these hair types laser will not work. In order for laser to work you need to have pigment in your hair.   The lighter the hair the more difficult it is for the laser to target. Laser will work on dark brown and black hairs only.

During a consultation we will ensure your hair is dark enough for treatment.

Hair texture

Hairs that are thick and coarse will respond the quickest to laser. Fine, fluffy hairs will be more difficult to treat. We will only recommend you start laser if we feel your hair is suitable.

We always insist on a consultation where we can fully assess your hair.

As you can see there are a number of different reasons why laser may not be working for you. All are totally avoidable if treatment is delivered correctly.  To achieve the best treatment outcome possible, these issues need to be focused on. Not just on one session but throughout your course.

If you are concerned about your treatments and feel that we may be able to help you improve your results please contact us. We will do a full review with you when you come to have a laser hair removal consultation with us. All of our consultations are free of charge and take 30 minutes.

Hair removal is not what we do, it’s all we do.