It depends on the area. But for any area, you don’t have to worry about that for at LEAST 12 weeks. For legs, you can really wait up to 16 weeks after a couple treatments.
Lee M, where do you go in Toronto for your treatments?
Hey Sonja, just sent you a pm.
Just wanted to give everyone an update. I will be getting my second full body treatment this Saturday. I had decent shedding after my first treatment and saw regrowth coming in on my chest/back at about week 6 to week 7, followed by my upper and lower arms at about week 7 to week 8, and legs at about week 8 to week 9. This Saturday marks 9 weeks and 5 days since my first treatment.
My biggest concern has been if i am waiting too long to go in for this next treatment. My laser tech has stated that 6-8 weeks is the best window of time to get at the next cycle of anagen hairs and that this is the time period recommended by Candela. Most of the information I have read on this forum points to ppl going back too soon for treatments but not so much in the way of ppl going to late and having their hairs leave the anagen stage. It seems from what ive read here that 10 weeks is still ok. My chest hair which came out first is still growing longer but I wonder about the benefits of early anagen versus later anagen. Do any of the other laser techs here like Romeo have any opinions on how long might be too long to wait.
Im trying to get the best bang for my buck and might break up my treatments into two sessions…maybe every 8 weeks for most everything and 10-12 weeks for the legs even thought id rather just go and do it all in one sitting.
I was going to pluck a few hairs from different spots on my body to see if there is the black bulb on the base of the hair…i remember reading somewhere that the hair needs to be like that to be in anagen…anybody know of a way to tell if hair is in the anagen state by looking at it after being pulled out.
Hey exhausted,
I don’t think you can wait too long, it’s also better to wait longer than go too soon. Different parts of the body grow at different rates as well, so 6-8 weeks is just a guideline. When I did my underarms with GentleLASE, at 6 weeks the hair was JUST starting to grow back so it would have been pointless for me to go in. You basically want to go in when the hair has grown back, since you want something there for the laser to target. I don’t think 9-10 weeks is that big of a deal but I’m not an expert. I wouldn’t worry I think you’re perfectly fine. If it’s a concern then for your next one maybe just make sure you go at the 8 week mark. I personally think that anything before 8 though is too soon, but only you can be the judge of that. LAGirl also said you don’t have to worry about it for at least 12 weeks.
That brings up a question though, I know it has to be in anagin, but what happens if someone did laser, then waited 2 months and did it again? Is that first treatment a waste, or how does it work, like how can you know you’re in the anagin phase?
You’re NOT waiting too long. Early anagen is only necessary for electrolysis. That thinking was used for laser before, but it turned out to be not true, because for laser to work well, the hair needs to be COARSE and it takes some time for it to get coarse after it first comes out.
Once again, if there isn’t much to treat, you shouldn’t be treating. Otherwise, you’re wasting your money.
Of course, you can do whatever you want. Just expect to have more treatments overall if you treat at 6 weeks.