Doing my research about laser hair removal I’ve noticed that in most places they’re not talking about permanent solution but long term one, so i wonder how long is this long term… 1 year, 5, 10 maybe? and why hair grow back?
Please advise 
I would be interested in this too. Have there been any long-term studies yet (10+ years)?
they can’t advertise “permanent removal” only “reduction” according to the FDA. however, once the hair is killed, it is killed. studies are too expensive and very few have been done except by laser manufacturers, that’s why the FDA just okayed the term “reduction” instead.
But what’s the point of this? Maybe is because the laser is not so proven as it seems for hair removal 
what exactly is your question? what’s the point of what? i have personally had treatments 2 years ago and everything is still gone. it’s not going to magically regenerate. laser hair removal wouldn’t have lasted 10 years as it has if it didn’t work. of course, you don’t have to get it. you can stick with the temporary methods. noone will be upset 
Don’t get me wrong… my question is why FDA is not labelling the laser treatment as “permanent” if as you mention once the hair is killed is killed.
What I’m trying to determine is if this “reduction” thing imposed by FDA is due to liability issues or it’s because there is indeed a probability to get new hair after several years…somehow
Solar,
Just to be clear, if “new” hair does grow after several years there is nothing that anyone can do about it now except for maybe your doctor prescribing medication for the regulation of hormones. If it truelly is new it cannot be prevented by any hair removal method.
Best case senario is lagirl, check out her success story. Other clients see the hair diminish in depth and diameter and color. Or, almost all the hair disapears except a few. Or, a combination of the two. The moral of the story? If you are a perfect candidate you will get perfect results with a good technician. Make sure it is not their secretary filling in for the day.
Oh, if you want the proven method check out electrolysis. Slow and Steady, but it will get you there. Or again, check out lagirls success with a mix of the two.
the reason is what I mentioned above. studies are expensive especially considering how complicated it is to get accurate information because of all the variable factors involved (including untreated and un recognized underlying medical conditions in some people which are causing the hair to grow in the first place, i.e. if the condition is not controlled, the body will constantly be developing NEW hair even as current hair is killed, and it is hard to impossible to tell which is which). FDA is mainly concerned with safety anyway, so that’s what their approval basically means.
Here’s the answer directly from the FAQs:
"3. Is laser hair removal permanent? Are there other permanent hair removal methods?
Hair removal lasers have been in use since 1997 and the Food and Drug Administration approved it for “permanent reduction.” They permanently disable hair follicles, however you have to remember that laser hair removal doesn’t work in the same way on everyone and doesn’t remove 100% of the hair in an area. Generally, this means that you shouldn’t expect to remove every single hair from an area, although you can remove the majority of it. Most people need to follow up with electrolysis treatments for any remaining hairs to achieve complete clearance, if desired, as the remaining hairs become too sparse and fine for laser to target. Some will also need touch-up treatments about once a year, especially on large areas, after the initial set of 6-8 treatments for any new growth your body may develop with age on certain areas. It has also been observed that some people seem to be non-responders – this is not confirmed and reasons are not known, and may in fact be due to lack of skill on the part of many laser operators and/or the type of machine and settings they are using. Keep in mind that it’s hard to judge whether someone’s lack of results is due to a potential underlying medical condition that causes continuous growth and makes it seem like laser isn’t working, if the treatment wasn’t performed properly, or whether for some people it just doesn’t work for currently unknown reasons. In essence, you can’t determine what your personal results with be like unless you try it. Results depend on many variables involved, including the tech’s experience, type of laser used, how settings are set, etc. It is recommended to start with one smaller area and see you’re your hair reacts before committing to an expensive set of treatments on many areas at once.
Electrolysis is an alternative permanent hair removal method that has been used for over 125 years. It involves treating one hair at a time and is a good option for smaller areas (like eyebrows or upper lip) where precision is necessary. It does take considerably more treatments compared to laser to complete a large area, but is an option as well. At this time, it is as the only permanent option for very fine and light-colored hair."
I see… thanks for the info… very interesting.
You know… yesterday finally I found what I was desperate looking for on the Internet: a set of photographs showing the progress of a laser treatment in a 20-30’s years old male.
The subject is a white male guy (22), skin type II or III having laser treatment in both, arms and legs. I am not as hairy in my arms as this guy, however I am not so far from him. He managed to post a composite photo of his right arm after every session (6 in total).
The general look after the 1st and 2nd session is very good indeed because the arm looks less hairy but natural.
On the contrary, from the 3rd to the 5th session the look is really ugly as the arm does have scattered long hairs here and there. The look is completely unnatural and in fact looks like a skin decease.
Finally after the 6th session the arm was hair-free, well, 97% hair free because I could see still some hairs. I guess this the best achievable result with laser.
It seems to me that it’s not a walk in the park to achieve what I am looking for which is an important reduction of the hair in both, legs and arms by keeping the natural look, because a single extra-session might put me in the “point-of-no-return” giving me no choice but carry the treatment on until getting the 6th session hairless look.
Comments are wide welcome…
97% results is very good in 6 treatments for all these areas. If that is too hairless for you, you could stop after the 4th or 5th and have electrolysis to refine and even out the areas. I’m sure you already know that this man’s results may not be what happens in your case, but it gives you somewhat of gauge to see what happens to others before you decide to do something for yourself.
Dee
The more coarse and dark your hair and the lighter the skin, the better results you will get. It also depends highly on the type of laser used, area treated, settings used, etc. If all the right things are in place, it is definitely possible to get to 95% removal. I would count on at least 8 treatments for that though. 97% in 6 treatments on such a large area sounds slightly exaggerated. Also, we don’t know how long after the last treatment they analyzed this result. It could have been 1 month after his last treatment and most hair grew in in the month after that.
I got treated with Light Sheer about 3 years back on my back. Im pale skinned with dark hair. I had a fairly hairy back although not that thick and course (curly) like some people of Greek origin.
Anyway I had 5 (or was it 6) treatments which kept 95% of hair away fo best part of two years. However, in the last 1 to 1.5 years about 60-70% has grown back.
By the way I’m a male of north European origin. I was 25 when the treatment occured and am 28 now.
I cant remember the settings of the Lightsheer but I seem to think that by the last session the device was turned up to around 38 (joules? cant quite remember at this stage).
Half thinking of going back again but the other half things I’ve payed enough at this stage (300 euro’s a session).
Hope this helps.
Men continue developing their hair pattern into their late thirties and early forties. This is probably what is happening to you. This hair spurt makes sense, being that you are 28 now. I know Mother Nature is beautiful but insanely unfair at times when it comes to hair, but since you had success with laser at age 25, you can continue on at age 28 and zap the new hair that is emerging now and in the future.
Unfortunately, your body is still developing NEW hair at this age. Men your age usually need touchups once a year or so after they’re done.
So do you think one session would be enough to see results for another year or so?
Would I start again at a low setting or jump back in at the same high setting as the last of my sessions 3 years ago?
Sorry to change the topic! Thanks!
There is no reason to start at low settings. That has a chance of only temporarily damaging the hair, but not actually killing it. if this is what was done before and you only had 5 treatments, that might have been part of the problem too.
you should get a touchup once a year or so, but at high effective settings. that should be enough.