Laser Hair Removal for Upper Legs

Hi all,

I’m considering having the hair on my thighs and buttocks reduced. I’m not looking for a complete removal, a 40% reduction would be suitable.

I have had laser hair removal on other parts of my body before and I’m considerably pleased with the results. I’m Skin Type IV on the Fitzpatrick scale with coarse black hair on said areas.

What I would like to know is what is the success rate of hair reduction on the upper legs? I estimate that 4 treatments with 12 weeks between each would be sufficient for my purpose of moderate reduction.

What are my chances for achieving this goal?

Thank you

ugh… it appears that laser reduction on the thighs is less effective( pleasing) than the lower legs, bikini area and underarms. I have removed hair, with electrolysis on the thighs, and many of those hair structures have white bulbs. Laser can’t “see” white.

You can try to get a series of laser reduction treatments on your thighs, but you will have to finish up with electrolysis.

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I agree that laser results on the upper leg tend to be mediocre. The hair above the knee is typically more sparse and has less pigment, which will drastically lower the efficacy and efficiency of laser treatments. It is still possible that you may see a 40% reduction, but you would need to do a round of six or more treatments that could take a year. It already seems as though you may not be an ideal candidate in any case.

Electrolysis should be able to deliver similar results in a shorter amount of time. If you have not shaved, waxed or done laser on the area for at least three months, a competent electrologist should be able to deliver a similar reduction after one clearance. This is highly dependant on finding a seriously skilled electrologist.

If you do some research and crunch the numbers, you might even find that electrolysis turns out to be cheaper or at least comparable to the cost of laser for a roughly 40% reduction.

Of course, if you choose to continue with electrolysis for complete removal, the cost will be higher… but the cost of complete removal with laser is infinite because it is not physically possible.

I would consider electrolysis and do further research into the costs.

In your experience did the hair appear patchy after laser treatment? Or were they sparse to begin even without laser

Hi again Scurvy,

In my case the hair above the knee is more dense than what is usual. If it was sparse I wouldn’t be even considering having treatments. And the hairs are black also.

It is quite a large area for electrolysis even for a reduction let alone a complete clearance which I’m not seeking.

Lets say I focus on a partial area for electrolysis than yes I do agree with you that I will get there in a shorter time than laser. The cost may be slighter more than laser though. But I won’t have to wait at least a year or so to see results.

To conclude the hair above my knee is coarse, dense and dark. And it reaches high up to the buttocks. I want to know the effectiveness of laser hair removal on this area for me

Hair can appear patchy, but electrolysis can knock it out quickly, using flash thermolysis.

The two modalites, laser reduction and electrolysis work well with each other. I have seen fabulous results using laser and then finishing with electrolysis. Your upper legs will respond to laser. I don’t know what percentage bracket you will end with, but what ever it is it will be helpful and speed up the process.

If every electrologist would use flash thermolysis and work quickly (doing 700-1,200 zaps per hour) for more than hour a session, a lot could be accomplished to please people. I don’t think this a reality in most locales, so that’s why laser can be helpful.

Thank you Deedra