I just wanted to know how many people out there had more hair AFTER laser treatment?
Dear Syrah,
I began exploring IPL hair removal back in 1997. I saw fine-vellus hairs grow into terminal-coarse hairs. I was told that this was my imagination. I knew it wasn’t.
Finally, last year at a meeting, a physician stated that approximately 1% of laser hair removal clients had increased hair growth. I suspected that number was higher but felt relieved that a laser hair removal specialist admitted to seeing increased hair growth.
This year, I attended another meeting where Dermatologist Dr. Eric Siegal inferred a much higher number by indicating that hair growth can be stimulated if the laser treatments are not aggressive enough. He explained how settings that are too low can, “tickle” the follicle into stimulating hair growth on certain areas of the face. I just want to clarify that we are referring to facial hair treatments as this is the only area I have witnessed increased growth and Dr. Siegel was also only referring to areas on the face.
Syrah, you are not alone. Have you tried electrolysis? If you choose to stick with laser, there are many things you need to know… one is that you may require maintenance forever. Although electrolysis is slow and tedious, eventually you will have no more hair growth at all. Period. If you decide to stick with laser, you need to find a highly skilled practitioner with a track record who will tell you the truth about the drawbacks to treatment.
God Bless.
Arlene:
You said that when the laser is not used aggresively enough, more hair can be triggered to grow than was actually there at first. So then if this happens, couldn’t the person just go to a difference place where they know what they are doing and have aggressive treatments on all the old hairs AND the new hairs and it would work? Thanks!
Yes, if you went to a practitioner who knew how to operate their Laser/IPL equipment effectively, your hairs would fall out and you would be hair free for awhile.
Arlene,
Thanks for responding.
I purchased a package at Sona Laser Center. I informed the consultant that I had coarse hair on my arms, legs, bikini, underarms and sideburns. I told them I had very fine hair on the rest of my body. The consultant encouraged me to get a whole body package ($4400 for 5 treatments on every body part). She didn’t disclose that laser usually doesn’t work on fine hair. She also didn’t tell me that I might have increased hair growth.
I was treated with a YAG laser by many different practitoners. I belive they are all RNs. By the third treatment I noticed that the coarse hair was somewhat reduced, but there was no change in the fine hair. I mentioned it to the nurses and they told me laser often does not work on fine hair because the laser can’t “see” the hair. They suggested that they do treatments on the Apogee laser for the fine hair on my body, but not my face (they didn’t want to risk burning my face).
By the fifth round of treatments I noticed that the fine hairs on my body increased in density and length. Where I used to have short, barely visible fine hair, I now have very long and visible fine hair. I also have a lot more hair in places I had very little to none (my neck, cheeks, shoulders).
I mentioned to one of the nurses that my hair growth was increasing. She just laughed it off and said “That’s not possible. Hair growth can only increase due to hormonal fluctuations”. I didn’t say anything for a while, but then decided to tell another nurse. She suggested that I speak to a consultant. I told the consultant about the increased hair growth. She didn’t offer any solutions for that, but instead said that they will treat me more aggressively in the areas that showed some reduction.
I tried electrolysis, but had a very hard time withstanding the pain. I also feel like my situation is somewhat hopeless because I have SO MUCH HAIR. I think it will take YEARS to see a reduction by electrolysis. I also had some hyperpigmentation as a result of the 2-3 treatments of electrolysis, so I’m not sure I want to risk having dark spots all over my face.Currently, I’m bleaching and clipping my hair.
Any advice would be welcome.
Hey Everybody,
I hope someone can help me out with this one. . . I am looking for any documented medical studies that laser can trigger growth. I have the article from Skin & Allergy News by Dr. Ranella J. Hirsch. Does anybody have any other info. or links or physician info.? I know a lot of us have our personal stories, but I am looking for specific studies or info. Please email me personally if you are not comfortable posting here. Thanks!
You might look on www.pubmed.com for further information. Type in laser induced hair growth or something close to that. I’m fairly sure that I saw some information about laser triggered hair growth for darker skin tones there.
My impression is that this is considered a rare occurence, but nevertheless, has occurred. In my electrology practice, I have seen two cases where the clients have complained to me about this happening. One had very white skin and the other had an olive complexion. Go figure? I would hope that this is being studied, even though it rarely happens. Maybe it is not even related to laser at all and would have happened anyway???
Dee
laser hair removal is very expensive and ineffective. it was in my case anyway. i found a really cheap place to get it done in new york city. but just like every other hair removal method i’ve tried, this was really expensive and just not worth it. yes the hair is turned from thick to fine but what difference does that make if hair comes back anyway? i’ve already done 14 treatments and hair still comes back fast and i regret ever getting it done.
How long before you noticed the increase in growth - I have fine blond hairs treated - a lot of treatments on my cheeks and i have noticed no improvement. the last treatment was 9 weeks ago but i can’t say it is worse. How long before you noticed the induced hair growth. They used the Aurora and had it at the highest setting.
A
To poster who said laser hair removal is not worth it, personally as a male. I would have to say it has been well worth my time so far. I may change my thoughts on that after the next treatment, which I go in for next week sometime. But I am 2 months post 3rd treatment and I have seen a vast visible difference. I still have hair there but not nearly to the extent as what I use to. I think you have to have realistic expectations when going into laser…and alot of people really do not they think it is going to remove every strand of hair. This is not true…it offers a reduction and to what degree that reduction is…differs from person to person…
There seems to be alot of people who have really high expectations, that are just not realistic to what laser can offer. If you want 100% removal go with electrolysis.
azazil, i don’t know where you’re getting treated, but you’re wasting your money and they should have told you that. laser doesn’t work on blond hair, and definitely not fine blond hair. laser works best on dark coarse hair. even dark fine hair has so-so results most of the time.