Priorities
Unwanted hair
Long-term reduction of unwanted hair, with fewer ingrowns and less time spent shaving or waxing.
Treatments from $75
The short version
Frequent shaving, ingrown hairs along the bikini line, and razor bumps on the neck are some of the most common reasons people choose laser hair removal. For most people, six sessions on the Diolaze (InMode), four to eight weeks apart, reduce hair growth and much of the irritation that comes with shaving.
The laser targets the pigment in dark hair, so grey, white, blonde, and red hair don’t respond. For dark hair, results depend mainly on the right settings and consistent scheduling.
Why it happens
How the laser finds the hair
Laser hair removal targets the pigment in each hair. Dark hair soaks up the light, turns it into heat, and that heat damages the follicle so the hair grows back finer or not at all. That's why it takes a series, and why light hair doesn't respond.
Dark hair absorbs the light
The darker and coarser the hair, the more light it takes in, and the more heat reaches the follicle.
Light hair has no target
Grey, white, blonde and red hair don't carry enough pigment for the laser to work on.
Hair grows in waves
Only follicles in their growth phase respond, so sessions are spaced weeks apart to catch each wave.
Sources: Cleveland Clinic, laser hair removal
Your options
How we'd approach it
-
Step 1We'd start with
Laser hair removal
From $75
About Laser hair removalIf your hair is brown or black, laser hair removal is what we'd recommend. Our medical esthetician uses the Diolaze (InMode), an 810 nm diode laser with a cooled handpiece. Small areas take a few minutes, and full legs take under an hour.
-
Step 2If you need a little more
One or two maintenance sessions a year
From $75
About One or two maintenance sessions a yearAfter the series, one or two maintenance sessions a year hold your results. Hormonal areas, like the chin or a PCOS pattern, need more, and we'll build that into your plan at your consult.
Side by side
Your options side by side
Laser does the work on dark hair. Here's how it compares with the alternative on our menu.
We'd start with
Laser hair removal
From $75
- Best for
- Brown or black hair, with a test spot first on darker skin
- Appointment
- 10 minutes for a lip to about an hour for full legs, no numbing
- Downtime
- Red and warm around the follicles for 1 to 3 days
- First results
- Shedding at 1 to 3 weeks. About 10 to 25 percent fewer hairs after session one
- Sessions
- Typically 6, spaced 4 to 8 weeks apart, more for hormonal areas
Dermaplaning, by request
Priced at your consult
- Best for
- Fine, light peach fuzz on the face
- Appointment
- 30 to 45 minutes, no numbing
- Downtime
- None. Pink for an hour or two, product-sensitive for 1 to 3 days
- First results
- Immediately
- Sessions
- Single, repeated every 3 to 6 weeks if wanted
Prices are starting prices from our menu. Your provider will confirm the plan and total cost at your consult. Individual results vary.
What to expect
What to expect with laser hair removal
Treated hairs shed over one to three weeks. Each session reduces regrowth a little more, and we judge the full result 6 to 12 months after the series.
Day 0
Red and warm around the follicles. A cool compress helps, and it's best to skip hot showers and the gym.
Days 1 to 3
Redness fades, and normal activities resume.
Days 5 to 14
The shed. It may look like growth for a few days, then it's gone.
Weeks 4 to 8
Your next session, timed to the area. Face at 4 weeks, legs and back at 6 to 8.
After session 3
Noticeable thinning. Shaving drops to occasional.
After session 6
Most of the reduction is in, and regrowth is finer and sparser. Hormonal areas may need more.
Months 6 to 12
We assess your result, on the same timeline the FDA uses. One or two maintenance sessions a year.
Timeline for laser hair removal, from our treatment page. Individual results vary.
Our reasoning
Planning your laser hair removal
We’ll assess your hair color first, then your skin tone, and then plan your schedule. Dark hair on light skin is the simplest case. Darker skin can be treated too, with conservative settings and a test spot first. The Diolaze (InMode) is FDA-cleared for hair removal, per the FDA’s clearance.
Next comes the schedule. The American Academy of Dermatology puts the first-session reduction at 10 to 25 percent and the series at 2 to 6 sessions 4 to 6 weeks apart, per the AAD. We plan for six. Please keep sun off the area for two weeks around each session, skip waxing or plucking in between (shaving is fine), and shave within 24 hours of every visit. Laser hair removal is reduction, not removal: the FDA’s own definition is a stable drop in regrowing hairs at 6, 9 and 12 months after the series. Individual results vary.
Paradoxical hair growth, meaning more hair after treatment, is rare: it occurred in 0.34 percent of a 7,381-patient series, almost entirely after alexandrite treatment, per Aesthetic Surgery Journal. It’s one reason we set the laser based on your skin type.
Your questions, answered
When should I start to be finished before summer?
October is a good time to start. Six sessions at four to eight week intervals takes five to eight months, and the last one needs two sun-free weeks after it. If you start in October, an underarm or bikini-line series can be complete by early summer.
Can I go for a long run the week after a leg session?
It's best to avoid it. Treated skin is sensitized for a few days, and hours of friction and chafing can irritate it. Book leg sessions at least ten days before a race, or start the series the week after.
Does it fix ingrowns and razor bumps?
Yes, it can help. Razor bumps (pseudofolliculitis barbae) come from hairs curling back into the skin, and fewer hairs means fewer ingrowns. Men's necks and the bikini line are often treated for this reason alone. Our laser hair removal for men guide covers the back and chest.
How many laser sessions will I need?
Most people need about six, spaced four to eight weeks apart, because the laser only works on follicles that are actively growing. Hormonal areas like the chin can need more. A maintenance session or two a year holds your result.
Why doesn't laser work on blonde hair?
The laser needs pigment in the hair to absorb its light. Blonde, grey, white and red hair don't have enough, so the follicle never heats up. Electrolysis treats pigment-free hair, though it isn't something we offer.
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