Priorities
Unwanted hair
Long-term reduction of unwanted hair, with fewer ingrowns and less time spent shaving or waxing.
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 Candela GentleMax Pro, 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.
What we'd want you to know
Grey, white, and blonde hair don't respond
If your hair is brown or black, laser hair removal is what we’d recommend. Our medical esthetician uses the Candela GentleMax Pro, a 755 nm alexandrite for lighter skin and a 1064 nm Nd:YAG for darker skin, with a cryogen spray before every pulse. Small areas take a few minutes, and full legs take under an hour.
After 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.
Planning your laser hair removal
We’ll assess your hair color first, then your skin tone, and then plan your schedule. For dark hair on light skin, we use the 755 nm setting. For darker skin, we use the 1064 nm, which passes through surface pigment. The GentleMax Pro’s clearance covers skin types I to VI, 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 choose the wavelength 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. The 1064 nm setting is cleared for pseudofolliculitis barbae, the razor-bump pattern, 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.
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