
How much does laser hair removal really cost?
The cost of laser hair removal treatments ranges from $200 to $1300 a session, depending on the area of the body being treated. Let’s look at how much it would cost you to get your legs waxed (because that’s what we were looking at with the shaving and waxing). One treatment will cost between $500 to $1300 for your entire leg.
Is laser hair removal worth the cost?
Yes, investing in laser hair removal is definitely worth it. Still on the fence about laser hair removal? Let’s dig deep into why many women take the plunge. What is laser hair removal? Perhaps understanding how laser hair removal works will make it less intimidating. So let’s talk about the process first.
Which laser is the best for hair removal?
Top 5 FAQ & Answer on types of laser hair removal
- Does it matter what type of laser is used? Not only does the type of laser affect its effectiveness, but it also affects your risk of experiencing side effects.
- Which is more effective, Nd YAG or diode? ...
- Is laser hair removal effective on darker skin types? ...
- Which is more painful: IPL or laser? ...
- Are red hairs receptive to laser hair removal? ...
How does laser hair removal really work?
- Dermal papilla fibroblasts – damage halts the hair growth cycle
- Epithelial stem cells in the hair follicle bulge – damage halts the hair growth cycle
- Matrix keratinocytes – damage gives temporary hair removal

How many treatments does it take to remove hair by laser?
What you can expect. Laser hair removal usually requires two to six treatments. The interval between treatments will vary depending on the location. On areas where hair grows quickly, such as the upper lip, the treatment might be repeated in four to eight weeks.
Is one session of laser hair removal enough?
Laser hair removal is a simple, effective option for women and men. But as you may or may not know, one session isn't enough to destroy hairs permanently. You need to undergo multiple treatments to achieve your ideal results.
How many sessions of laser hair removal does it take to see a difference?
Results: While it is hard to pinpoint precisely how long until final results can be seen, people generally notice results after every treatment with a total of 6 to 8 sessions needed in total. The average is about 6 sessions every 6 weeks. Again, results vary between patients.
Is 3 sessions enough for laser hair removal?
So, how many laser hair removal sessions are necessary to get rid of your unwanted hair for good? The answer depends on your individual needs, but most people can finish their initial treatment within 4-6 treatments. When the sessions are done, you will enjoy the numerous benefits of a life without unwanted hair.
Can I shave in between laser treatments?
Yes, you can shave in between each session of laser hair removal. During your course of treatment you can shave any hairs that may regrow. After your first laser hair removal session you will notice that you won't need to shave as much as before. After 2-3 sessions you may only need to shave once in a 4-6 week period.
What happens if you don't shave before laser hair removal?
As we mentioned a little earlier, if you don't shave before your appointment, the laser will singe the hair resulting in a burn to your skin. In addition, if the hair hasn't been shaved properly, treatment will not be as effective, and it may result in small temporary grazes on the top layer of your skin.
What happens after 1 session of laser hair removal?
You will notice results soon after your first session. Your hair growth will be less, and the hairs will be finer and weaker. Your skin will also become smoother, and your pores will be less visible after each session. With each following session, your results will become more noticeable.
Why do I have stubble after laser hair removal?
Stubble, representing dead hair being shed from the hair follicle, will appear within 5-30 days from the treatment date. that is normal & they will fall out quickly. Exfoliate to speed up hair shedding. Anywhere from 5-30 days after the treatment, shedding of the hair may occur & this may appear as new hair growth.
How long until hair falls out after laser?
In many patients the skin is slightly pink for 1-2 days; in others (generally, fairer patients) there is no pinkness after laser hair removal. Hairs begin to fall out in 5-14 days and may continue to do so for weeks.
Is 6 laser treatments enough?
Generally, clients need about two to six laser treatments in order to completely get rid of hair. You can expect to see about a 10% to 25% reduction in hair after your first treatment. As you continue your treatments, more and more hair will fall out, and you'll notice that it continues to grow back more slowly.
What happens after 2nd laser hair removal?
The 2nd treatment sees greater results as the body hair goes through its' resting and growth cycle, which is why a series of follow-up treatments are scheduled accordingly.
Are 4 laser hair removal sessions enough?
The number of sessions a patient needs for effective laser hair removal will vary. Indeed, some patients may only need six sessions to be rid of all their hair on their full legs while the same person will need four extra sessions to be satisfied with the results of their bikini laser hair removal.
How long does it take to get laser hair removal?
What you can expect. Laser hair removal usually requires two to six treatments. The interval between treatments will vary depending on the location. On areas where hair grows quickly, such as the upper lip, the treatment might be repeated in four to eight weeks.
How long does laser hair removal last?
Results vary significantly and are difficult to predict. Most people experience hair removal that lasts several months, and it might last for years. But laser hair removal doesn't guarantee permanent hair removal. When hair regrows, it's usually finer and lighter in color.
What are the side effects of laser hair removal?
Risks of side effects vary with skin type, hair color, treatment plan and adherence to pre-treatment and post-treatment care. The most common side effects of laser hair removal include: 1 Skin irritation. Temporary discomfort, redness and swelling are possible after laser hair removal. Any signs and symptoms typically disappear within several hours. 2 Pigment changes. Laser hair removal might darken or lighten the affected skin. These changes might be temporary or permanent. Skin lightening primarily affects those who don't avoid sun exposure before or after treatment and those who have darker skin.
How to reduce swelling after laser hair removal?
You might notice redness and swelling for the first few hours after laser hair removal. To reduce any discomfort, apply ice to the treated area. If you have a skin reaction immediately after laser hair removal, the doctor might apply a steroid cream to the affected area.
How does a laser work?
When the doctor activates the laser, the laser beam will pass through your skin to the hair follicles. The intense heat from the laser beam damages the hair follicles, which inhibits hair growth. You might feel discomfort, such as a warm pinprick, and you'll likely feel a sensation of cold from the cooling device or gel.
What is laser hair removal?
Overview. Laser hair removal is a medical procedure that uses a concentrated beam of light (laser) to remove unwanted hair. During laser hair removal, a laser emits a light that is absorbed by the pigment (melanin) in the hair. The light energy is converted to heat, which damages the tube-shaped sacs within the skin (hair follicles) ...
What is the best way to protect your skin from lasers?
The doctor will press a hand-held laser instrument to your skin. Depending on the type of laser, a cooling device on the tip of the instrument or a cool gel might be used to protect your skin and lessen the risk of side effects.
All About the Laser Hair Removal Process
Laser hair removal treatment utilizes state-of-the-art technology to target the hair follicles deep within the skin, where other hair removal methods like shaving can’t reach. Since hair follicles are responsible for producing hairs, altering them can leave you with smooth, hair-free skin.
How Many Sessions Will You Need?
Everyone is unique and has a different amount of hair growing at different rates. To get rid of all your undesirable hair in a given area, multiple sessions in accordance with your hair growth cycles are needed. The number of sessions needed for treatment will vary from person to person.
A Final Word
For those looking to never have to deal with a dull razor, messy wax strips, or smelly depilatory creams ever again, laser hair removal treatment is an excellent option.
What Is Laser Hair Removal?
Laser hair removal is a permanent form of body hair removal that uses pulses of laser light to destroy the hair follicle. Shaving removes the tip of the hair follicle and waxing removes hair from the root, and in both cases, those hairs will grow back. Laser light, on the other hand, essentially kills a hair follicle so that it will not grow back.
The Average Cost of Laser Hair Removal
Laser hair removal is often considered a beauty investment. It costs more money than shaving or waxing, but over time, when treatments are no longer needed, you can save money on body hair removal costs.
Does Insurance Cover Laser Hair Removal?
For the most part, you shouldn’t expect your health insurance to cover the costs of laser hair removal. Dr. Hartman notes that you might be able to use a flexible spending account to cover the costs.
The Benefits of Laser Hair Removal
Laser hair removal might be expensive, but it also comes with a number of benefits including:
Find a dermatologist near you
Zocdoc helps you find and book top-rated doctors, on demand. Visit them in their offices, or video chat with them from home. Check out the dermatologists in your area.
Sources
Laser Hair Removal. American Society Of Plastic Surgeons. Accessed 11/09/2021.
How much does laser hair removal cost?
Laser hair removal typically costs $200–$400 per session, and you will need 4 to 6 sessions, plus a yearly maintenance appointment.
What is the procedure for laser hair removal?
Before the laser hair removal procedure begins, your face will be thoroughly cleaned and a numbing gel may be applied to the treatment area. You’ll be given goggles to wear, and your hair will likely be covered.
How long does it take to remove hair from the face?
Because the face area is smaller than other parts of the body, like the chest or legs, laser hair removal on the face will generally be pretty quick, sometimes done in as little as 15–20 minutes.
How long does it take for hair growth to show?
Expect to be a bit patient — it may take up to 2 to 3 weeks for you to see a noticeable difference in hair growth, and it may take several sessions to see full results. Results should be permanent, though you will likely need one yearly maintenance appointment.
Does laser hair removal help with ingrown hairs?
After the laser damages the hair follicle, the hair vaporizes, and a full round of treatments later the hair will stop growing back. Laser hair removal may help prevent ingrown hairs and will save time typically spent waxing or shaving.
Who can do laser hair removal?
In some states, laser hair removal can only be performed by a medical professional, including dermatologists, nurses, or physician’s assistants. In other states, you can see a highly trained aesthetician for the procedure, though the American Academy of Dermatology Association recommends seeing a medical professional.
Can you see before and after photos of laser hair removal?
It can be helpful to see before and after photos from real people who’ve had laser hair removal on their face when deciding if it’s right for you and your body.
How much hair can laser hair removal remove?
Khorasani said laser hair removal is usually effective in removing 80 to 90 percent of hair. “There will be always a little bit of hair that may come back,” he said.
What is the most important factor in laser hair removal?
The most important factor in laser hair removal is finding the right doctor for you, with the right qualifications. Otherwise, you’re throwing money at multiple treatments that might not work and could end up harming you in the end.
How many treatments are needed to get 80 percent clearance?
“No matter what area you are treating, usually about 6 treatments are needed to achieve approximately 80 percent clearance.
Is laser hair removal effective?
Laser hair removal can be a costly but effective way to get rid of the unwanted hair people are sick of shaving, trimming or waxing. But spending thousands of dollars on the required treatments doesn’t always guarantee body hair will be gone for life.
Can you remove hair follicles permanently?
“Multiple treatments may lead to long term hair reduction but patients should not expect permanent hair removal.”
Can laser hair removal cause hyperpigmentation?
However, he said people with darker skin have a higher chance of getting hyperpigmentation, or a darkening of the skin, as a side effect of the treatments. Gmyrek agreed that people with darker skin can have excellent results with laser hair removal, but she also recommended getting a test spot treated first.
How many sessions of hair removal?
You will need about four to six hair removal sessions for optimal results, so tweezing and waxing between sessions is not a good idea. Hair growing back may be uncomfortable, but for the treatments to work, the laser needs to be able to target the hair. Waxing and tweezing removes the hair roots, which the laser needs to target.
How long does it take for hair to shed after laser treatment?
If it feels like the hair is still attached to something, leave it alone and let it finish shedding. Two days is a good waiting period between attempts. Remember that only about 20% of your hair is affected by a laser treatment at any given time.
What is the root of laser hair removal?
The part that is important for laser hair removal is the follicle or “root”. This is the part that the laser targets and is what determines the overall effectiveness of the removal treatment. At any given time, about 20% of your follicles are in the growth phase. During this period, melanin builds up in the follicle as it goes about creating new ...
Does melanin absorb laser light?
During this period, melanin builds up in the follicle as it goes about creating new strands of hair. Melanin, being a dark pigment, happens to be very good for absorbing the light of a laser. This is the basic idea behind laser hair removal; the laser is absorbed more readily by the pigment in growth-phase follicles, ...
Can laser hair removal be done above skin?
Not all the hair removed by your laser treatment was above the skin. Some of it was still inside the follicle at the time and had not grown enough to be visible. These hairs have now been pushed out of the skin and can be removed. Be gentle and careful when removing these surface hairs.
Is laser hair removal effective?
Few cosmetic procedures for hair removal show immediate or soon effects, but laser hair removal has proven itself to be one of the most effective methods. Although this treatment can leave your body smooth and hair free, it is important to have a realistic understanding of what effects to expect, and why the hair elimination process may take some ...
Can you tell if you're pulling hair out?
1.You can’t tell if what you’re pulling out is a regular hair or one that has had its follicle fried; meaning, you could be wasting the effort. 2.Your skin needs to recover from the laser treatment. Even after any initial swelling fades, your skin is still going to be a bit raw and sensitive.
What phase of hair removal is laser hair removal?
Laser hair removal targets the hair present in the anagen phase (the growing phase) and makes the hair follicle redundant, however, hair follicles present in the other phases (catagen & telogen) may also fall out at the same time. The hair that fell out during the anagen phase would be permanently redundant and the hair follicles from the other phases will sprout new hairs. This is why it takes 4 - 6 sessions on an average to target all the hair follicles in the anagen phase and make them redundant.
How does laser hair reduction work?
Hello, Thank you for your question. Laser hair reduction is a series of treatments because there is only about 20% of your total hair follicles in the "growth cycle" at any one time. That means that the 20% that is currently in the growth cycle will be affected during 1 single treatment. The four phases of hair growth include anagen, catagen, telogen, and exogen. Each phase lasts for a different length of time. Different areas of the body have a more rapid "growth cycle" like the face, bikini and underarms. The trunk of the body, arms and legs have a slower growth cycle, therefore treatment in those areas are done further apart. It does take multiple sessions to reduce the amount of hair growth so be sure to complete the series of treatments for best results. Good Luck!
What are the phases of hair growth?
The four phases of hair growth include anagen, catagen, telogen, and exogen. Each phase lasts for a different length of time. Different areas of the body have a more rapid "growth cycle" like the face, bikini and underarms.
How long does it take for hair to grow?
Your hair grows in different phases, the total growing phase takes around three weeks, but not all the hair follicles will be at the same stage of growing, this is why the laser sessions need to be repeated in order to deactivade the hair follicule at the same time, you will need around 6 to 8 sessions to make sure all hair is removed. On average, you should lose around 20% of the hair and area; characteristics of the hair, the device used, and intensity needs to be considered to know how much hair you should lose in each session.

Overview
Why It's Done
- Laser hair removal is used to reduce unwanted hair. Common treatment locations include legs, armpits, upper lip, chin and the bikini line. However, it's possible to treat unwanted hair in nearly any area, except the eyelid or surrounding area. Skin with tattoos should not be treated either. Hair color and skin type influence the success of laser hair removal. The basic principle is that the pi…
Risks
- Risks of side effects vary with skin type, hair color, treatment plan and adherence to pre-treatment and post-treatment care. The most common side effects of laser hair removal include: 1. Skin irritation.Temporary discomfort, redness and swelling are possible after laser hair removal. Any signs and symptoms typically disappear within several hours. 2. Pigment changes.Laser hair re…
How You Prepare
- If you're interested in laser hair removal, choose a doctor who's board certified in a specialty such as dermatology or cosmetic surgery and has experience with laser hair removal on your skin type. If a physician assistant or licensed nurse will do the procedure, make sure a doctor supervises and is available on-site during the treatments. Be cautious about spas, salons or other facilities t…
What You Can Expect
- Laser hair removal usually requires two to six treatments. The interval between treatments will vary depending on the location. On areas where hair grows quickly, such as the upper lip, the treatment might be repeated in four to eight weeks. On areas of slow hair growth, such as the back, the treatment might be every 12 to 16 weeks. For each treatm...
Results
- Hairs do not fall out immediately, but you will shed them over a period of days to weeks. This may look like continued hair growth. The repeated treatments are usually necessary because hair growth and loss naturally occur in a cycle, and laser treatment works best with hair follicles in the new-growth stage. Results vary significantly and are difficult to predict. Most people experience …