The three different stages of hair growth and why it matters for Laser Hair reduction. Reviewed by Dr. Sravani Sandhya Aura Skin & Hair Clinic Visakhapatnam.

Thursday, April 13, 2023

The three different stages of hair growth and why it matters for Laser Hair reduction. Reviewed by Dr. Sravani Sandhya Aura Skin & Hair Clinic Visakhapatnam.

Laser hair removal is the best hair removal method. It is virtually painless, quick and helps to reduce hair growth by up to 90%. However, it is a procedure that requires a few sessions to achieve satisfactory results and can be impacted by a lot of factors.

If you are thinking of getting laser hair reduction done you must’ve stumbled upon some references for hair growth cycles or must have wondered why some sessions work much better than the others. Let us talk in detail about how the hair grows and how it affects the quality of treatment.

How laser hair removal works

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 called melanin in the hair. The light energy is converted to heat, which damages the tube-shaped hair follicles that produce hairs. This damage inhibits or delays future hair growth.

Although laser hair removal effectively delays hair growth for long periods, it usually doesn't result in permanent hair removal. About 6-8 sessions are needed for initial hair removal and maintenance treatments might be needed as well. Laser hair removal is most effective for people who have light skin and dark hair however it can be successfully used on all skin types.

Unfortunately, the hair growth cycle is not something you can control. If you could, there would be nothing like it. Each hair has a different hair growth cycle, meaning it can be tricky for the laser to catch all the hair at the right time. Let us explain.

Hair Growth Cycle explained

Every strand of hair has three different stages of hair growth.

Anagen Phase
The Anagen phase is the active growth phase. This is the only phase where laser hair removal is effective. Only 20% of hair is actively growing during one Anagen growth phase, hence why multiple treatments are necessary for laser hair removal to be effective for long-term results. The phase can last 3-4 months on the body and 5-7 years on the head. (This is why you can't grow long, head-type hairs on your arms or legs.)

Catagen Phase

The second phase is the Catagen phase, which is the shedding phase. Laser hair removal is not effective during this phase. This phase usually lasts around three weeks.

Telogen Phase

The last phase is the Telogen phase, or the dormant phase. Up to 80% of hair can be in the Telogen phase at any time. Laser hair removal is not effective during this phase. Durations in each cycle are highly unique to each person and body area. If the hair is targeted in the anagen phase we get the desired optimal result.

It can take 6 to 12 weeks for the hair to go through the cycle. Scheduling sessions every six to eight weeks will give time for the skin to heal after your previous procedure but will also give time to the body hair not in the anagen stage to catch up, go through the proper cycle and enter their anagen phase on time for your next appointment.

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