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Laser Hair Removal (LHR), a highly desirable treatment, has been misunderstood by the community. Though it claims to be laser hair removal, it actually stands for laser hair “reduction” because the services cannot guarantee 100% removal. Haute Beauty expert Dr. Jeffrey Ayers would note success as at least 80% hair reduction.

The laser targets the pigment of the hair follicle and delivers energy with the intention of destroying the hair follicle. All sounds great, right? But, the catch is – your hair isn’t always in the same “cycle,” which has proven to play a large part in the success of the LHR treatment; here’s why:

The Four Cycles

1. Agagen Phase is the growth phase; the cells in the follicle rapidly divide so more new hair is formed. This phase lasts an average of three to five years, but only about 20 % of hair is actively in that phase at a time.
2. Catgen phase is a short period of time indicating the end of active hair production as the cells in the follicles stop producing hair. This phase is about 10 days long.
3. Telogne phase is the resting period when strands remain in their follicle but are not actively growing. This phase lasts about three months.
4. Exogen phase is when the hair strands are released from the follicle, and they fall out. This phase can last two to five months.

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Out of the four cycles, LHR only works when hair is in the anagen phase, which is why it is generally required to have numerous visits over the course of 8-12 months (some longer) while the follicle finishes going through the more dormant cycles. The trick is to catch your follicles while they are in the growth phase because regardless of the laser used (Gallery of Aesthetics uses Motas AX) and the energy it delivers, the results will rely heavily on the hair cycle.

To learn more about Laser Hair Reduction, consult with Dr. Jeffrey Ayers at Gallery of Aesthetics to see if it is the right fit to reach your silky smooth skin goals.