Laser hair removal is an excellent solution when you have unwanted hair anywhere on your body. You may be wondering, “How many sessions do you need for laser hair removal?” and the answer is that it depends on a number of factors.
The area where you want the hair removed, how thick the hair is, and the type of skin you have all play a role in determining how many sessions are needed for laser hair removal. That’s why a consultation with a professional is essential when planning treatment.
On average, you can expect roughly four to six sessions to completely remove hair from any area of your body.
Keep reading to learn more about the laser hair removal process and how many sessions it takes to achieve hair-free results.
Why Does Laser Hair Removal Require Multiple Sessions?
It’s impossible to get rid of all the hair you are trying to remove in one session of laser hair removal. If you’re wondering after how many sessions for laser hair removal will you see results, understand that the hair isn’t instantly removed from your body.
The relationship between laser treatment and the stages of hair growth plays an important role in how many sessions are needed for laser hair removal.
Your hair follicles respond the best to laser hair removal treatment when your hair follicle is in the new-growth stage. You may have some hair that doesn’t respond to the laser therapy the first time but responds in a subsequent session because it has reached the new-growth stage.
If you don’t invest in multiple sessions for laser hair removal, this will give the area an uneven or patchy look. Even if you have thin or minimal hair, you can’t achieve full hair removal in the area if you only have one laser therapy session.
It can take weeks for the hairs that have been treated with laser hair removal to start shedding from your body. You won’t know what hair is left until the body goes through the shedding stage. Then, the area can be treated again.
If you want smooth, hair-free skin, it’s important to follow the treatment plan as recommended by your provider. After all, they want you to love your results.
Factors That Can Impact How Many Laser Hair Removal Sessions You Need
There are a number of factors that impact how many laser hair removal sessions you’ll need for complete hair removal success anywhere on your body. The thickness of your hair, how large the treatment area is, and how well you respond to treatment will all factor into how many laser therapy sessions you will need.
You may be satisfied with your laser hair removal results after three or four sessions, or you may need to have six sessions for the area to be completely hair free. Let’s look closer at the two most important factors that influence how many sessions you’ll need:
Thickness of Hair
In general, the thicker your hair is, the more treatments will be needed to fully remove your hair with laser hair removal.
After the first treatment of laser hair removal, you will see that any hair that grows back is typically going to be much thinner and finer. As each treatment finishes, you will have less hair return during the growing stage until there isn’t hair left to treat.
Size of Treatment Area
The size of the treatment area can impact how many sessions are needed for laser hair removal simply because the number of follicles to treat is greater the larger the area is. In general, smaller treatment areas are completed in fewer sessions and cost less, while laser hair removal on larger parts of the body takes longer and costs more.
Work with your technician if you have questions about how many sessions are needed for laser hair removal and if you are worried that you won’t be able to achieve the results you want. If you’re concerned about the number of sessions you’ll need because of the cost, you may want to ask whether your provider offers payment plans.
How Many Sessions Are Needed for Laser Hair Removal on Average?
The truth is that it really depends on the individual. Most patients require anywhere from two to six sessions of laser hair removal in many areas to get the results they are looking for. However, everyone is different.
Some people may need as few as two sessions for certain small areas, while you may need to have more than six sessions of laser hair removal. Some treatments may require as many as twelve, or sometimes even more, sessions.
This is a treatment process that takes time, as you will need a rest period of about six weeks in between sessions. Although you may start to see some hair loss a few days after your first session, you aren’t going to see the full impact of your laser hair removal until you complete all of the recommended sessions and all of the remaining hair falls out.
While it may take months to see the results you’ve been dreaming of, it’s worth remembering that good things are worth waiting for.
How Many Sessions for Brazilian Laser Hair Removal?
Brazilian laser hair removal typically only takes about 10 to 15 minutes, and the typical number of sessions is between five and 12 for complete removal.
How Many Sessions for Laser Hair Removal on Your Face?
For laser hair removal on your face, the number of sessions you need will depend on the part of your face you’re having treated. You may need anywhere from about four to ten treatments.
Typically, you can expect each session to take about 10 to 15 minutes.
How Many Sessions for Laser Hair Removal on Your Armpits?
Laser hair removal for your armpits can take as few as three sessions to see noticeable results, depending on the amount of hair someone grows under their arms. Each session should only take a few minutes.
How Many Sessions for Laser Hair Removal on Your Legs?
Laser hair removal on your legs takes about 20 to 30 minutes per treatment session, and in general, you can expect to have about eight to twelve sessions on your legs for effective laser hair removal.
If your hair is very fine or light colored, you’ll need fewer sessions for laser hair removal on your legs.
Is Laser Hair Removal Permanent?
Although laser hair removal is touted as a permanent solution to unwanted hair, it’s generally not going to last for an entire lifetime. However, it is considered a long-term hair removal solution.
The permanence of laser hair removal can last for years and certainly lasts longer than shaving when you are dealing with any hair on the body.
You may discover that you have some hair regrowth within a few months after laser hair removal, but this hair should be much sparser. It’ll also likely be lighter and thinner than your original hair. There are times when you won’t have any regrowth for years as your hair follicles remain in a state of dormancy.
With laser hair removal, you can reduce how much hair you have in an area of your body, but truly eliminating all the hair is not possible.
Laser hair removal is a safe and a successful way to deal with unwanted hair on your body for long periods of time. It lasts much longer than shaving or waxing and often results in having less hair overall, even if some does grow back eventually. Laser hair removal makes it much easier for you to deal with large amounts of hair on your body without having to consider regrowth for quite some time.
How Often Do You Need Touch-Ups?
You may find that some hair grows back, but it is far less noticeable than the hair that was there originally. You can get a few years out of laser hair removal treatment before you need to go back in for a touch-up. To achieve absolute hairlessness, you’ll have to do maintenance sessions to keep the area free from hair.
Touch-ups for laser hair removal are not as extensive as your initial laser hair removal treatment.
How to Achieve the Best Results with Laser Hair Removal
In order to obtain the best results from your laser hair removal, pay attention to all the pre- and post-treatment recommendations provided by your laser hair removal provider. Before treatment, don’t do any waxing or plucking to protect the hair follicle. It’s best to shave the area either the day before or the day of treatment for optimal results.
Stay out of the sun or wear protection between treatments so your sessions aren’t delayed due to sunburn. And make sure you stay on track with your treatment plan, so you can keep momentum with your results.
You also want to take your time to research who you’re going to for laser hair removal. Read the reviews, check out their website, and make sure they are using the latest technology available.
Plan Your Laser Hair Removal Treatment
Laser hair removal is an exciting solution for those who want to get rid of unwanted hair. However, if you’re newly considering this solution, you likely have a lot of questions, like “How many sessions do you need for laser hair removal?”. Doing your research can help you be prepared and make sure you’re satisfied with the results.
While four to six sessions may be the average for some treatment areas, the number of sessions needed will vary based on the factors we covered below. So, to truly know how long laser hair removal will take you, you’ll need to get a customized treatment plan.
Schedule a consultation with LivSmooth today to learn more about how laser hair removal works and take the next step toward your hair-free goals. Our team is extensively trained and dedicated to providing you with the best outcome.
