Permanent hair removal | Effective hair removal with laser (2024)

Many ask; permanent hair removal – Does it work? The short answer is YES (fortunately).

Permanent hair removal only works on darker hair though and because of that you shouldn’t wait till your hairs get grey/light. We can remove both coarse and fine hair with our developed laser technology, but the effect is best seen on the coarsest hairs.

The effect of the laser light is that the heat from the light ray destroys the hair follicles at the hairs which are in their period of growth. Therefore, it’s necessary with more treatments for also destroying the hair follicles, which were in their resting phase. The hair follicle gets destroyed by the heating from the laser treatment. On the other hand, the laser doesn’t damage the surrounded skin, in that way the treatment is careful and doesn’t require any recovery time.

Since damaged hair follicles don’t produce new hair, you will typically experience a reduction of up to 70-90% during the treatment.

If you get a few single hairs over the years, they are easy to remove with a single follow-up laser treatment.

You will also find that the hairs, which haven’t been affected, will grow slower the more treatments you will get. Likewise, after the first few treatments, you will experience hair-free periods after the treatment. That way, you also get an immediate effect while waiting for the permanent result.

Hair removal bikini line - Red spots, ingrown hairs and skin irritation are something most people experience, when they shave in the bikini line. You can avoid this by getting laser treatment. By removing unwanted hair in the bikini line with laser, the hair follicle is destroyed by the heating from the laser treatment. Therefore, you should not be nervous, that the laser will damage the surrounding skin.

Hair removal legs - Hair on the legs is probably the area on the body that - especially women - spends a lot of time removing. There’s nothing more delicious than a pair of freshly shaved legs where the hairs do not sting, and the legs feel like silk. Unfortunately, it takes quite a long time shaving legs or epilating the hairs away and often the hairs grow back quickly. Furthermore, it's quite difficult to avoid both bumps and ingrown hairs when shaving your legs, no matter how gentle you are. Effective laser hair removal treatment helps you with all these things.

This is how the treatment takes place

This is the success rate

It’s very individual how many treatments you will find suitable for permanent hair removal. Usually we recommend between 6-8 laser treatments. There will be some skin areas where the hairs disappear more easily than others. We recommend 4-12 weeks between each treatment in the same area.

Not all hair can be completely removed, but the amount of dark hair will typically be able to be reduced by 70% with a lasting result. However, some may experience a reduction of up to 95%.

Since the light and the heat are conducted down into the hair follicle via the dye in your hair, it’s not possible to treat light, gray or red hair. You can always ask our cosmetic nurses about other treatment options for light and red hair.

Before your treatment

Before your first treatment, it’s important that you are not tanned or have used self-tanners before and between treatments. If the skin is darker than the hair color, the most optimal treatment result is not achieved and there will be an increased risk of side effects, such as a burning.

Therefore, you may experience having to postpone your time for treatment if your skin is too dark. The area to be treated must be shaved with a razor 24 hours before the treatment.

In the periods between treatments, you are welcome to shave with a razor. However, you must not use tweezers or wax treatment.

Under your treatment

Permanent hair removal with GentleLase isn’t uncomfortable, as you know it from other types of permanent hair removal. It feels more like a light sting in the skin. And it is very short-lived.

And there will - in connection with the consultation - be an opportunity to feel how the treatment is on your skin.

After your treatment

Your skin may be a little red and there may be a little swelling around the individual strands of hair - as with goosebumps. This disappears in a few hours.

Some may benefit from finishing with ointment/lotion after the treatment. You can see all the hairs after the treatment, because they don’t disappear immediately. First they will be pushed up to the surface, which happens at the same pace as the other hairs grow, which normally is around 0.1 mm pr. Day. The results can be assessed earliest 2-3 months after the treatment.

Avoid unnecessary skin irritation for 24 hours after treatment and avoid sunlight at the treatment site for 4 weeks after. You should not shave your hair for the first 24 hours to avoid to much skin irritation.

Potential side effects of your treatment

The skin may appear irritated shortly after the treatment and with a slight swelling around the individual strands of hair. Burning of the skin is extremely rare, but can occur if the skin has been immediately exposed to sunlight or is too dark.

If there is a burn or other irritation of the skin, it will be possible to contact a doctor or a nurse.

General contraindications (conditions that argue against treatment)

- Cancer, especially skin cancer
- Pregnancy and breast-feeding
- Use of antibiotics for impure skin
- Active herpes inflammation in the treatment area
- Uncontrolled diabetes
- Tendency to keloid scarring
- Uncontrolled hormonal disorders
- Anticoagulation therapy (blood thinning treatment).
- EpilepsyPast with bleeding coagulopathies - if you are bleeding.
- Pacemaker

Patient information

If you would like to read more about the treatment, you can access our patient information on Acnelan here >>

Does the treatment with permanent hair removal hurt?

The discomfort associated with permanent hair removal really depends a lot on where on the body you are being treated. Some areas are far more sensitive than others.

For example, you are very sensitive in the face and in intimate areas where the treatment may hurt a bit. However, the discomfort is temporary and disappears as soon as your treatment is over.

The cosmetic nurse always makes a great effort to create the best possible experience for you.

The statement "you have to suffer for beauty" applies to most people when it comes to hair removal, but 9 out of 10 people say that it is all worth it!

How many permanent hair removal treatments should I have?

You should expect to get between 6-10 treatments 4 weeks apart to get a permanent result. The reason why a single treatment is not enough, is because your hair is alternately in different stages.

The laser can only remove hair that is in the growth phase, so therefore several treatments are needed to hit all the hairs. When you come to the treatment, you must be freshly shaved, and between your treatments you are more than welcome to shave as you usually do.

This has no negative effect on the result. Between each treatment you will find that you get fewer hairs and they become thinner and finer.

Can blonde hair be removed with laser?

No, unfortunately they can’t. To create the optimal conditions for the laser, your hair must be dark and strong.

That’s why it’s important avoiding getting sun for 4 weeks before your treatment.

The reason why the laser cannot remove light hair is because the light and heat from the laser is absorbed into the pigment of the hair strand, which helps to direct light and heat further down to the hair follicle so that it gets destroyed.

You must not be too dark in the skin during your treatment, as the laser will then not be able to distinguish between the color of your hair and skin. Therefore, autumn and winter, when your skin is light, are the optimal time to start your process.

Will the hairs never come back again?

Basically no. Once the laser has damaged your hair follicles, they can’t return immediately. However, there is a single sampling; hormonal changes.

Major hormonal changes such as pregnancy, PCO or the use of hormone-promoting contraception can have a negative impact on your result and promote your hair growth again.