Laser Hair Removal is a very high-tech method of removing unwanted hair and can be extremely effective in providing permanent hair removal. But the capability of Laser Hair Removal is dependent upon a number of factors, including (i) the kind of laser being used, (ii) the color of your hair, (iii) the color / variety of your skin and (iv) the stage of the hair in the hair growth cycle.

Today there is at least 5 types of laser that are used for hair removal. Choosing the most effective laser type for your hair will depend on your hair color and your skin type. And even if you get it correct, you still might not be left with permanent hair removal instantly. You see, the answer lies in the hair growth cycle, and more especially, what stage of the cycle your problem hair is in.... sounds complex - it is !

Before we become acquainted with the hair growth cycle, it is critical to comprehend just how Laser Hair Removal literally works. That is, to understand exactly how you can accomplish permanent hair removal, acquiring knowledge of the laser process is crucial.

The laser process doesn't actually physically remove the unwanted hair. The energy from the laser literally travels through the skin, and is drawn in by the pigment in the hair follicle and shaft. When this energy is drawn into a hair, the follicles are damaged, which then impairs that specific hairs ability to grow. Eventually the hair will fall out, typically within a matter of weeks.

Getting an insight into how the laser operates is critical. You need to always remember that the laser doesn't just make the hair fall out immediately. It actually impairs the ability of a hair to grow, causing it to eventually fall out. Now that we have a brief understanding of how the laser performs, it is time to get an understanding of how the hair growth cycle relates to the permanency of laser hair removal.

If the hair is in the right stage of the growth cycle, then permanent removal is more likely, otherwise further Laser Hair Removal sessions will be necessary. You see, the hair growth cycle encompasses three stages, and the permanence of Laser Hair Removal is more foreseeable when the hair is in one stage particularly - the growth stage.

The growth cycle of hair includes 3 distinct stages : (1) Active/Anagen (2) Regressive/Catagen (3) Resting/Telogen.

Laser hair removal is more effective in the Anagen stage where the hair contains the most pigment, and is most sensitive to the laser light. If the laser treatment is applied when the hair is in either of the 2 other phases, then the possibility of permanent hair removal is lesser.

Everyone's hair grows differently, and factors affecting hair growth include: age, weight, metabolism, hormones, genetics, medications and environmental influences. However, irrespective of how these factors influence individual hair growth, hair itself grows through three differing phases:

1. The ACTIVE or ANAGEN growth phase, consists of approximately 85 % of our body hair at any given moment in time and can last up to several years. During this stage, the hair shaft and follicle has an opulence of pigment and is most affected by the laser light.

2. The REGRESSIVE or CATAGEN phase is the period during which the hair stops growing but is not yet shed. This phase often lasts a number of weeks comprising about 3 - 4% of our total body hair at any given moment in time. The laser will work in this stage, but if it is late in this part of the cycle, a new hair might already be coming through and the new hair will not be affected by the laser.

3. The RESTING or TELOGEN phase lasts 5 - 6 weeks, at the end of which the hair falls out and the new hair arises. The new hair might not be affected by the laser because it will not have pigment in it yet, remembering that the laser literally relies on the pigment to find the hair. Approximately 10-13% of our body hair is in this phase at any one time.

So now we understand the growth cycle of hair, it needs to be asked, "Is permanent hair removal actually possible?" The answer is Yes, Laser Hair Removal can definitely provide a level of permanency. As you can see, if a hair in the Active/Anagen stage is exposed to the laser, then that hair will most likely be killed permanently. If a hair that is in either of the other 2 stages is exposed to the laser, then that hair will most probably be killed, but the new hair coming through will still continue to grow.

So the tip on Laser Hair Removal is that you will most likely require a few sessions to ensure that your unwanted hair is removed permanently. You could be lucky - your first Laser hair removal session will permanently remove all of your unrequired hair, but the possibility is that you will need multiple sessions at set intervals to ensure that you get to the hair when it is in the first stage of growth. And that is all there really is to understand, permanent Laser Hair Removal is definitely achievable !