Laser hair removal: procedure, sessions, skin types and results
How many sessions does laser hair removal take, does it hurt, and does it also work on dark skin or blonde hair? Here you will find the answers from the treatment perspective: preparation, procedure, aftercare, possible side effects and realistic results for the face, bikini line, back and beard.
For each question we name the device that suits the case: the DEWEON 4LD diode laser for all skin types, the AlexDUAL UFO with alexandrite and Nd:YAG for fair to very dark skin, and the VCL DERMALIGHT LED system for light, fine hair. That way you know what to ask for at the studio.
How many sessions does laser hair removal take and how long does one session last?
Usually 6 to 8 sessions are needed, and a session lasts anywhere from a few minutes to around an hour, depending on the area. Several appointments are necessary because the laser only affects hairs in the growth phase, and that is only ever a proportion of all hairs. The intervals follow the hair cycle: about 4 to 6 weeks on the face and 6 to 10 weeks on the body. The upper lip or underarms take 5 to 15 minutes, while both legs or a back take 30 to 60 minutes.
How quickly it goes also depends on the device. The DEWEON 4LD works with spots up to 15 × 40 mm and up to 30 Hz, the AlexDUAL UFO with square spots up to 40 mm.
Is laser hair removal really permanent and how long do the results last?
The result generally lasts for years, but it means a marked, long-term reduction in hair rather than complete hairlessness for ever. Follicles that were hit during the growth phase and sufficiently damaged no longer produce coarse hair. Individual hairs can still grow back, usually finer and lighter: from follicles that were dormant during the course of treatment, or because hormones stimulate new hairs. Many people therefore come back once or twice a year for a top-up.
How stable the result is depends on hair colour, skin type and body area, and on whether the device suits the combination of skin and hair. With alexandrite and Nd:YAG, the AlexDUAL UFO covers skin types I to VI, and with its four wavelengths the DEWEON 4LD covers all skin types for pigmented hair.
Most people describe the sensation as a brief twinge or a warm pinprick, similar to a snapping rubber band: easy to tolerate, but noticeable. It is stronger where the hairs are dense and coarse and the skin is thin, that is, on the bikini line, underarms and upper lip, and in the beard area. It usually becomes more comfortable from session to session because fewer hairs absorb energy.
Cooling makes the biggest difference. The DEWEON 4LD cools the skin through a sapphire at temperatures down to minus 50 °C directly at the handpiece. In addition, the studio can work with the KYROMASTER, which cools the skin with cold air down to minus 50 °C before, during and after the pulse.
What should I look out for with laser hair removal on dark skin?
Above all, make sure that the studio works with a long wavelength and treats a test patch before the first session. With skin types V to VI, the risk of burns and of lighter or darker patches is higher than with fair skin. A careful studio will therefore determine your skin type, start with a conservative energy setting and only increase it once your skin has tolerated the test patch well after a few days. Expect a few more sessions, and protect the area from the sun before and after every appointment, because even dark skin tans further. Dark, coarse hair responds well.
Ask specifically about the device: for skin types V to VI, the AlexDUAL UFO has a 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser on board, and the DEWEON 4LD is designed for all skin types with four wavelengths.
Can blonde, grey or red hair be removed permanently?
Blonde and very fine hair can be reduced with a suitable device, whereas white, grey and red hair barely respond to light and laser. The reason is melanin: it absorbs the light energy, and the less of it there is in the hair, the less heat reaches the root. Dark blonde hair on fair skin is still picked up well by an alexandrite laser such as the one in the AlexDUAL UFO.
For light, blonde hair and vellus hair there is the VCL DERMALIGHT, an LED system with a spectrum of 750 to 890 nm. The usual course with it is 4 to 8 sessions at intervals of 2 to 4 weeks. For white, grey and red hair, electrolysis remains the method that works regardless of hair colour.
Can you laser tanned skin, and is laser hair removal possible in summer?
Freshly tanned skin should not be lasered, but treatment in summer is possible if you consistently protect the treated areas from the sun. A tan means more melanin in the epidermis. It then absorbs part of the energy intended for the hair, and the risk of burns and pigment spots rises. The usual practice is 2 to 4 weeks without sun, sunbeds and self-tanner before the appointment and a high sun protection factor afterwards.
The wavelength the studio uses plays a major role: longer wavelengths such as 1064 nm are absorbed less by the epidermis. The AlexDUAL UFO offers them via its Nd:YAG laser, and the DEWEON 4LD selects wavelength and energy automatically via its AI skin analyser.
Does laser hair removal work on the face, for example on the upper lip and chin?
Yes, the upper lip, chin, cheeks and sideburns are among the most common areas, as long as the hairs are dark enough. On the face the hair cycle is shorter, so sessions are only about 4 to 6 weeks apart. The eyes are shielded by protective eyewear, and no laser is applied directly at the eye. Dark chin and upper lip hairs respond well. Light vellus hair, on the other hand, is not suitable for the laser because it lacks pigment.
The AlexDUAL UFO is designed for face and body and, with its alexandrite laser, also picks up finer dark hairs. The LED system VCL DERMALIGHT is intended for light, blonde vellus hair on the face.
Is laser hair removal possible on the bikini line and in the intimate area?
Yes, the bikini line is one of the most rewarding areas because the hairs there are dark and coarse and absorb a lot of energy. The classic bikini line is possible, as is the whole outer intimate area; mucous membranes are left out. The skin there is often slightly more pigmented than on the rest of the body, and more sensitive. For this reason, an adapted wavelength, the right energy and good cooling matter more than on the legs or arms.
The DEWEON 4LD selects wavelength and energy automatically via its AI skin analyser and cools through a sapphire at temperatures down to minus 50 °C. The spots range from 15 × 15 mm for smaller areas to 15 × 40 mm for larger areas.
How well does laser hair removal work for men on the back, chest and beard?
It works well for men because back, chest and beard hair is usually dark and coarse, but it often needs more sessions than for women. Male body hair is dense and strongly hormone-driven, so 8 to 10 sessions are more typical, plus occasional top-ups. On the back and shoulders it is about area and speed. In the beard the hairs sit deep and dense, and lasering is more noticeable there. Defining the beard line on the neck and cheeks is popular because far less touch-up shaving is needed there afterwards.
For large areas, large spots are key: the AlexDUAL UFO works with square spots up to 40 mm, the DEWEON 4LD with up to 15 × 40 mm and up to 30 Hz.
Does laser hair removal help with hormone-related hair growth, for example with PCOS?
Yes, the existing hairs can be reduced markedly, but the laser does not treat the hormonal cause. With PCOS, during the menopause or with certain medications, hormones keep stimulating new follicles, typically on the chin, upper lip, neck and abdomen. This is why more sessions are usually needed, followed by regular top-ups. It makes sense to have the cause medically investigated in parallel, because as long as the hormones keep stimulating hair, new hairs will grow.
Because these hairs are usually dark and coarse, they respond well to the laser. The AlexDUAL UFO is designed for face and body and, with alexandrite and Nd:YAG, covers skin types I to VI.
Shave the area the day before or on the morning of the appointment, and avoid waxing, sugaring, epilating and plucking from about four weeks beforehand. The laser needs the hair in the root as a conductor for the heat. If it has been pulled out, the pulse has nothing to act on. A hair above the skin, on the other hand, would burn at the surface, which is why you arrive with the area shaved smooth. Also avoid sun, sunbeds and self-tanner for 2 to 4 weeks beforehand, and come without cream, deodorant or make-up on the area. Tell the studio about all medications you take, because some make the skin photosensitive.
At the studio, your skin type is then determined. With the DEWEON 4LD, an AI skin analyser selects wavelength and energy automatically.
What do I need to bear in mind after laser hair removal?
Cool the skin, treat it gently and protect it from the sun: these are the three rules for the first few days. Avoid saunas, hot baths, exercise that makes you sweat and tight, rubbing clothing for 24 to 48 hours. Do not use exfoliants or alcohol-based or perfumed products on the area; use a soothing, moisturising skincare product instead. Avoid direct sun and sunbeds for at least two weeks and apply sunscreen with a high sun protection factor. The treated hairs fall out by themselves in the 1 to 3 weeks afterwards. Do not pluck; shaving is allowed.
Many studios provide post-treatment cooling straight after the session, for example with the KYROMASTER, whose cold air is also designed for post-treatment cooling. You will find more on care in the SIACSKIN aftercare guide.
Redness and small swellings around the hair follicles are normal and usually subside after a few hours to two days. They show that the hair has absorbed the energy. Less often, blisters, crusts or temporarily lighter or darker areas of skin occur, especially with tanned or dark skin, excessive energy, or sun exposure shortly after treatment. Scarring is very rare and almost always the result of an incorrect setting. If redness or pain lasts longer, contact the studio.
The risk falls with a suitable wavelength, good cooling and careful dosing. With the AlexDUAL UFO, the SIA AI uses cameras on the handpiece to set skin type, body area and energy automatically, and cooling is provided by a compressor and quadruple cooling system.
Treatment is not carried out during pregnancy, on freshly tanned skin, with inflammation, open wounds or herpes in the area, or while taking photosensitising medication. This includes certain antibiotics and isotretinoin for acne. Tattoos, permanent make-up and dark moles are left out or covered because their pigment absorbs the energy. If you have a tendency to form raised scars, a history of skin cancer, epilepsy or a chronic skin condition, a medical assessment should be carried out beforehand.
A good studio asks about all of this in the initial consultation and records it. For this purpose the DEWEON 4LD includes client management system with client data, treatment area documentation and shot counting.
Yes, it is considered one of the most effective methods for treating ingrown hairs because it addresses the cause: the regrowing hair itself. Ingrown hairs occur when a shaved or pulled-out hair stays under the skin as it regrows or curls back into the skin, typically on the bikini line, underarms and legs, and in the beard area in people with tightly curled hair. With every session, fewer and finer hairs grow back, and the skin becomes calmer. Inflamed areas should have healed before lasering.
People with dark, curly hair and darker skin are often affected. This calls for the right wavelength: the AlexDUAL UFO comes with the Nd:YAG laser for skin types V to VI, and the DEWEON 4LD with four wavelengths for all skin types.
