Laser hair removal for hormonal hair growth: PCOS, menopause and pregnancy
Hormones help determine where and how strongly hair grows. With PCOS and hirsutism, during pregnancy and breastfeeding, after coming off the pill or during the menopause, hair growth changes, and with it what laser hair removal can achieve. This page is about realistic expectations, more sessions, maintenance appointments and paradoxical hair growth.
For each question we name the matching device: the DEWEON 4LD diode laser for all skin types, the AlexDUAL UFO with alexandrite and Nd:YAG for skin types I to VI, and the VCL DERMALIGHT LED system for light, fine hair. Where illnesses and medication are involved, the cause belongs in a doctor's hands.
What is hirsutism and how can you recognise hormone-related hair growth in women?
Hirsutism means that a woman grows coarse, dark hair in a male pattern: on the chin and upper lip, on the neck, between the breasts, along the line downwards from the navel, on the inner thighs or on the lower back. The triggers are male hormones (androgens) or follicles that are particularly sensitive to them. The most common cause is PCOS, but often no underlying condition is found at all. If irregular cycles, acne or hair loss on the scalp are also present, a doctor should check the hormones.
These hairs are a good target for the laser because they contain a lot of pigment. The AlexDUAL UFO is designed for face and body and, with alexandrite and Nd:YAG, covers skin types I to VI.
How many sessions does laser hair removal take for PCOS and hirsutism?
With PCOS and hirsutism you should expect more sessions than usual: instead of 6 to 8 it is often 8 to 10, sometimes more, every 4 to 6 weeks on the face and every 6 to 10 weeks on the body. The reason is not that the laser works less well. During the course of treatment, hormones keep waking up follicles that were not yet producing hair at the first appointments, and each session only affects hairs in the growth phase.
Success becomes visible early all the same: the hairs become finer, lighter and grow back more slowly. The DEWEON 4LD works with four wavelengths for all skin types. Its client management system documents treatment areas and shot counts, so that progress can be followed even over a long course of treatment.
Why does hair grow back with PCOS after laser hair removal?
Because the laser only switches off the individual follicle, not the hormonal stimulus that activates new follicles. The skin contains a great many hair follicles that only produce fine vellus hair. Under the influence of androgens, they gradually convert into coarse, dark hairs. What comes back after a completed course of treatment is therefore usually not old hairs that survived, but new ones. This is not a treatment error but the course of the hormonal imbalance.
In practical terms: the density stays markedly lower than before, but individual new hairs appear. With its alexandrite laser, the AlexDUAL UFO also picks up finer dark hairs of the kind typical at this stage.
How do you plan maintenance sessions for hormone-related hair growth?
What has proved effective is, after the initial course of treatment, not lasering at fixed intervals but as needed: as soon as enough hairs are visible again to be bothersome. This is usually every 3 to 6 months, and later often only once or twice a year. A maintenance session is short because only a few hairs are left. Between appointments you shave, not pluck, so that the laser finds a hair in the root next time.
For studios, a clear offer for this is worthwhile, such as an annual package with top-ups. The DEWEON 4LD includes client management system with client data, treatment area documentation and shot counting. This lets you see which area was treated when and how the intervals are developing.
Does laser hair removal work better if the hormones are treated medically in PCOS?
Yes, as a rule the result lasts longer if the hormonal cause is treated medically at the same time. The two approaches complement each other: medication can slow the activation of new follicles but does not remove the coarse hairs that are already there. That is what the laser does. Hormonal treatment usually takes about 6 months before it shows in hair growth. Whether and which therapy is appropriate is decided by your doctor; the studio does not make a diagnosis.
You do not have to wait until the hormones are stabilised before starting laser treatment. The only important thing is to tell the studio about all medications. The AlexDUAL UFO covers skin types I to VI with alexandrite and Nd:YAG and is designed for face and body.
More hair on the abdomen and face during pregnancy: does it stay, and why is it not lasered?
Usually it does not stay: hormones temporarily cause more and darker hair to grow on the abdomen, breasts and face, and it often recedes by itself in the months after birth. Treatment therefore makes little sense during this time. In addition, lasering is not carried out in pregnancy as a precaution, because there are no studies proving safety for the unborn child. The skin is also more sensitive now and more prone to pigment spots.
A course of treatment in progress is simply interrupted and continued later, and the success achieved so far is not lost. Until then, shaving is the simplest solution. The client management system of the DEWEON 4LD records, with treatment area documentation and shot counting, where the course of treatment stood.
When can you have hair lasered again after giving birth and while breastfeeding?
It makes sense to restart once the hormones have settled, often about 3 to 6 months after birth. Before that, some of the pregnancy hair recedes by itself anyway, and you would be paying for sessions for hairs that would disappear regardless. No danger is documented for the breastfeeding period, but there is hardly any data either. Many studios therefore wait until after weaning or at least leave out the breasts and nipples. If in doubt, a brief conversation with your gynaecologist or midwife helps.
After a break the course of treatment does not start from zero; a few sessions are usually enough. With the AlexDUAL UFO, the SIA AI uses cameras on the handpiece to set skin type, body area and energy automatically.
Is laser hair removal worthwhile during the menopause if the hair is already turning grey?
Yes, as long as the hairs still have pigment, and that is exactly why you should not wait too long. During the menopause, oestrogen levels fall, male hormones become relatively more dominant, and coarser hairs grow on the chin and upper lip. Dark hairs respond well to the laser. Once they are white or grey, the melanin that absorbs the light energy is missing, and the laser barely reaches the root any more. For individual white hairs, electrolysis then remains the option.
Often the picture is mixed. The AlexDUAL UFO takes care of dark hairs, as its alexandrite laser also picks up finer dark hairs. Light, blonde and fine hairs are a job for the LED system VCL DERMALIGHT.
How can you tell with hirsutism whether laser hair removal is working?
Three things show it most reliably: you need to shave less often, the regrowing hairs are finer and lighter, and the hair-free periods between appointments become longer. Because new hairs are added during the course of treatment with hormonal hair growth, looking in the mirror is easily misleading. Photos of the same area in the same light, taken before the session and at the same interval since the last shave, are more reliable. Doctors also use a scoring scale (Ferriman-Gallwey score) that rates hair growth in several body areas.
If no change shows after several sessions, the laser settings and the hormonal cause need to be reviewed. The DEWEON 4LD documents treatment areas and shot counts in its client management system. For before-and-after images, SIACSKIN offers a cloud platform.
Does the pill affect the result of laser hair removal and what happens after stopping it?
The pill does not stand in the way of laser hair removal, but switching or stopping it can change hair growth. Some preparations dampen the effect of male hormones, and fewer coarse hairs grow while they are being taken. When this effect falls away, new hairs may appear on the chin, upper lip or abdomen in the following months. This looks like a setback for the course of laser treatment but is a hormonal adjustment. It often settles after a few months, and a few additional sessions are then enough.
Tell the studio if you change your contraception. When oestrogens are being taken, facial skin is also more prone to pigment spots, so consistent sun protection is a must. The DEWEON 4LD selects wavelength and energy automatically via its AI skin analyser.
Does the thyroid influence hair growth and laser hair removal?
The thyroid mainly changes hair quality and the hair cycle; as a rule it does not trigger coarse hair growth in a male pattern. With an underactive or overactive thyroid, hair tends to become dry and thin or to fall out. While the levels fluctuate, however, the success of a course of laser treatment is harder to judge because growth and resting phases shift. If the thyroid is well controlled, there is generally nothing against treatment. Thyroid hormones are not considered photosensitising, but mention them at the initial consultation all the same.
If excessive hair growth develops for the first time, it is worth having a medical blood test that covers the sex hormones as well as the thyroid. With four wavelengths, the DEWEON 4LD is designed for pigmented hair on all skin types.
Paradoxical hair growth or hormonal regrowth: how can you tell the difference?
Paradoxical hair growth appears in or directly next to the treated area: there, fine vellus hair turns into darker, longer hair a few weeks after the sessions. Hormonal regrowth, by contrast, follows the pattern of the hormones and also occurs in places that were never lasered. The paradoxical effect is rare. Women with a hormonal imbalance, darker skin types and areas with a lot of vellus hair such as the neck and jawline are more often affected. Energy that is too weak, stimulating the follicle instead of switching it off, is considered a possible trigger.
It is usually treated by continuing to laser the area with sufficient energy. With the AlexDUAL UFO, the SIA AI uses cameras on the handpiece to set skin type, body area and energy automatically.
When should excessive hair growth be medically investigated before laser hair removal?
Hair growth should be assessed by a doctor if it appears suddenly, increases markedly within a few months or is accompanied by other signs: absent or irregular periods, severe acne, hair loss on the scalp, a deeper voice or rapid weight gain. PCOS, other hormonal disorders or medications may be behind it. The studio does not make a diagnosis. A good initial consultation does ask about exactly these points and, if in doubt, recommends investigation before a long course of treatment begins.
If, on the other hand, the hair growth has been unchanged since youth and runs in the family, treatment can start straight away. In its client management system, the DEWEON 4LD records client data and treated areas, so that the studio keeps track of progress over the course of treatment.
Which medications can increase hair growth and what does that mean for lasering?
Increased hair growth can be triggered by, among others, cortisone preparations taken over a long period, testosterone and anabolic steroids, minoxidil and some immunosuppressants. As long as the medication continues to be taken, it stimulates new hairs, and laser hair removal becomes an ongoing task with regular top-ups. Do not stop taking anything on your own initiative: whether there is an alternative is something you clarify with the doctor who prescribed it.
For the studio, it also matters whether a preparation makes the skin photosensitive; if so, the appointment is postponed or medical advice is sought first. That is why the complete medication list belongs in the initial consultation. The DEWEON 4LD treats the existing pigmented hairs on all skin types with four wavelengths.
Which laser is suitable for hormone-related hair growth: diode, alexandrite or Nd:YAG?
What matters is skin type and hair colour, not the hormones: dark, coarse hair responds to all three laser types. On fair skin, the alexandrite laser at 755 nm works very effectively, including on the finer dark hairs that remain after a few sessions. On dark skin, the Nd:YAG at 1064 nm is the safer choice. The AlexDUAL UFO combines both for skin types I to VI. The DEWEON 4LD diode laser also covers all skin types with 755, 808, 940 and 1064 nm.
Hormonal hairs often become lighter and finer over the course of treatment. The LED system VCL DERMALIGHT is intended for blonde residual hairs and vellus hair; white hairs are not reached by any of the devices.
