Permanently removing blonde and light hair: LED hair removal explained
Blonde, light and very fine hair is the most difficult case in permanent hair removal: it lacks the melanin that diode and alexandrite lasers target. This page explains why conventional lasers reach their limits here, what LED hair removal does differently and where it too gets no further, namely with white, grey and red hair.
You will find out how many sessions are usual, how light facial vellus hair can be treated and how studios combine laser and LED for mixed hair. The device used is the VCL DERMALIGHT from SIACSKIN, an LED system with 750 to 890 nm for light hair. For dark hair, the DEWEON 4LD and the AlexDUAL UFO are available.
Why is blonde and light hair so difficult to remove with a laser?
Blonde and light hairs lack the melanin that is supposed to absorb the laser energy and convert it into heat. A hair removal laser targets the dark pigment in the hair. The less of it there is, the less heat is generated, and the hair root does not become hot enough to suffer lasting damage. In addition, light hairs are often very thin and release what little heat there is to their surroundings immediately.
An alexandrite laser such as the one in the AlexDUAL UFO still picks up dark blonde hair on fair skin well. For light blonde, very fine hair and vellus hair, SIACSKIN offers the VCL DERMALIGHT, an LED system with a spectrum of 750 to 890 nm that is intended for exactly these hairs.
What does LED hair removal do differently from a laser on light hair?
LED hair removal uses a band of light in the near infrared instead of a single wavelength, and the devices are designed from the outset for hair with little pigment. A laser for dark hair is meant to heat a lot of melanin quickly with a powerful pulse. With a light hair this approach comes to nothing because the target is missing. The principle of action remains the same: light is converted into heat in the hair, and the heat weakens the follicle.
The VCL DERMALIGHT is not a laser but an LED system operating at 750 to 890 nm. It delivers 1 to 50 J/cm² over a spot of 18 × 24 mm and is intended for light, blonde and fine hair as well as vellus hair. For dark or coarse hair, use a laser such as the DEWEON 4LD.
No, LED and IPL are different light sources with different spectra. IPL uses a flashlamp to generate very broad light, which filters narrow down to the desired range. An LED source inherently emits a narrower band and needs neither filters nor a flashlamp for this. A laser, in turn, delivers exactly one wavelength. All three heat the pigment in the hair but differ in how precisely the energy arrives.
At SIACSKIN the division is clear: the VCL DERMALIGHT is the LED system at 750 to 890 nm for light and fine hair. The DERMAFORCE BBL PRO is BroadBand Light at 400 to 800 nm with 9 filters, intended primarily for skin appearance, pigment and redness.
Which hair colours respond to LED: dark blonde, light blonde or vellus hair?
Light, blonde and fine hair responds, that is, the range from medium blonde to light blonde including vellus hair. The decisive factor is that there is still some melanin in the hair, even if only a little. Hairs that are a shade darker at the root than at the tip respond well. The lighter and thinner the hair, the more sessions you should plan for and the more likely it is that some will remain.
The VCL DERMALIGHT is intended for light, blonde and fine hair as well as vellus hair, not for dark or coarse hair. Dark blonde to dark hair is better served by the alexandrite laser in the AlexDUAL UFO or the DEWEON 4LD diode laser. In this way the devices complement each other rather than overlapping.
Why does LED light not work on white, grey and red hair either?
White and grey hairs contain little or no melanin, and red hairs contain almost exclusively the reddish phaeomelanin, which barely absorbs light in the near infrared. Without a pigment that converts light into heat, the hair root stays cold, regardless of whether the source is a laser, a flashlamp or an LED. This is a limit of physics and not a question of device power.
The VCL DERMALIGHT extends the treatable range to light and blonde hair, but not to unpigmented hair. For white, grey and red hair, electrolysis remains the option, as it works independently of hair colour. A tip for the consultation: anyone who is getting their first grey hairs is best advised to have the still pigmented hairs treated while they have colour.
How can I tell whether my hair is too light for laser hair removal?
Hold a plucked hair against a white sheet of paper: if it stands out as clearly dark, it is a case for the laser; if it almost disappears, it is too light. Pay attention to the lower end with the root, because that is where the effect is decided. Sun-bleached tips often conceal a darker root. Thickness counts too: a coarse dark blonde hair responds better than a wafer-thin brown one.
In the studio, a test treatment on a small area settles the matter. If the hairs fall out after 1 to 3 weeks, the method is suitable. At SIACSKIN the rule of thumb is: dark blonde to dark with the AlexDUAL UFO or the DEWEON 4LD; light blonde, very fine hair and vellus hair with the VCL DERMALIGHT.
Does it help to dye blonde hair dark before hair removal?
No, dyeing generally achieves nothing, because the dye only reaches the visible hair shaft and not the root beneath the skin. For hair removal, what counts is the pigment in the lower part of the follicle, a few millimetres deep. Hair dye does not get there. As the area is shaved before every session, the dyed part is gone anyway. Dye residue on the skin can also absorb light and heat the surface unnecessarily.
A method designed for light hair makes more sense. The VCL DERMALIGHT works as an LED system at 750 to 890 nm and is intended for blonde and fine hair as well as vellus hair. Important before the appointment: do not pluck, wax or bleach the hair, only shave, so that the root remains in the follicle.
Can light vellus hair (peach fuzz) on the face be reduced with LED light?
Yes, fine, light vellus hair on the cheeks, upper lip and chin is among the hair types that LED systems are designed for. Vellus hair is the most difficult hair type of all: very thin, barely pigmented and anchored superficially in the skin. Conventional lasers usually leave it untouched. So expect visible thinning over several sessions and not completely smooth skin after the first appointment. Individual dark, coarse hairs on the chin, on the other hand, are a case for the laser.
The VCL DERMALIGHT is intended for light, blonde and fine hair as well as vellus hair. Its spot measures 18 × 24 mm, and the energy can be set from 1 to 50 J/cm². On the face, start low and work your way up according to the skin reaction.
On which body areas is LED hair removal worthwhile for blonde hair?
The most frequently requested areas are the forearms, thighs, abdomen, lower back and face, that is, areas where light hairs are noticeable when backlit. On the lower legs, the underarms and along the bikini line, the hair is often darker and coarser even in blonde people. A laser is more likely to be used there. It is therefore worth looking at each area individually instead of classifying the whole body by the colour of the scalp hair.
With the VCL DERMALIGHT you treat the light areas, and its 18 × 24 mm spot suits the face, arms and thighs. For the darker areas on the same person, use the DEWEON 4LD with spots of up to 15 × 40 mm. That way each area gets the method that suits its hair.
How do you combine laser and LED for mixed dark and light hair?
The laser comes first for the dark hairs, followed by LED for whatever remains light and fine. Many people have both: dark, coarse hair on the underarms and lower legs, light hair on the arms and thighs. In addition, hairs become thinner and lighter over a course of laser treatment until the laser barely picks them up. This is the point at which LED treatment comes in.
In practice, you start with the DEWEON 4LD or the AlexDUAL UFO and switch to the VCL DERMALIGHT for light areas and residual hair. Both methods on the same area on the same day are not necessary. Plan them one after the other or on different areas, and document which area was treated with which device.
How many sessions does LED hair removal take for blonde hair, and at what intervals?
The usual number is 4 to 8 sessions at intervals of 2 to 4 weeks, as specified by SIACSKIN for the VCL DERMALIGHT. The intervals are shorter than with laser treatment on the body, where there are usually 6 to 10 weeks between appointments. As with any light-based hair removal, only hairs in the growth phase are targeted, which is why a course is needed.
How many appointments it takes in the end depends on hair colour, hair thickness and body area. Medium blonde hair on the forearm responds faster than light vellus hair on the face. The result is a clear, long-term hair reduction, and individual hairs may grow back. Record the progress with photos, because with light hair the progress is harder to see with the naked eye than with dark hair.
What happens in an LED hair removal session, and what does it feel like?
The treatment area is shaved the day before, cleansed on site and then treated section by section with the handpiece. Everyone in the room wears protective eyewear. Most people describe the sensation as warmth with a slight tingling. Because light hairs contain little pigment, less heat is generated at each individual hair than with a dark hair under the laser. Slight redness is possible afterwards and usually subsides after a short time.
The VCL DERMALIGHT works with air and water cooling and has two operating modes: in SMART mode the AI supports the settings, in EXPERT mode you set the parameters manually. Forearms or a face are usually treated in 10 to 20 minutes.
Does skin type play a role in the removal of light hair?
Yes, because the lighter the hair, the more important it becomes that the skin is no darker than necessary. The light does not distinguish between melanin in the hair and melanin in the skin. With a blonde hair on tanned skin, the skin absorbs more energy than the hair, and the margin for an effective setting shrinks. The best conditions are untanned skin and appointments outside the sunny months. Self-tanner should have faded completely.
On the VCL DERMALIGHT the energy can be set from 1 to 50 J/cm², and in SMART mode the AI supports the choice of parameters. If the skin tone is uncertain, start with a test patch and wait for the reaction before treating the whole area.
How long does the result last on light hair, and are top-up sessions needed?
The result is designed to be long-term, but with light hair you should expect top-up sessions more than with dark hair. Follicles that have received enough heat produce no hair or only a thin one. Because light hairs absorb little energy, some follicles are only weakened and recover after months. Hormonal changes can also activate dormant follicles. A realistic expectation is a clear reduction with 1 to 2 maintenance sessions a year.
For studios this is easy to plan: after the course of 4 to 8 sessions with the VCL DERMALIGHT, a top-up appointment follows as soon as hairs become visible again. Say this openly in the consultation, and expectation and result will match.
Which studios benefit from an LED device for light hair?
An LED device is worthwhile above all for studios that already offer laser treatment and regularly have to turn down enquiries involving blonde or very fine hair. Every enquiry turned down is lost revenue, and in regions with many light-haired people this affects a large share of the clientele. Added to this are existing clients whose hair has become light and fine after the laser course.
The VCL DERMALIGHT is intended as a complement to the DEWEON 4LD or AlexDUAL UFO and not as a replacement, because it is not designed for dark or coarse hair. Its service life is stated as up to 100 million applications. You can work out with the price calculator how many treatments a month are needed to pay for the device.
