Each individual hair is formed inside a hair bulb deep in a hair
follicle. The follicle is a tiny but powerful factory, which throughout
many people's lifetime hardly ever stops working. From a baby's
birth for many decades, as much as a century in some people, the
follicle continues to produce hairs.
None of these treatments affects the growth of the hair in the
hair bulb, even though some may seriously damage the hair shaft.
Finally the hair spontaneously falls out. The follicle rests
for a little while, and then starts to produce yet another new
hair. This is the hair cycle.
Stages of the hair cycle
Between starting to grow and falling out years later, each hair
passes through three distinct stages. These are so important that
they have been given special names: anagen
(the growing phase), catagen
(the intermediate phase) and telogen
(the shedding phase).
When you understand these stages you understand how
laser hair removal works and why you need multiple treatments.
So, if the hair is up and about and has visible pigment it is
in its anagen phase. Its pigments can absorb the laser and the
follicle can be destroyed.
When the hair is its resting phase or catagen/telogen phase it
is not visible or capable of absorbing the laser light and no
destruction of the follicle will occur. So, it makes sense to
have multiple treatments in order to obtain the 90% , +, or –
10% permanent reduction standard. The hair needs to be up and
about in order to be destroyed.
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Common places for Laser Hair
Removal
