Every strand of hair in the body will pass through 3 stages of the hair growth cycle: anagen (growth phase), catagen (regressive phase), and telogen (resting phase). Laser hair removal can destroy hair at its roots and therefore prevent any new growth only during the anagen, or growth, phase. Therefore, it is necessary to have multiple treatments before a patient is able to get permanent hair removal results. Each treatment can target and affect only the hair follicles that are just entering their growth phase and shut down that follicle before it can produce a new hair. IPL (intense pulsed light) uses a variety of wavelengths at a more diffused light. This type of laser hair removal setting is perfect for treating patients who have lighter skin tones. IPL lasers were originally used for treating certain superficial skin flaws such as age spots and broken capillaries. However, the areas in and around the treatment areas were noticeably affected.
Laser Hair Removal and Hair Growth Cycles
How Do Laser Hair Removal Treatments Work?
Hair Growth Stages
LHE (Light and Heat Energy) is a method of treating the area using more heat than light to remove unwanted hair. This setting is preferred for treating patients with darker skin tones. Darker skin tones can be harmed if an incorrect setting is used because the focused laser is drawn to the melanin in the skin, and if it is set incorrectly, it can cause serious burns. The human body has over 5 million hair follicles, and only a third of them are at the same hair growth stage at any given time. Women have fewer hair follicles then men and will, in most cases, need fewer treatments for certain areas than men will.
Anagen (Growth) Phase
Laser hair removal is the most effective when it is used on hair follicles that are in the anagen (growth) phase. A hair strand is directly connected to the papilla during the anagen phase. The papilla and hair strands are connected to the blood vessels that will feed the hair and therefore enable the growth of new hair. When a hair strand receives laser hair removal during its anagen phase, the heat from the treatment is absorbed by the melanin in the hair and then passed along to the papilla. The heat that is absorbed by the papilla will destroy the root of the hair and therefore prevent any new growth. This is what makes permanent hair removal the most effective during the anagen phase. The melanin in the hair strand is the highest during this phase, allowing the most heat to be transferred.
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Catagen (Regression) Phase
Hair follicles begin to shrink and will start to detach from the papilla during the catagen phase. Laser hair removal treatments can still be performed on the hairs during this stage. However, the results will not be as effective because there is no longer a direct link to the root of the hair strand.
Telogen (Resting) Phase
Hair stops growing completely at this stage. The hair strand is no longer attached to the papilla. Therefore, laser hair removal treatments will not work in the telogen stage.
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The Toronto Hair Transplant Clinic
Toronto, ON, M4Y 2P2, Canada
Phone: (647) 351-0061
Fax: (647) 343-0277
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(647) 930-0307
