What areas can be treated?

Laser hair removal can be used to treat unwanted hair on both men and women.

Females tend to choose areas including the top lip, chin, legs, underarms, and the bikini area or bikini line, including Hollywood or Brazilian style results.

Men often choose laser hair removal for their chest, back and shoulders, or neck, ears, and face (for in-grown hairs in the beard area).

If you suffer from ingrowing hairs, laser hair removal is a good option to consider for both the face and body. Laser hair removal will stop the hair follicle from producing the hair, so your hair will not be able to grow inwards or under the skin and cause inflamed bumps.

Laser hair removal is an effective method of reducing excessive hair growth if you have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). You may find you need a couple more sessions than normal but having PCOS does not prevent you from having laser treatment and we have many clients who have benefitted from this treatment, which is often not available on the NHS.

If you are looking for transgender laser hair removal as part of your transitioning journey, we can help. We offer full body hair removal packages which offer significant savings over single areas. Our therapists are experienced in this area and are always happy to offer advice with absolute discretion.

What is the difference between IPL and Laser for Hair Removal?

IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) is not a laser; it is a broad-spectrum light. This means that instead of the energy being directed into the hair follicle, it is spread out across the skin. There are 3 main types of laser which are common in laser hair removal, these are Alexandrite, Nd:YAG and Diode. These penetrate to the correct depth within the skin to target the hair follicle, with all the energy being directed downwards where it is most effective. IPL is effective for laser hair removal, but can be painful, you will likely need more sessions, and results will take longer to be noticeable.

Will I need a consultation for laser hair removal?

At ERA Skin & Laser Clinic, we offer laser hair removal for all skin types because we have three medical grade lasers, two of which are more suitable for darker skin types.

A consultation and patch test are always required to ensure you are suitable for the treatment before any treatment takes place. A patch test involves treating a small patch of the area where you are wanting laser hair removal to test how your skin reacts to the laser light, and to ensure an appropriate starting level for your treatment.

Following your patch test you will need to wait 48 hours. Providing there is no reaction you will be fine to start your laser hair removal treatment.

What can I expect during treatment?

Following your consultation and patch test, your therapist will mark the area to be treated using a white pencil. This provides an opportunity for you to check that you are happy with the area which will be treated (particularly useful when treating the bikini area). You will be provided with a pair of dark glasses to protect your eyes from the laser light (or eye shields if having laser hair removal on the face). A cooling gel will be applied to the area being treated and your laser treatment will then start. The laser will glide quickly over the area.

After treatment the gel and markings will be removed, and a restorative cream applied to help keep the area cool and hydrated.

How long does laser hair removal take?

Depending on the area you are having treatment, your laser hair removal session can take anywhere from 15 to 60 minutes. The top lip, chin and underarm are generally very quick areas to treat. The bikini area can take 20 minutes for bikini line, or up to 30 minutes for a Hollywood laser treatment. Full legs take the longest time, around 60 minutes.

How many treatment sessions are recommended?

You will require multiple sessions of laser hair removal, and this will vary depending on the area being treated. Treatment packages are available for all areas offering savings.

Most people require 8-10 sessions of laser hair removal, one every 6 weeks to ensure optimal treatment of the hair follicle. You should expect to lose around 12% of the hair in the treated area each time you come for treatment.

Your hair grows in four phases, called anagen (growing), catagen (regressing or transitioning), telogen (resting), and exogen (shedding). The laser is only effective on hairs in the catagen, the growing or active, phase. Your hair is always at a different stage of hair growth, so, for example, on each part of your body you will have hairs in various stages of activity. A typical hair growth cycle is 4-8 weeks, depending on where on the body the hair is located. You therefore need to have multiple sessions, 4-8 weeks apart to ensure all the hairs are affected by the laser.

Is laser hair removal safe?

Laser hair removal is safe to have all year round, but you will need to make sure that areas being treated are not exposed to the sun during the summer months without the use of sunscreen.

We use the award winning Xlase Plus system with its Alex Pro laser. This is a combination of an Alexandrite laser, which is the gold standard for laser hair removal, and a diode laser which is safe for all skin types.

What conditions are contraindicated for laser hair removal?

Advances in laser hair removal mean that most hair and skin types can be successfully treated with laser hair removal. As lasers require pigment (colour) in the hair to target, you will not be suitable for laser hair removal if you have blonde, white or red/ginger hair because there is not enough pigment to draw in the laser light.

If you have a suntan, it is best to wait until your tan has faded before resuming your laser hair removal treatment. This is because the laser is attracted to the colour in your skin which can lead to burns.

You should not have laser hair removal when you are pregnant or if you are trying to get pregnant.

Does laser hair removal hurt?

You may feel a small prickle when the laser passes over a hair follicle, but it is not painful.

Treatment is very quick, thanks to the motion speed handpiece which allows us to glide over large areas. This means you need to spend less time in the treatment room and will see results more quickly than you would from IPL hair removal.

Is there downtime after laser hair removal?

After your treatment you will be provided with aftercare advice. This includes avoiding any heat treatments such as saunas or hot tubs. You should also avoid the gym for 24 hours. Avoiding heat after laser hair removal is important because your skin will still retain heat from the laser treatment and whilst you will not be able to see or feel this, it will be exacerbated by any heat treatments.

You may shave hair in the area you are having treated, in between laser hair removal sessions, but you cannot wax, pluck, or tweeze. This is because these methods remove the hair from the skin, meaning there is no hair for the laser to target. Shaving only cuts the hair off at skin level, meaning there is still hair within the skin for the laser to target at your next appointment.

What are the possible side effects from laser hair removal?

Potential side effects for laser hair removal treatment include, itching, redness and burning.

Always ensure your therapist is Level 4 qualified. Level 4 is a specialist laser qualification which means you can be confident in the skills of your laser provider, like our team at ERA Skin & Laser Clinic in Oxfordshire.

When will I see results?

Everyone is different but at ERA most of our clients see results after their second or third session using our Alex Pro laser. These include reduced hair growth and slower hair growth, particularly on the underarm and bikini areas.

How long does laser hair removal last?

Laser hair removal is effective at reducing hair growth and you should expect around 96% hair removal from your treatment. It cannot be regarded as permanent as hair regrowth in the future is subject to hormonal changes.

Depending on your hair and skin type you may need top-up sessions after 2 years. Sometimes hair can regrow but the results from one treatment course are usually enough for most people.