Waxing and Laser Services located at Cambridge, MA

Grow Your

Knowledge

Learn more about laser hair removal and how it works!

Do you know where you are on the Fitzpatrick scale of skin tone? This is the best time to familiarize yourself on hair growth cycles and the overall process of laser hair removal.

What You

Need To Know

What you need to know about hair growth cycle

While your hair follicles grow in repeated cycles, they do not grow at the same time. Each strand has their own pacing. For instance, one hair strand’s first stage may be another strand’s last. Therefore, when you undergo laser hair removal, just know that not all hair is zapped away forever, and that’s normal.

Every time a new cycle of hair growth occurs, there are three stages that occur known as: Anagen, Catagen, and Telogen, which we will discuss further below.

A closer look on the three stages of hair growth

Active Growth Phase

Anagen

First off is Anagen; this is where your hair is at its most visible as it grows above the skin. This stage can last for as long as 2-3 weeks, depending on how long that hair will grow out. The root of your hair is also at its largest and abundant in melanin – the dark pigment that gives color to the hair. This stage makes the best time to undergo a laser procedure because of the more effective transfer of heat energy towards the hair follicle.

Transition Phase

Catagan

As the hair grows, there is a brief period where it stops as the hair follicle is given time to reduce in size. This is known as Catagen in the hair growth stage. It is a transitional period, which typically lasts for a few days, wherein the follicle is separated from the dermal papilla – a cell that aids in the regeneration of hair follicle. After which, it falls off.

Resting Phase

Telogen

Even hair growth needs a resting stage. Telogen is the stage where your hair becomes fully detached from the root and is practically invisible. This where the laser hair removal procedure may not be as effective. It can take some time, lasting between a few weeks to years, before it triggers the anagen phase again.

How It Works

Laser Removal

How exactly does laser hair removal work? Why is it the most effective way to remove hair? This is because of a process called selective photo thermolysis where the melanin found in the hair follicle absorbs heat from the laser. Melanin serves as a good heat conductor, which makes it a good attractor for the laser beam. As the energy from the beam is converted to heat, it zaps off the hair, travelling to shaft up until the bulb itself. This is where your dermal papilla – the cell responsible for regulating hair growth – sheds off after it gets contact with heat.

When done regularly, the laser removal procedure will reduce hair growth and make it finer over time. Ideally, it should take after two sessions to see the effects.

Familiarize yourself with your skin tone

Earlier, we have mentioned the Fitzpatrick scale of skin tone. This is a numerical-based classification of the human skin color based on its response to ultraviolet (UV) light. It is broken down into six categories:

Type I

Always burns, never tans, palest

Type II

Usually burns, but tan is minimum, light colored

Type III

Occasional mild burn, tans evenly, honey or olive

Type IV

Minimal burns, tans well all the time, moderate brown

Type V

Rarely burns, tans quickly, dark brown

Type VI

Never burns, deeply pigmented, darkest brown

Knowledge