Uh, This Is A Very Shocking (Potential) Side Effect Of Laser Hair Removal

What are your nonnegotiable beauty tips? In our series Essential Beauty, we tap experts for the top three techniques they absolutely swear by. Here, you'll hear from a variety of industry professionals on the failsafe tricks they always keep in their back pockets. We're all about simplifying your beauty regimen wherever you can, and sometimes the best routines are as easy as 1, 2, 3. 

As in-office treatments become more mainstream and professional-grade tools have entered our very own bathrooms, the interest in high-tech devices has boomed. One area in particular has been on the rise: the laser hair removal market has been growing at a rate of just under 20% per year. The interest largely comes from at-home devices, improved professional technology, and (somewhat) lowering costs. 

But with any treatment, there are cautions. That’s exactly what I chatted with board-certified dermatologist Tiffany Clay, M.D. about on a recent episode of Clean Beauty School. The episode itself was about hair removal broadly, but we spent a good deal of time on lasers in particular. 

While Clay is a fan of the procedure (she’s gotten a few treatments herself and considers it “the gold standard”), she does note that it’s not without imperfections. Here, three things she thinks every patient should know.

As Clay notes, laser hair removal is very safe and well-tolerated by many people. However, certain devices can cause issues for a small group of people. This is also why Clay recommends sticking to professional services if you are able. (Basically: skip the at-home tools.) 

“So these devices are not delivering as much energy as a professional treatment would. And because they are emitting lower levels of energy some of them can actually stimulate hair growth—so you may see a little bit more peach fuzz appearing in the area. That's the complete opposite of what we're trying to do,” warns Clay. 

She goes on to further explain that “for some, the wavelengths may not be safe for a skin type. So I always say if you're using an at home device, test a small hidden area first. Give it a few weeks, and then if you don't have any issues, then you can probably go ahead and treat a larger area.”

But ultimately: A professional is your best bet. A dermatologist or licensed esthetician will be able to identify issues before they become a problem, tailor the service towards your needs (more on that below), and help you along the way. 

People equate laser hair removal with permanent hair removal. This isn’t always the case. To start, it may not work for all hair types. “It does not work if you have really light, white, or gray hairs,” she says. “It does not work for these hair shades, because the laser actually targets the pigment or the color that's in the hair in the removal process. That’s how it works.” Essentially, if your hair isn’t dark enough for the laser to register the pigment, the laser won’t have anything to target.

Additionally, even if you do have dark enough body hair—it may not be effective at removing hair for good. “I like to call it laser hair reduction because it may not be permanent for you. So many of us who've gotten it, we'll have to do a touch up treatment here or there once or twice a year,” she says.