The process
How Laser Hair Removal Works
The science in plain language, plus exactly what to expect from your first phone call to your final maintenance session.
Laser hair removal works by selective photothermolysis: a laser pulse is tuned to a wavelength that melanin absorbs strongly. Pigment in the hair shaft converts that light into heat, which travels down to the follicle and disables the cells that regrow hair, while a cooling tip keeps the surrounding skin at a safe temperature. Because it only works on follicles in the active growth phase, 6–10 sessions spaced 4–8 weeks apart are needed for a permanent reduction.
The science, briefly
Hair and skin both contain melanin, but not in equal concentration. In a hair follicle it is densely packed in the shaft; in skin it sits diffusely in the upper layer. A laser exploits that difference.
The Alpha Pro emits at 808 nanometres, in the near-infrared. That wavelength is absorbed well by melanin but passes through water and haemoglobin, so it reaches the follicle 2–5 mm below the surface without cooking everything on the way. The absorbed light becomes heat. Heat above roughly 70 °C destroys the follicular stem cells and the dermal papilla — the structures that build a new hair.
The window for doing that safely is narrow, and it is controlled by three settings: fluence (energy per square centimetre), pulse width (how long the energy is delivered) and cooling. Longer pulses at lower fluence spread the heat over time, which is exactly what makes darker skin safe to treat.
Why one session can never be enough
Every follicle cycles independently through three phases:
- Anagen — active growth, shaft attached to the papilla. The only phase a laser can destroy.
- Catagen — transition, the follicle detaches and shrinks.
- Telogen — rest, then shedding.
At any given moment only around 20–30% of the follicles in an area are in anagen. That is the ceiling on what a single session can achieve, no matter how good the machine is. Repeat sessions spaced to the area's cycle length catch successive waves — which is why the interval matters as much as the energy.
Interval by area
- Face and neck — every 4 weeks (fast cycle)
- Underarms and bikini — every 5–6 weeks
- Arms, legs, back and chest — every 6–8 weeks
Coming in more often than your cycle allows simply wastes a session on follicles that are not there yet.
Who is a good candidate?
- Best results: dark, coarse hair on any skin tone
- Good results: medium-brown hair, fine dark hair over more sessions
- Limited response: white, grey and true red hair — there is no melanin for the laser to target, on any machine
Tell Marzi about
- Isotretinoin (Accutane) in the last 6 months
- Photosensitising medication — some antibiotics, retinoids, St John's wort
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Active cold sores near the treatment area
- A history of keloid scarring or hyperpigmentation
- PCOS or other hormonal conditions
None of these is automatically disqualifying. They change timing and settings, which is exactly what the consultation is for.
Step by step
Your treatment, start to finish
Free consultation (15 min)
Skin type assessment on the Fitzpatrick scale, hair colour and density check, medical history and medication review, then a patch test on a small area. You leave with a written quote and a realistic session count — not a sales pitch.
Preparation, 24 hours before
Shave the area — do not wax, pluck, thread or epilate for two weeks beforehand, because the laser needs an intact root to target. Arrive with clean skin: no lotion, deodorant, makeup or self-tanner on the treatment area.
The session
Protective eyewear on. Marzi passes the cooled handpiece over the area in overlapping sweeps. You will feel warmth with a brief snap at each pass. Ten minutes for underarms, up to 50 for full legs.
The first 24 hours
Mild redness and follicular bumps are normal and settle within a few hours. Skip saunas, hot tubs, hot yoga and intense exercise for a day. Cool compresses and fragrance-free moisturiser if needed. SPF 30+ on exposed areas for two weeks.
Days 7–21: the shed
Treated hairs push out of the follicle and fall away. It can look like regrowth — it is not. Gentle exfoliation helps them clear. Shave freely between sessions; that is the one hair-removal method that does not interfere.
Sessions 2 through 10
Each visit catches a new wave of follicles entering the growth phase. Density drops, regrowth comes back finer and lighter, and intervals stretch out as there is less left to treat.
Maintenance
After the course, most people book one or two touch-ups a year, usually for hormone-driven regrowth. Some never need another session at all.
Process questions
Underarms take about ten minutes. Upper lip is closer to five. Bikini and Brazilian run 15–25 minutes, full legs 40–50, and a full-body session about 90. Power Motion Technology moves in continuous sweeping passes rather than single stamped shots, which is where the speed comes from.
Expect mild redness and small raised bumps around each follicle for a few hours — that reaction means the follicle absorbed the energy. Keep the area cool, use a fragrance-free moisturiser, and skip hot tubs, saunas, hot yoga and heavy workouts for 24 hours.
Use SPF 30+ on any treated area that sees daylight for the following two weeks. Do not pluck or wax between sessions — shaving is fine and encouraged.
Treated hairs shed 7–21 days after each session, which often looks like new growth but is the follicle pushing the dead shaft out. Most people notice a visible thinning after the second or third session. The clearest gains usually come between sessions three and six.
Yes, with care. The constraint is not the season but the tan: freshly tanned skin has more melanin at the surface, which changes safe settings. Keep treated areas out of direct sun and covered or under SPF 30+ for two weeks either side of a session, and avoid self-tanner entirely during a course. Many Okanagan clients start courses in autumn for this reason.
New clients
50% off your first laser session.
Consultation and patch test are free. Book by phone, or drop in — 1856 Ambrosi Rd #120, just off Highway 97 in central Kelowna.