Stage of Hair Growth
If you’re tired of waxing, shaving, plucking, and working hard to get your skin soft and smooth, you might be looking to invest in a laser hair removal package. During treatment, pulses of light energy are used to heat hair follicles and prevent regrowth. However, successful laser hair removal depends a lot on the hair growth cycle. Find out more about the three stages of hair growth below and why they matter for laser treatments.
The First Stage – Anagen
The Anagen Phase, also known as the ‘Growth Phase’ or ‘Active Phase’ is the first stage of the hair cycle. It’s when the cells in the root of the hair are most rapidly dividing so more new hair is formed. It’s easy to know when your hair is in this cycle as new strands will appear, ready for removal. Hair will remain in this stage of the cycle for two to three weeks and this is the phase that’s most responsive to laser hair removal. This is because hair is actively pigmented only during the Anagen Stage of the cycle. A laser hair removal specialist will space your appointments out appropriately to ensure all hairs are treated while in the Anagen Phase.
The Second Stage – Catagen
The Catagen Phase marks the end of the Anagen Phase. During this short time period which lasts approximately ten days, active hair growth stops, and individual hairs are cut off from the blood supply and from the cells that produce new hair. The hair leaves the papilla at the base of the hair follicle ready to shed.
When it comes to permanent laser hair removal, the follicle must be damaged by the laser light. It’s not always easy to reach the follicle when the hair separates from the papilla which is why repeat sessions of laser are required to target all the hairs during their unique hair cycle journey. A laser expert will schedule your appointment according to the hair cycle.
The Third Stage – Telogen
The third stage of the hair growth cycle is known as the Telogen or Resting Phase. During this period, the hair doesn’t grow, and the follicle is inactive. A small white bulb of keratin keeps the hair in the follicle until it’s ready to shed and the whole hair growth cycle is triggered once again. The laser will not work during the Telogen phase.
So, as you can see it’s really important for all unwanted body hair to be treated with laser hair removal during the anagen phase when it’s actively growing and full of pigment. When the hair starts to cut from the blood cells and become dormant, laser hair removal is not effective. Luckily hair removal specialists understand the whole process and will work with you to produce the best hair removal results possible. You’ll need a course of treatment and possibly some maintenance sessions, but the results should be positive.
The most important part of laser hair removal is to stick to a schedule and to be patient. Book your laser hair removal in Hampshire today.
