Hair removal
One of the clearest success stories in aesthetic medicine, with decades of data on who it works for and who needs different settings.
Every option we have graded, best evidence first
Laser hair removal
Treatments
An evidence-based review found the best trial support for alexandrite (3 RCTs, 8 controlled trials) and diode (3 RCTs, 4 controlled trials) lasers, with repeated treatments giving partial hair reduction persisting beyond 6 months. A meta-analysis of hair removal laser trials reported roughly 55 to 58 percent reduction at 6 months after about three sessions, and comparative trials report around 84 to 85 percent reduction at 12 months after four sessions with alexandrite or diode devices.
Laser hair removal
Treatments
Long-pulsed 1064 nm Nd:YAG is the documented safe and effective option for Fitzpatrick IV to VI: in a study of darker-skinned patients, 86 percent had no complications and all complications were transient, with hyperpigmentation the most frequent. Efficacy per session tends to be somewhat lower than alexandrite in light skin, so more sessions may be needed, but meaningful long-term reduction is well supported.
Laser hair removal
Treatments
The claim that laser leaves you permanently and completely hair-free is not what the trials show. The evidence-based review found no controlled evidence of complete and persistent hair removal; what is documented is partial long-term reduction, with regrown hair often finer and lighter. Hormonal conditions, light-colored hair, and stopping short of a full course all reduce results, and many people need maintenance sessions every 6 to 12 months.