The simple answer is yes-- laser can sometimes actually stimulate more hair growth. A recent article published in The Journal of Dermatologic Surgery reported that widespread use of lasers by a variety of users (nurses, doctors, beauty technician) has led to a surprising yet increasingly common side effect -- stimulation of hair growth. In fact, this may be as high as 1-10% depending on the type of laser that is used. In addition, this regrowth is most common among individuals with ethnic skin- particularly South Asians and Mediterranean ethnic groups.
Why does laser actually stimulate more hair? There are several explanations -- all of which stem from improper use of lasers.
The most common reasons for failure of laser hair removal reported in Dermatologic Surgery are:
1. Using inadequate ('too weak') energy on ethnic skin for fear of creating scarring/pigmentation
2. Not creating a deep enough treatment zone (again for fear of burning/ scarring) which may in turn stimulate new growth
Fortunately, this side effect is preventable by an experienced physician using the correct laser at the correct depth. In fact, according to scientific studies, the treatment of increased hair after laser hair removal is actually laser used at proper treatment parameters!
If you have been unfortunate enough to experience increased hair growth after laser treatment, I recommend finding a board certified dermatologist or other appropriately trained physician to perform your procedure.
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