Are maintenance sessions needed after a complete laser hair removal treatment course?

After a complete laser hair removal treatment course, do you need to come back? It all depends on the area treated and on the role hormones play in your hair growth. On areas that respond very well to the laser, such as the bikini line and lower legs, you can be hair-free for many years, even decades. However, hormone-related hair growth, such as on the face in women or the beard in men, generally requires regular maintenance sessions. The rhythm is always personalised.

What is a maintenance session?

It is an occasional session, carried out after the end of the treatment course, to treat hairs that have appeared since. It is not a matter of starting the whole treatment again, but of targeting regrowth. As fewer hairs remain, these sessions are often shorter than those of the treatment course.

Why can hair grow back after the treatment course?

A follicle destroyed by the laser does not grow back. But some follicles can become active later, especially under the influence of hormones: polycystic ovary syndrome, a change of contraception, pregnancy or the menopause. Fine, fair hairs that were invisible until then become thicker and darker. These changes only concern hormone-dependent areas, mainly the face: the lower legs or underarms are not affected. Such regrowth does not mean the treatment has failed.

How many maintenance sessions should be planned?

It cannot be predicted in advance: many patients never need one, while others have them regularly. For example, with facial hirsutism linked to polycystic ovary syndrome, regular maintenance is essential: the laser remains the most suitable hair removal method, but the result is not permanent as long as the hormonal cause persists. There is no point in scheduling maintenance sessions in advance without visible regrowth.

How do you know whether you need a maintenance session?

If you see hairs reappearing on a treated area, book a consultation with Dr Milène VERA to review the situation. She will look for the cause and suggest what to do. Maintenance sessions are as effective as those of the treatment course on dark hair, provided the same preparation instructions are followed: no sun, no wax and no epilator. Fine, fair hairs, however, remain poorly responsive to the laser.

Frequently asked questions

Are maintenance sessions included in the price of the treatment course? Maintenance sessions are carried out on request, outside the initial treatment course. The team will tell you their price, at the centre or through Doctolib messaging.

Do men need more maintenance than women? Often, yes. Male hair is denser and more hormone-dependent, particularly on the face, chest and back. The beard most often requires maintenance sessions.

Can I have a maintenance session several years after the treatment course? Yes, there is no time limit. New hairs can be treated however long it has been since the end of the treatment course, following the same preparation instructions and with the same contraindications.

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