If you've looked into laser hair removal, you've probably noticed nobody wants to give you a straight number. Here's ours: most people need a course of six to eight sessions, spaced four to eight weeks apart.
And there's a genuinely interesting reason why it can't be done in one.
Your hair grows in shifts
At any moment, only a portion of your hair follicles are actively growing. The rest are resting — dormant, waiting their turn. The laser only affects follicles in the active phase; the resting ones simply aren't listening.
So one session treats one shift of follicles. A few weeks later, a new shift has woken up — and that's your next session. Six to eight sessions, timed to your hair's own cycle, is how the whole workforce gets covered. That's also why the spacing matters as much as the count: sessions too close together just treat the same shift twice.
At Broadway Retreat we advise you on the right gap for your case as your course goes on, because the ideal spacing shifts with the area being treated and how your hair responds.
What a session is like
Honestly? Less dramatic than you're imagining.
- It starts with a patch test. Before any course begins, we test a small area — so you know exactly how it feels, and we know exactly how your skin responds.
- The sensation is usually described as the flick of a small elastic band. If you find it more than you want to put up with, we can apply a numbing cream for your full sessions.
- Time: anywhere from ten minutes for a small area to about an hour for a large one.
The platform we use — the elōs Plus® Motif — is suitable for all skin types, and it's just as effective for men as for women. Chests, backs and shoulders are some of the most popular treatments we do.
The rules that protect your results
A few things genuinely matter around a laser course, so we'll say them plainly:
- No tanning for four weeks before treatment — sun or sunbed.
- No waxing, plucking or hair-removal creams for four weeks before. (Shaving is fine — the follicle stays where the laser can find it.)
- SPF30 or higher on treated skin that sees sunlight, during your course and for four weeks after.
None of this is fussiness. Tanned skin and missing follicles both get between the laser and its target, and the rules exist to protect your skin and your results.
Is it worth it?
That one you can answer yourself: add up what you spend on razors and waxing over a decade, then add the time. Long-term smooth skin, no morning shave, no regrowth cycle to manage — it's one of the most popular treatments we offer for a reason.
Start with the patch test. Arrange your consultation, or read more about laser hair removal at Broadway Retreat.