Laser hair removal is a medical procedure whereby body hair is treated with a laser light to prevent re-growth. With a few repeated sessions, laser hair removal can eliminate the need to shave beards, legs, underarms, bikini lines, backs, or other areas.

Laser hair removal works by allowing melanin in the hair follicle to absorb laser heat. Melanin, responsible for pigment, surrounds the part of the follicle responsible for re-growth. The darker the hair color, the more melanin the hair contains and the more heat it absorbs. When the follicle absorbs enough heat, the re-growth mechanism becomes permanently damaged. The hair follicle dies, the hair falls out, and new hair is not regenerated.

Laser hair removal is not recommended for everyone, however. The epidermis or skin also contains melanin -- the darker the skin, the more melanin it contains. If hair is lighter than the surrounding skin, the skin will absorb more heat than the hair. Therefore a very tan person with blonde hair is the wrong candidate for laser hair removal, while a fair person with dark hair is the ideal patient.

For people with semi-dark skin but darker hair, there are factors that work in favor of laser hair removal. As long as the hair is darker, it will absorb more heat, and since the skin has a larger surface area, the skin cools faster than hair. Therefore, when pulses of laser light are used, and the skin is possibly treated with a cooling agent, the hair follicles can be kept hot, while the skin can be kept relatively cool.

In virtually all cases, laser hair removal requires multiple treatments, because hair can only be effectively treated when it is in a stage of growth termed the anagen phase. Since hair grows in cycles and does not enter the anagen phase at once, sessions for laser hair removal are spread out to treat new hair growth that was 'dormant' in previous sessions. The number of sessions required varies between people.

Prior to laser hair removal, electrolysis was the favored method. Both require multiple sessions, but that's where similarities end. In laser hair removal, the laser shines over an area of skin that encompasses several hairs, treating multiple follicles at once. Electrolysis directs an electric shock to each individual hair, one at a time, and is commonly reported to be uncomfortable. Laser hair removal, on the other hand, might cause the skin to feel as if it's lightly sunburned, but is fairly pain-free.

The cost for laser hair removal varies, but experts stress the importance of finding a reputable clinic with experienced doctors. While patients commonly require three to five sessions for a good result, an upper lip is likely to require fewer treatments than the legs, back or chest. One session averages 500 US dollars (USD) and additional fees are usually incurred.