Laser Hair Removal for Women: 10 Health Facts That Matter

Laser hair removal is a fascinating treatment with incredible results. If you’re new to it or you have pre-existing medical concerns, it makes sense to wonder if it’ll impact your health. 

Today, we explore laser hair removal’s effects on women’s health from every angle, with 10 facts you need to know. 

This post covers the intricacies of the procedure and its real benefits when it comes to your well-being. We also debunk some common myths, so you can start your laser journey feeling informed and confident. 

1. Laser Is a Real Treatment Option

If you’re considering laser hair removal as a woman, know that it’s not frivolous. It can have real implications for your health and well-being. In some cases, it’s a legitimate treatment option for specific health concerns, like hormonal hair growth or the emotional toll of unwanted hair. 

2. It Helps Skin Health 

For many women, especially women with sensitive skin or who are prone to scarring and hyperpigmentation, hair removal can be uncomfortable. Shaving and waxing can cause skin damage that takes years to repair. 

If you’re already practicing hair removal, switching to laser can have a massive positive impact on your skin. 

It targets hair from the root, and prevents regrowth, making it a phenomenal long-term solution for ingrown hair, shave irritation, and even conditions like folliculitis or hidradenitis suppurativa. Once you break the cycle of shaving or waxing, your skin can finally recover from hyperpigmentation or scarring. 

3. It Needs to Be Tailored to You 

Laser hair removal is not a one-size-fits-all procedure. Different women have different needs when it comes to treatment, and it’s a question of both safety and results. 

The biggest distinction is skin tone — those with deeper skin tones are at a higher risk of adverse events if treated with the wrong laser. Always look for providers who can treat you with a laser that will fit your skin tone well. 

Nd:YAG is the best technology for those with darker skin tones, while Alexandrite is best for those with lighter skin tones. 

Beyond that, your provider should also adjust treatment settings like intensity and pulse duration to balance your comfort, safety, and outcomes.

4. Hormonal Fluctuations Affect Results 

The big hormonal changes you go through in life have an impact on how your body will react to laser hair removal. Results are less predictable during periods of big hormonal changes, like puberty, pregnancy, or while taking medications that affect hair growth and hormones. 

In some cases, like pregnancy, it’s important to wait, while with others, like medication-induced hair growth, the benefits of laser hair removal may outweigh the lack of predictability. 

5. But Your Time of the Month Doesn’t Matter

While big hormonal fluctuations over a lifetime can affect laser results, your monthly fluctuations don’t. You can get laser hair removal on any day of your menstrual cycle, including when you’re on your period. 

Laser’s efficacy depends on hair being in the active growth phase of its lifecycle. Your body hair’s lifecycle lasts several months, so the growth phase doesn’t correlate with the menstrual cycle. 

In other words, no matter when you get treated, you can still expect great results. 

That said, you may feel a little uncomfortable or sensitive during certain phases of your menstrual cycle, like your luteal or menstruation phases. Consider booking for a time when you know you’ll be most at ease. 

6. It’s Off-Limits If You’re Pregnant 

You can’t get laser hair removal while pregnant. When it comes to pregnancy, the medical community agrees that treatment safety has to be established through clinical research. 

Because laser hair removal is an elective procedure, research priority is low, so as a rule, the treatment is off-limits during pregnancy. 

This is probably for the best. Pregnancy hormones can stimulate new hair growth, so it’s best to wait until hormones have stabilized post-partum before undergoing laser hair removal. 

7. It’s Often Recommended for PCOS 

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a condition that affects approximately 1 in 10 women in the United States. One of the most common PCOS symptoms is hirsutism, or male-pattern hair growth. 

With greater hair growth comes the frustration and skin irritation of most hair removal methods. Laser hair removal can offer immense relief for women living with PCOS. Many medical professionals recommend it thanks to its convenience and long-term efficacy. 

8. Hair Color Changes Affect Results Too

One of the health-related life changes many women face is graying hair. With age, the melanin-producing cells responsible for hair color start to die off, leading gray or white hair. 

Unfortunately, laser hair removal can’t treat white hair. It relies on melanin in the hair to identify and target the root. This means that if you’ve been thinking about laser hair removal, and you’re starting to see your hair losing its color, don’t wait — commit to your treatment now while it can still work. 

9. Laser Hair Removal Is Gender-Affirming

Gender affirmation is part of women’s health, too. Laser hair removal can play a big role in helping women feel more aligned with their gender, whether transitioning or dealing with hirsutism. 

10. Laser Hair Removal Is Not Bad for Your Health 

There are some common misconceptions about what laser hair removal can actually do in your body. The truth is that it doesn’t go past the skin. Its overall impact on your well-being and comfort can certainly go beyond that, but physiologically, it only affects the hair follicle. That means that it doesn’t affect fertility, cause cancer, or impact the endocrine system. 

Bottom Line

Laser hair removal is an incredibly effective and safe treatment, and its main benefit, lasting hair growth, can have massive positive effects on the rest of your wellbeing. 

When you feel confident and comfortable in your skin, you can show up for yourself in the best ways. 

At SEV, we’d love to let you experience the difference advanced laser hair removal makes (regardless of your gender). Use code HELLOSMOOTH to book your first laser session for free at your nearest location.