Laser
Laser Hair Reduction
A session-based approach to reducing unwanted hair, planned after assessment and a patch test.
Overview
Why this treatment
Laser hair reduction directs light energy toward the hair follicle. Because hair grows in cycles and only hair in the active growth phase responds meaningfully to any given session, the treatment is delivered as a spaced course rather than a single appointment. A patch test is carried out before a course begins.
Why a patch test comes first
A patch test lets us observe how your skin responds to the settings we intend to use, on a small area, before treating a full region. It is standard practice here and not something we skip, regardless of whether you have had laser elsewhere previously — devices and settings differ.
Why sessions are spaced
Hair on any part of the body is not all in the same growth phase simultaneously. Only hair in its active growth phase is meaningfully affected by a given session. Spacing sessions at intervals allows treatment to catch hair as it enters that phase. The number of sessions appropriate for you varies by individual and by area, and is discussed at consultation rather than promised in advance.
Before each session
Shave the area if instructed — do not wax, thread or pluck, as the follicle needs to be present. Avoid sun exposure and self-tanning products. Attend with clean skin, free of deodorant, makeup or lotion in the area. Tell us about any change in medication, health or pregnancy status since your last visit.
After each session
Avoid heat for the advised period — hot showers, steam, sauna and strenuous exercise. Use sun protection on treated skin. Avoid perfumed products on the area initially. Some shedding of treated hair over the following days is expected. Contact us if you experience anything outside what was described to you.
Honest suitability
Laser hair reduction is not suitable for everyone, and certain hair colours respond poorly to it regardless of technique. If your assessment suggests you are unlikely to get a worthwhile result, we will tell you at consultation rather than sell you a course.
Benefits
What this may help with
Targets hair at the follicle rather than removing it at the surface
Planned as a structured course with defined intervals
Can be performed on a range of body areas, assessed individually
Settings are adjusted for skin tone and hair characteristics
Patch test carried out before a course begins
Reduces reliance on frequent waxing or threading for many people
Suitability
Who may consider it
May be considered by people seeking an alternative to repeated waxing, threading or shaving. Suitability depends on skin tone, hair colour and coarseness, and medical history, and is assessed individually with a patch test. It may not be appropriate during pregnancy, with recent significant sun exposure or tanning, while taking certain light-sensitising medications, or where there is active infection or inflammation in the area. Some hair colours respond poorly and we will tell you honestly if that applies.
The session
The experience
The area is cleansed and eye protection is provided. The handpiece is moved across the area in sections, delivering pulses. Sensation is commonly described as a quick snap or flick of heat against the skin. Cooling is used to improve comfort. Session length depends on the size of the area. Afterwards, redness and mild swelling around follicles are common and typically settle. You will be advised to avoid heat, exercise, hot showers and sun exposure for a period, and to use sun protection on the treated area.
Questions
Anything not covered here, we will walk through during your consultation.
Your consultation is a conversation and an assessment. We ask about your concern and its history, your medical background, medications you take, previous treatments, allergies, and what outcome you have in mind. We then examine the area and discuss which approaches may or may not be suitable.
You will get a clear explanation of what any recommended treatment involves, roughly how many sessions may be appropriate, what preparation and aftercare are required, and what the treatment can and cannot address. There is no obligation to proceed, and you are welcome to go away and think about it.
This genuinely cannot be answered without assessment — and we would be cautious of anyone who tells you otherwise online. The same visible concern can have quite different underlying causes from one person to the next, and a treatment that suits one skin type may be unsuitable for another.
What determines the recommendation is your skin type and sensitivity, the nature and duration of your concern, your medical history and current medications, your previous response to treatments, and what downtime you can accommodate. All of that is what consultation is for.
Preparation varies by treatment and you will be given specific instructions beforehand. Some guidance applies broadly: avoid significant sun exposure in the period before treatment; tell us about all medications and supplements; mention any retinoids, acids or prescription topicals, as some need pausing; disclose any history of cold sores; and let us know about recent waxing, threading or treatments elsewhere.
Attend with clean skin, free of makeup in the area being treated, unless told otherwise.
This varies genuinely between individuals and we will not quote a number before assessing you. It depends on the treatment, the nature and duration of your concern, your skin or hair type, and how you respond as a course progresses.
What we will do is give you a realistic indication at consultation, build review points into your plan, and adjust based on what we actually observe rather than adhering to a number decided at the start.
This is specific to each treatment and you will receive written aftercare guidance covering what was done that day. Broadly, some redness or warmth in the treated area is common after many treatments and typically settles. Some treatments involve a period of dryness or light flaking.
Sun protection features in nearly all aftercare. You will also be told what sensations are expected versus what warrants contacting us — and if anything falls outside what was described, please do get in touch rather than waiting for your next appointment.
Sensation varies by treatment and between individuals, and we describe what to expect honestly before you begin rather than minimising it. Many treatments are described as comfortable or mildly uncomfortable rather than painful. Where appropriate, a topical numbing preparation may be used and given time to take effect.
Comfort is checked throughout any session and you can ask to pause at any point.
Many are, but skin tone genuinely affects treatment selection, settings and protocols — particularly around the risk of post-inflammatory pigmentation. This is assessed individually rather than assumed.
Our general approach for deeper skin tones is conservative: often beginning at a lower intensity and adjusting based on observed response rather than starting aggressively. Where a particular treatment carries a higher risk for your skin, we will tell you and discuss alternatives.
Many aesthetic treatments are not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding, and some are specifically contraindicated. Please tell us if you are pregnant, may be pregnant, or are breastfeeding — before booking where possible, and certainly at consultation.
We will discuss what is and is not appropriate, and in many cases the honest recommendation will be to defer treatment until later. Where a service may be possible, we may ask for clearance from your doctor first.