Is Immediate Hair Shedding Good or Bad?

There is a difference between actual hair shedding and hair burning or popping immediately after the treatment. Real hair shedding occurs at the anagen stage and can happen anytime up to 3+ weeks rather than immediately. Some clients may not notice much shedding compared to others either.

If the client does not shave close enough during the treatment, light energy gets absorbed in the wrong place such as the hair shaft rather than the hair follicles. This causes unnecessary pain, less results because of energy wastage on the hair above the skin, resulting in hair popping out. Clients must shave smooth and as close as possible so that there is no stubble to prevent unnecessary hair singeing.

Immediate hair popping is an illusion to the eye and not actual shedding of hair in the anagen stage which usually happens after a few weeks of treatment. Similar to waxing, it is immediate to the naked eye but it is not follicle destruction. For great laser results, the hair needs to shed naturally after a few weeks with the help of self-exfoliating.

We strongly advise technicians not to create an illusion for customers as this is bad clinical practice. However, some technicians achieve this illusion simply by setting a lower repetition rate (Hz) and leaving a little stubble by not shaving close, increase the energy and let the hair singe off. This is just an illusion and not an indication of a good long-term result.

Picure Showing: 0.5mm to 1mm hair singeing in smoke under a microscope.
Resulting in external hair burning or popping, achieving more pain and less results.