Unwanted hair is hair growing in a place or an amount a person would rather it did not, driven largely by genetics and hormones. Laser hair reduction targets the pigment in the hair, so hair color and skin tone both shape the plan. It is treated at Coastal Dermatology + Aesthetics in San Luis Obispo.
How much you grow was decided for you
Hair pattern is inherited and hormonally driven. How much you grow, how coarse it is and where it turns up is set by your family and by your hormones rather than by anything you have done, and it changes across a life as hormones do. That is why a pattern can appear in your thirties that was never there before, and why two people the same age look completely different.
Whether any of it is unwanted is entirely your call. There is no clinical threshold for too much hair and no version of this where a preference needs justifying. What a dermatology practice adds is a route that actually reduces it rather than removing it again every week, and an eye on the small number of cases where a sudden change is worth understanding.
The thing that decides your result is color, not effort. Laser reduction works by the light being absorbed by pigment in the hair, so it works best on dark hair. It works least well on hair with little pigment in it, which is why gray, white, red and very blonde hair respond poorly whatever the machine. That is physics rather than a limitation of one device, and anybody promising otherwise is selling something.
Worth having looked at rather than assumed
- Coarse dark hair that appeared suddenly on the face, chest or abdomen
- A noticeable change in pattern over a short period
- New growth alongside irregular periods, or alongside thinning hair on your head
- Persistent bumps, ingrown hairs or dark marks in a shaved or waxed area
Laser reduction targets pigment in the hair, so dark hair responds best and hair with little pigment in it responds least. That is physics rather than a machine specification, and it is the first thing worth knowing.
What causes it
Genetics, which set the pattern
Hair distribution runs in families and it tracks ancestry more than anything else. What counts as a lot of hair varies enormously between families and between populations, and none of that says anything about health. It is the single biggest factor and it was decided before you were born.
Hormones, which move it over time
Hormonal shifts change hair pattern across a lifetime, which is why growth appears in new places around pregnancy, around perimenopause and around any significant hormonal change. Some medications do the same. This is ordinary and it is the most common reason people come in having noticed something new.
The small number of cases worth a closer look
Where coarse dark hair appears rapidly in a male pattern on a woman, particularly alongside irregular periods or thinning on the scalp, that combination is worth understanding rather than only treating. It usually turns out to be nothing that changes anything, and it is a straightforward conversation to have at the visit where somebody looks. Sudden change is the signal, not the amount.
Treatments most patients need, spaced to catch hair at different points in its growth cycle. [1] Hair grows in shifts, so each session reaches follicles the last one could not.
Will it work on your hair? Four things decide it
This is the question worth answering before you spend anything, and most of it you can work out yourself. Four factors decide how well laser reduction performs on a given person, and only one of them is about the machine.
| Factor | What favors a strong result | What makes it harder |
|---|---|---|
| Hair color | Dark brown or black hair, where the pigment gives the light something to absorb | Gray, white, red or very blonde hair, which has little pigment. This is the one that cannot be worked around |
| Hair coarseness | Thicker, coarser hair, which responds more readily | Fine downy hair, which responds less well even when it is dark |
| Skin tone | Any skin tone can be treated effectively, and advances have made that possible in experienced hands [1] | A recent tan, which changes the settings that are safe to use whatever your skin tone |
| The area | Larger areas with dense growth, treated as a course | Small scattered patches, which are sometimes better handled another way |
Skin tone deserves its own sentence, because the old advice was wrong. Laser hair reduction was historically described as suiting light skin with dark hair, and that framing persists on plenty of pages. Deeper skin tones can be treated very effectively now, and what it requires is the right settings and somebody experienced choosing them. [1] Tanned skin is the genuine constraint, and it is temporary.
If your hair is gray, white or very light, say so before you book. It saves a consultation fee and it is the honest answer.
Areas we treat
Face, upper lip and chin
The most common request, and where hormonal change shows first
Neck and jawline
Where shaving irritation and ingrown hairs concentrate
Underarms
Small, dense and one of the most satisfying areas to finish
Bikini and legs
The largest areas by surface, and where a course is planned around your calendar
Chest, back and shoulders
Dense growth over a large area, which suits a course well
Anywhere shaving leaves bumps
Where reducing the hair reduces the irritation with it
Best experience of my life! Helpful and take care of me on the spot!
The Coastal difference
The settings are the treatment, and somebody chooses them
Every laser in this category does roughly the same thing. What differs between a good result and a poor one is the judgment about settings: how much energy, what pulse, how it is adjusted for your hair color and your skin tone, and what gets changed between sessions as your hair responds. That judgment is the service. The machine is the easy part.
It is also why the assessment comes first here. Your hair color, your coarseness, your skin tone and whether you have any color on your skin right now all change what is safe and effective, and they are looked at before anything is aimed at you. If your hair is unlikely to respond, you will be told that at the start rather than after three sessions. And where something in the pattern is worth understanding rather than only treating, you are already in a dermatology practice.
How long most patients stay hair free after a course, and what does return comes back finer and lighter than it was. [1] Occasional maintenance is normal rather than a sign anything failed.
Is it right for you?
This is a good conversation to have if:
- Your hair is dark and you are tired of shaving, waxing or threading the same area
- Shaving leaves you with bumps, ingrown hairs or the bumps and dark marks left behind
- You have a deeper skin tone and have been told elsewhere that laser is not for you, which is out of date [1]
- You want to know the number of treatments before you commit to anything
Worth raising at the consultation:
- Gray, white, red or very blonde hair, which responds poorly whatever the device
- A recent tan, which changes what settings are safe. That one is temporary
- Coarse dark hair that appeared rapidly, especially alongside irregular periods or scalp thinning
- Any medication you take, and any history of cold sores in a facial treatment area
Preparation is simple and it matters: no tanning, indoors or out, no sunless tanner, and daily broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher on the area beforehand. [2]
Getting the most out of a course
Worth doing
- Keep your appointments on the interval you were given, since the spacing is what catches hair in different growth phases [1]
- Shave the area rather than waxing or plucking between sessions, because the follicle needs its hair to be there
- No tanning, indoors or out, and no sunless tanner before a session [2]
- Daily broad-spectrum sunscreen, SPF 30 or higher, on the treated area [2]
- Expect a course rather than an appointment, and know your number before you start
Worth knowing
- Most patients need two to six treatments, and hair grows in shifts, which is the whole reason for the spacing [1]
- Most people stay hair free for months or years, and what returns is finer and lighter [1]
- Occasional maintenance is normal and is not a sign anything went wrong [1]
- Reducing the hair usually reduces shaving irritation and ingrown hairs along with it
- It generally does not require any real downtime [1]
Treatments we offer
Assessment first, then a course sized to your hair and your skin. Pick a treatment to see how it works.
What treatment costs
What a course costs depends on the area and on how many treatments your hair needs, which is established at the consultation. You get the number of treatments before you commit, rather than an open-ended course.
What decides it
Family and hormones, rather than anything you did
What laser targets
The pigment in the hair, which is why hair color matters most
Typical course
Most patients need 2 to 6 treatments [1]
What to expect after
Most patients stay hair free for months or years; what returns is finer and lighter [1]
Unwanted hair frequently asked questions
Hair color, coarseness, skin tone and the area. Three of the four you already know about yourself, which means you can predict most of your own result before you book. The four factors above set them out.
Offered at
Ready to stop shaving it? Request an appointment
Fill out the form below, book online in Santa Maria (opens online scheduler), or give us a call. Cosmetic and aesthetic appointments need no referral. For medical dermatology, we are accepting new patients by referral from your primary care physician; send the referral across and then use the same form.
Cosmetic consultations are $125, paid at booking and credited toward the cost of treatment.
Sources and medical review
1. American Academy of Dermatology Association. “Laser hair removal: FAQs.” States that “most patients need 2 to 6 laser treatments,” that “you can expect a 10% to 25% reduction in hair after the first treatment,” that “most patients remain hair free for months or even years” but that “some of the hair regrows” and is “finer and lighter in color,” that maintenance treatments may be needed, that the treatment “works best for patients with light-colored skin and dark-colored hair” while advances now allow treatment of light hair and dark skin, that it “generally does not require any real downtime,” and to “choose a board-certified dermatologist to perform laser treatments.” https://www.aad.org/public/cosmetic/hair-removal/laser-hair-removal-faqs · Medical Organization
2. American Academy of Dermatology Association. “Laser hair removal: Preparation.” “Do not tan (outdoors and indoors),” “do not use sunless tanners,” apply sunscreen that is “broad-spectrum, SPF 30+, and water-resistant” every day before going outdoors, and tell your dermatologist about any medicine you take, including isotretinoin. https://www.aad.org/public/cosmetic/hair-removal/laser-hair-removal-preparation · Medical Organization
Content on this page is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Laser hair reduction reduces hair rather than removing it permanently, and results vary with hair color, hair coarseness, skin tone, the area treated and hormonal factors. Hair with little pigment responds poorly. Treatment carries risks including temporary redness and swelling, and less commonly blistering, burns and lasting changes in skin color; the risk is higher on recently tanned skin. This treatment is not suitable on tanned or sunburned skin, during pregnancy, alongside medications that increase sensitivity to light, or on or shortly after a strong oral acne medication. Tell us about any history of cold sores before a facial treatment. Individual results may vary. Cosmetic consultations are $125, paid at booking and credited toward the cost of treatment.