As warmer weather approaches, many people begin thinking about reducing the time they spend shaving, waxing or managing unwanted hair.
However, if your goal is to begin laser hair removal before summer, it is important to understand that the process requires more than one appointment.
Hair grows in different stages, and laser energy can only target hairs effectively during a particular part of that cycle. This means that treatments need to be spaced over time rather than completed all at once.
Starting in spring gives you time to attend a professional consultation, complete your required test patch and begin a properly planned treatment course before summer is fully underway.
For clients considering laser hair removal in Geelong, here is why planning ahead can make such a difference.
Why can’t laser hair removal be completed in one treatment?
At any given time, the hairs within a treatment area are progressing through different stages of growth.
These stages are generally described as:
- Anagen, the active growth stage
- Catagen, the transitional stage
- Telogen, the resting stage
- Exogen, when the hair is released and sheds
Laser hair removal is most effective when the hair is actively growing and remains connected to the structures that support the follicle.
The laser emits light energy that is absorbed by melanin, the pigment within the hair. This light energy is converted into heat and directed into the follicle to disrupt its ability to produce hair.
Hairs in the resting or shedding stages are not affected in the same way. As different follicles enter the active stage at different times, the treatment must be repeated across a series of appointments.
One appointment can target some actively growing hairs, but it cannot treat every follicle within an area at its most responsive stage.
How many laser hair removal treatments will I need?
At Vitality Laser & Skin, a general laser hair removal course may involve approximately six to ten treatments.
The number required varies between clients and can be influenced by:
- The area being treated
- Hair colour and thickness
- Hair density
- Your natural growth cycle
- Hormonal influences
- Previous hair-removal methods
- Previous laser or IPL treatments
- Medications and relevant health factors
- Consistency with your treatment schedule
- Individual response to the laser
Facial and body hair can also behave differently. Hormonal areas may require a different treatment approach and may be more likely to need ongoing maintenance.
For this reason, an exact number of appointments cannot responsibly be guaranteed before your hair and skin have been assessed.
Laser hair removal should also be described as long-term hair reduction rather than a promise that every hair will be permanently removed.
Why is spring a practical time to begin?
Spring offers an opportunity to start your treatment course before summer routines, holidays and increased outdoor activity make appointment planning more complicated.
Beginning during spring allows time to:
- Attend your initial consultation and test patch
- Start treating hairs across several growth cycles
- Establish a consistent appointment schedule
- Learn the correct preparation and aftercare
- Understand how your skin responds
- Make any necessary adjustments to your plan
- Begin reducing your reliance on shaving or waxing
It is important to keep expectations realistic. Starting in spring does not mean that an entire treatment course will necessarily be completed before summer.
The timing will depend on when you begin, the treatment area and the intervals recommended by your clinician. However, starting earlier allows you to make progress through your course instead of waiting until peak summer to begin.
Why does consistency matter?
The timing between laser hair removal treatments is planned around the expected growth cycle of the area being treated.
Appointments that are too close together may not allow enough new hair to enter the active stage. Long, unplanned gaps can make it more difficult to maintain the progression of your course.
Your Dermal Clinician will recommend treatment intervals based on factors such as:
- Whether the area is on the face or body
- How quickly your hair regrows
- The density and coarseness of the hair
- Your response to previous appointments
- Hormonal influences
- Changes in your skin or sun exposure
These intervals may change as your treatment course progresses and hair growth begins to slow.
Consistency does not mean treating according to a rigid schedule regardless of your skin. Every appointment should still include a review of any factors that may affect safety or suitability.
What should I know about tanning and sun exposure?
Sun exposure is one of the most important considerations when planning laser hair removal during spring and summer.
Laser hair removal works by targeting melanin within the hair. Tanning increases melanin within the skin, which may change how the skin interacts with the laser energy and increase the risk of unwanted responses.
These may include:
- Burns
- Blistering or crusting
- Increased sensitivity
- Hyperpigmentation or skin darkening
- Hypopigmentation or skin lightening
- Changes to the recommended treatment settings
- The need to postpone an appointment
- You should tell your clinician about recent sun exposure, tanning, sunburn or the use of artificial tanning products before every treatment.
Protecting the treatment area from unnecessary UV exposure and following the clinic’s preparation and aftercare instructions are essential parts of the process.
Starting in spring does not remove the need for sun precautions. It makes planning ahead even more important as the weather becomes warmer.
Can I get laser hair removal in summer?
Yes, laser hair removal can be performed during summer, provided the treatment area has not been recently tanned or sunburnt and you can follow the recommended sun precautions.
The season itself is not the deciding factor. What matters is the condition of your skin, your recent sun exposure and whether the treatment area can be adequately protected before and after your appointment.
Your treatment may need to be postponed if:
- The area has developed a tan
- The skin is sunburnt or irritated
- You have recently used artificial tanning products
- You cannot avoid significant sun exposure around your appointment
- Your clinician believes treatment could increase the risk of an unwanted skin response
This can be particularly relevant when treating exposed areas such as the face, arms or lower legs. Areas that remain covered may be easier to manage during summer, but your individual circumstances still need to be assessed.
If you are planning a beach holiday or extended time outdoors, let your Dermal Clinician know. They can help you schedule appointments around your plans and explain how long the treatment area should be protected.
Laser hair removal does not necessarily need to stop during summer. It simply requires honest communication, careful timing and consistent sun protection.
What is the DEKA Again PRO Plus?
Vitality performs laser hair removal using the DEKA Again PRO Plus, an advanced platform combining two complementary wavelengths:
- 755 nm Alexandrite
- 1064 nm Nd
These wavelengths have different characteristics and interactions with pigment.
The Alexandrite wavelength has a strong affinity for melanin, while the Nd wavelength penetrates more deeply and interacts less readily with pigment at the skin’s surface.
Having access to both wavelengths gives Vitality’s university-qualified Dermal Clinicians greater flexibility when selecting treatment parameters according to the client’s skin, hair and treatment area.
The DEKA Again PRO Plus also offers:
- Multiple treatment modes
- A range of handpiece and spot-size options
- Integrated cooling
- Moveo HR technology
- Settings that can be adapted throughout a treatment course
Moveo HR uses repeated controlled passes across a defined area to gradually build heat. Depending on the client and treatment area, this may support a more comfortable treatment experience.
Advanced technology does not remove the need for clinical judgment. The device must still be used with appropriate parameter selection, assessment and ongoing monitoring.
Learn more about the DEKA Again PRO Plus and laser hair removal at Vitality.
Why is a consultation and test patch required?
Every new laser hair removal client at Vitality must attend a consultation and test patch before their first full treatment.
There is no universal laser setting that will be appropriate for every client.
During your consultation, your Dermal Clinician will consider:
- Your natural skin characteristics
- Hair colour, thickness and density
- The area you would like treated
- Previous laser or IPL treatments
- Recent sun exposure or tanning
- Relevant health and medication information
- Hormonal influences on hair growth
- Your goals and expectations
You will also receive information about how to prepare, what the treatment may feel like and what to expect afterwards.
The test patch allows your clinician to observe how your skin responds to the selected parameters before treating the full area. It also gives you an opportunity to experience the sensation of the laser.
How should I prepare for laser hair removal?
Your exact preparation instructions will be provided during consultation.
General preparation may include:
- Avoiding waxing, plucking and epilating before treatment
- Leaving the hair visible for your initial consultation and test patch
- Shaving before the first full treatment as directed
- Avoiding intentional tanning and excessive sun exposure
- Removing artificial tan from the treatment area
- Informing the clinic about medication or health changes
- Avoiding products that may irritate the area as advised
- Arriving with clean skin free from deodorant, lotion or fragrance where requested
Waxing and plucking remove the hair from the follicle. Because the laser requires pigment within the hair to guide energy toward the follicle, these methods can interfere with treatment.
Shaving removes hair at the skin’s surface while leaving the portion within the follicle available to be targeted.
What happens after treatment?
Temporary redness, warmth or mild swelling around the follicles may occur after laser hair removal. These responses usually settle, but their duration varies between clients and treatment areas.
Your clinician will provide aftercare instructions, which may include:
- Avoiding direct sun exposure
- Applying broad-spectrum sunscreen to exposed areas
- Avoiding hot showers, saunas and intense exercise for the advised period
- Using gentle products on the treated skin
- Avoiding scratching, rubbing or picking
- Allowing treated hairs to shed naturally
- Contacting the clinic if you experience an unexpected reaction
Treated hairs may not disappear immediately. They can remain visible before gradually releasing from the follicles during the following days or weeks.
This shedding should not be mistaken for continued growth or a failed treatment.
Is laser hair removal suitable for every hair colour?
Laser hair removal depends on the presence of pigment within the hair.
Dark, coarse hair commonly provides a stronger target because it contains more melanin. Some finer or lighter pigmented hairs may respond when they contain enough pigment, but the expected response can be more variable.
White and grey hairs generally do not contain sufficient melanin for laser energy to target effectively. Certain blonde and red hairs may also have insufficient suitable pigment.
The most reliable way to understand whether your hair may respond is through an in-person assessment.
What if my hair growth is hormonal?
Hormonal influences can affect the density, location and persistence of hair growth.
This is particularly relevant for areas such as the face, chin, neck and jawline. Conditions and life stages that influence hormones may also affect the number of treatments required and the likelihood of ongoing maintenance.
Laser hair removal may still be considered, but expectations and treatment planning need to reflect these influences.
Your clinician may recommend that unexplained or changing hair growth be discussed with an appropriate healthcare professional.
Why choose Vitality for laser hair removal in Geelong?
The quality of laser hair removal depends on more than the machine being used.
At Vitality, your treatment is supported by:
- University-qualified Dermal Clinicians
- Membership with the Australian Society of Dermal Clinicians
- The advanced DEKA Again PRO Plus
- Dual-wavelength laser technology
- A required consultation and test patch
- Personalised treatment parameters
- Ongoing assessment throughout your course
- More than 20 years of experience caring for the local community
- A commitment to evidence-based treatment and client education
We want clients to understand why multiple treatments are required, what factors may influence their response and how to care for their skin throughout the process.
Thinking about laser hair removal for summer?
If laser hair removal is part of your summer planning, spring is a practical time to begin.
Starting now gives you time to attend your consultation, complete a test patch and begin working through your natural hair-growth cycles before summer is fully underway.
It also allows you and your clinician to plan around sun exposure, holidays and the appropriate spacing between appointments.
Explore laser hair removal at Vitality Laser & Skin in Geelong and book your consultation.
Vitality Laser & Skin is located at Gateway Plaza Leopold, welcoming clients from Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula and surrounding areas.
Individual responses vary. Consultation and a test patch are required to determine suitability, expected outcomes, risks and an appropriate treatment plan.