Does Laser Hair Removal Work on Facial Hair?

Laser technology is nothing new and has been in use for decades. What is new is how the technology has been refined, granting us far more precision and control. In practice, what this means is that we can safely use laser energy in more delicate areas, such as around your face.

So if you’re curious about laser hair removal and whether it can work on unwanted facial hair, the good news is that, in most cases, we can.

To explain how this works, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Bruce Saal and our team here at Los Gatos Dermatology take a closer look at laser hair removal and how it’s helping our patients say goodbye to unwanted facial hair.

How laser hair removal works

Let’s first quickly review how laser hair removal works for any hair on your body. This technology focuses a single wavelength of energy into the follicles that hold the hair. 

This energy targets the pigment in and around the follicles, which absorb the energy as heat. The heat then disrupts the follicle and, as a result, the follicle releases the hair.

Laser treatments of this kind are becoming increasingly popular in the United States — more than 3.1 million combination laser procedures were performed in 2023 to remove hair, tattoos, and other skin issues.

Addressing facial hair with laser therapy

Now let's move on to why you’re here — whether laser hair removal works on facial hair. At our practice, we use a cutting-edge laser technology called GentleMAX® by Candela, which is safe for most of the hair on your face, with one exception — we don’t use it close to your eyes. 

In fact, we have you wear eye guards during your laser hair removal procedure to protect your eyes.

Laser hair removal on your face is a good solution for both men and women. For example, some men like to shape their beards and moustaches through laser hair removal, rather than performing the often tedious daily upkeep.

Or some men experience razor burn and find that removing facial hair through laser hair removal treatments is a better route for their skin.

Dark-haired women who have noticeable facial hair often come to us rather than undergo painful and frequent waxing and plucking. Through laser hair removal, we can get rid of unwanted facial hair for much longer.

Whatever your goal, you should count on a series of laser hair removal treatments, as hair grows in four different stages. So if some hair is in a dormant or transitional stage, we can identify and target that hair on the next round.

As for final results, these can last for months, and better still, the more you treat your facial hair with laser hair removal, the thinner and finer the hair becomes, making it far less problematic down the road.

If you’d like to see for yourself how our laser hair removal can free your face of unwanted hair, we invite you to contact our office in Los Gatos, California, today to set up an appointment today.