Unwanted hair and laser hair removal
Laser hair removal gives a long-term reduction in unwanted hair on the face or body, on light and dark skin alike: the longer 1064 nm wavelength is the one used for darker and tanned skin. A course is usually six to eight sessions, and hair thins visibly from the second or third. No laser removes every hair, and a doctor checks first when new hair growth may be hormonal.
At a glance
- Who you’ll see
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- Dr. Svetlana Tagaeva Medical Director
- Where
- CREAMÉ, 350 Al Wasl Road, Jumeirah 1, Dubai
- What may help
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- excel HR Laser hair removal
The short answer
Laser hair removal works on every skin tone when the wavelength is matched to your skin. Expect a course of sessions spaced weeks apart, with little or no downtime.
What it is, and why it happens
Unwanted hair is simply hair you would rather not have, wherever it grows: the face, underarms, bikini line, legs, chest or back. Shaving and waxing work for a while but bring stubble, ingrown hairs and irritation; laser offers a longer-lasting reduction.
Laser works because the pigment in the hair absorbs the light: the heat travels down the hair and disables the follicle that makes it, while the surface of the skin is cooled. Only follicles in their growing phase respond, and hairs take turns to grow, which is why it takes a course rather than one session. Dark hair responds well; white, grey, blonde and red hair has too little of the pigment the laser targets.
Skin colour matters too, because skin pigment can absorb the light as well. The longer 1064 nm wavelength goes deeper with far less absorption by skin pigment, which is why it suits darker and tanned skin; matching the wavelength and settings to the skin is what makes laser workable on every skin tone.
For most people it is normal hair and the choice is personal, but in women, new or fast-growing hair in a male pattern can be a sign of a hormonal condition. In men, the same laser is also used to reduce razor bumps, the ingrown hairs of the beard and neck.
What may help
excel HR · Laser hair removal
This dual-wavelength laser combines 755 nm, for finer, lighter hair on lighter skin, with 1064 nm, for darker and tanned skin, and a continuously cooled sapphire window protects the surface. A course is usually six to eight sessions, four to six weeks apart on the face and six to eight weeks on the body; treated hairs shed within one to three weeks, a reduction is usually visible after two or three sessions, and one or two touch-ups a year maintain it. In a pooled analysis of trials, the two laser types it uses reduced hair by about 40 to 55 percent on average, measured six months or more after the last session, with results improving as sessions are repeated. A session takes from five minutes for a small area to about an hour for the legs or back, and each pulse feels like a warm snap, softened by the cooling. Downtime is usually none to minimal: a few hours of mild redness around the follicles. Less often there are blisters, burns or patches of darker or lighter skin, more likely on tanned skin, and rarely scarring.
What to be careful with
Tanned skin is the main thing to be careful with. A tan adds pigment to the skin, which raises the risk of burns and of dark or light patches, so we wait for a tan to settle, or adjust the wavelength and settings, rather than risk a burn.
On the face and neck, laser can rarely stimulate new hair instead of reducing it, more often with darker skin, dark thick hair or a hormonal condition; guidelines advise warning women of Middle Eastern or Mediterranean background with excess facial hair about it in particular. It is treated with further laser sessions.
What won't help: waxing, plucking or threading between sessions, which pull out the hair the laser needs to reach (shaving is fine), or expecting every hair to go. Even after a full course some hairs remain, and with a hormonal condition hair tends to regrow, which is why treating the cause alongside matters.
What matters in Dubai
Skin types IV to VI are common in Dubai, and tans come and go all year, from the beach, the pool and travel. Protect treated areas with sunscreen or clothing between sessions, tell us about recent sun at every visit, and move a session that falls just before or after a holiday in the sun.
A full course runs over six months to a year, so for a wedding, Eid or a summer away, plan ahead and keep the sessions at their intervals rather than squeezing them together. Sessions can continue through Ramadan and the summer heat; skip saunas and hard workouts for a day or two after each.
When to see a doctor first
In women, hair that appears suddenly, grows quickly, or comes in a male pattern (the upper lip, chin, chest, stomach or back), especially with irregular periods, acne or thinning scalp hair, deserves a hormonal check-up before laser. Polycystic ovary syndrome is the usual cause; a rapid change, or signs such as a deepening voice, needs prompt investigation. Laser still helps, and treating the cause alongside it can reduce regrowth.
The doctor also checks your skin and medicines before the first session: a tan, a rash or infection in the area, or a medicine that makes skin more sensitive to light can mean waiting or adjusting the settings.
Questions people ask
Is laser hair removal suitable for dark skin?
Yes, with the right wavelength and settings. Guidelines recommend a long wavelength with skin cooling for darker skin, to lower the risk of burns and pigment change, and that is how the 1064 nm wavelength is used here. Darker skin still carries more risk of pigment change than lighter skin, so careful timing around tans matters.
Will the hair grow back?
Some will. Laser gives a long-term reduction rather than removing every hair, and hormonal changes can bring new growth over the years, which is why one or two touch-ups a year are usual. Hair that returns quickly after a full course is worth mentioning to the doctor.
Does laser hair removal help ingrown hairs and razor bumps?
Often, yes: fewer hairs means fewer growing inwards. In a small study of people with razor bumps on the neck and skin types IV to VI, five weekly sessions of 1064 nm laser reduced the bumps by about 90 percent on photographs a month later, an effect the authors describe as temporary, so maintenance matters.
Does it hurt?
Most people describe each pulse as a warm snap, like a rubber band, softened by the cooling. Numbing cream is an option for sensitive areas, and small areas are done in minutes.
Can men have laser hair removal?
Yes. The back, shoulders, chest and neck are common areas for men, as is shaping the beard line.
How do I choose a good clinic for laser hair removal in Dubai, beyond reading reviews?
Choose one where a doctor checks your skin, hair, medicines and recent sun before the first session, and where the wavelength can be matched to your skin tone: 1064 nm is the one for darker and tanned skin. Expect to be told plainly if your hair is too light, grey or red to respond, and to be asked about hormonal signs when hair growth is new. Reviews describe the service, not whether the settings suit your skin. In Dubai, the doctor should hold a current DHA licence.
Can I have full-body laser hair removal?
We are at 350 Al Wasl Road, Jumeirah 1, and yes: we treat the face and the body, from the underarms and bikini line to the legs, chest and back. A full body is planned area by area, because the legs or the back alone take 45 to 60 minutes, and the face and body follow different intervals between sessions. Your skin, hair and medicines are checked before the first session, and Dr. Svetlana Tagaeva, our Medical Director, leads the clinic's medical work.
How much does laser hair removal cost in Dubai?
We don't publish prices. The cost depends on the area and its size, from the upper lip to the full body, and on the number of sessions: usually a course of six to eight, then one or two touch-ups a year. We plan it together at the consultation, so you know the full course and its cost before you start.
How many laser hair removal sessions will I need, and how far apart?
Usually six to eight for each area, spaced six to eight weeks apart on the body, the underarms, legs and bikini area included, and four to six weeks apart on the face. Hair grows in cycles and only hairs in their growing phase respond, which is why it takes a course rather than one session. Keep the sessions at their intervals rather than squeezing them together. Afterwards, one or two touch-ups a year usually maintain the result.
What results can I expect from laser hair removal after 1, 2, 4 and 6 sessions, and how long do they last?
After the first session, treated hairs shed within one to three weeks, but hairs that were resting then grow through, so the change looks small. A reduction usually shows after two or three sessions and builds with each one, so it is usually clearer by the fourth and sixth. It lasts as a long-term reduction, not the loss of every hair: laser trials that followed people for a full hair-growth cycle found about 30 to 84 percent less hair, most on the legs, least on the face.
What are the benefits, side effects and risks of laser hair removal for the face and skin?
The main benefit is a long-term reduction in hair, which usually means less shaving and waxing and, often, fewer ingrown hairs and razor bumps. Side effects are usually mild and short-lived: redness and small bumps around the follicles for a few hours, sometimes swelling or bruising. Less often: darker or lighter patches, crusting or a cold-sore flare. Rarely: burns or blisters that can scar, hairs turning grey, more hair on the face or neck instead of less, and eye injury, mostly when eye protection is not worn properly.
How long is a laser hair removal session, and what happens during the procedure?
A session takes 5 to 10 minutes for a small area, 15 to 20 for the underarms or face, and 45 to 60 for the legs or back. Shave the area beforehand, but don't wax or pluck. We check your skin, hair, recent sun and medicines and choose the wavelength, and everyone in the room wears eye protection. The cooled handpiece then moves over the skin pulse by pulse, and sunscreen goes on any exposed skin afterwards.
What aftercare do I need after laser hair removal?
Protect the skin from the sun for four weeks before and after each session: SPF 50 on exposed skin such as the face, reapplied through the day, and clothing over treated areas where you can. Skip saunas and hard workouts for a day or two. Between sessions, shave if you need to, but don't wax, pluck or use hair-removal creams, and let treated hairs shed on their own. Avoid tanning and self-tan during the course, and keep sessions at their intervals: both help you get good results.
Is there downtime after laser hair removal on the face, and what is the recovery time for facial skin?
Usually little or none, on the face as on the body: a few hours of mild redness and small bumps around the follicles, and sometimes swelling. You can usually carry on with your day, keeping treated skin out of the sun and skipping saunas and hard workouts for a day or two. Treated hairs shed over one to three weeks. Less often, crusting or a darker or lighter patch takes longer to settle: message us if you notice blistering or a change in colour.
Laser hair removal vs IPL: how do the types differ, and who does each work for?
A laser gives a single wavelength; IPL, intense pulsed light, is a flash lamp giving a broad band of light, narrowed by filters. Both work through the pigment in hair, so both need dark hair: white, grey, blonde and red hair responds poorly. Reviews find both can reduce hair over the long term, and recommend the longer 1064 nm laser wavelength for darker skin. For hair we use a laser, excel HR: 755 nm for finer hair on lighter skin, 1064 nm for darker and tanned skin.
Is laser hair removal on the top lip a good idea for women?
Often, yes, when the hair has enough pigment for the laser to target; blonde, grey, white or red hair responds poorly. If hair on the top lip or chin appeared suddenly, grows fast, or comes with irregular periods or acne, have a hormonal check first: polycystic ovary syndrome is the usual cause, and treating it alongside can reduce regrowth. Face sessions are four to six weeks apart. Rarely, laser stimulates new facial hair, which guidelines flag for women of Middle Eastern or Mediterranean background; further sessions with adjusted settings often treat it.
Can pregnant women have laser hair removal, or should it wait until after pregnancy?
It should wait. The cosmetic use of lasers has not been studied in pregnancy, so, for lack of safety data, a review of the evidence advises against laser hair removal while pregnant and suggests shaving, waxing or hair-removal creams in the meantime. Extra hair that grows during pregnancy may settle after the birth. We don't treat during pregnancy or while breastfeeding, and plan the course for afterwards.
Related concerns
Sources
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Updated 27 October 2026