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Okay, I love laser hair removal and I love that it’s gone mainstream and gotten pretty affordable. Like I wrote in my post about small, medium, and large areas for laser hair removal, getting laser on my underarms was a game-changer. I went from constantly chafed, irritated, and inflamed to effortlessly smooth. 

(Actually, quick update on that — I wrote last year that, after four years, I was juuust starting to think about getting a touch-up appointment. I can say for sure that, five years out from the appointment, I definitely do need a touch-up appointment. So I guess my official recommendation would be to go back after three years if you definitely do not want to see any regrowth. I totally need to schedule this touch-up.)

Why Do Laser Hair Removal?

Laser hair removal treatments are a popular choice for removing unwanted hair near-permanently. As I said above, it’s going to require periodic touch-ups, but it’s a great way to have a super significant reduction in growth. 

Unlike shaving or depilatory creams, laser treatment targets hair follicles for long-lasting results. This cosmetic procedure offers a more effective way to achieve hair-free skin. It reduces ingrown hairs and minimizes razor burn. Many people choose laser hair removal sessions for smoother skin without constant maintenance. If you want to be a low-maintenance girl, this is a great way. 

If you, like me, get such uncomfortable razor burn that you can’t shave some areas regularly, laser is an unbelievably easy solution. I put it off for ages because I was worried that if my skin was too sensitive for shaving, it was too sensitive for laser. I guess I was imagining, like, a Cutera laser facial? But my sensitive skin didn’t make a peep in any of these six initial treatments. 

Laser Appointment Spacing

Laser hair removal sessions must be spaced out to achieve optimal results. Scheduling them too close together will actually waste your money, because if the hair growth cycle hasn’t turned over, the hairs you’re targeting aren’t there yet.  Hair grows in cycles, and laser light works best during the active growth phase, also called the anagen phase.

 Most people need multiple treatment sessions to reach their desired results. A laser hair removal appointment is typically scheduled every four to six weeks. The number of sessions varies based on hair type, skin type, and the treatment area. I did six, and I’m glad I did six. I know that it can be tempting to buy the package of just three sessions, but I think you’ll end up buying touch-up session sooner as a result. 

How Long Does a Laser Hair Removal Session Take?

The length of a laser hair removal session depends on the size of the area of the body being treated. Smaller areas take only a few minutes, while larger areas require more time. The type of laser, hair color, and skin color also affect treatment time. So does the experience level of your tech — an experienced person can work more quickly than someone new! 

The best way to make your appointment go as quickly as possible: come ready! Ensure that you’ve already shaved the area and that it’s clean. 

(About the shaving: a lot of people don’t shave because they think that it will somehow make the laser treatment stronger. It’s actually the opposite! Shaving helps concentrate the force of the laser under the skin and in the follicle. If the hair is longer (unshaved), the power of the laser beam gets spread out over the length of the hair and you get less power in the follicle where you want it. So shave!)

Small Areas – How Long?

Small areas, like the upper lip or chin, take the least amount of time, of course. You’ll probably spend longer in the waiting room than you do in the chair! 

 A laser session for a small area can last between five and ten minutes. The concentrated beam of light quickly targets the hair shaft in these areas, and you’ll probably only need a dozen or so zaps. Because the treatment time is short, it’s easy to schedule sessions during a lunch break.

(I have designs on doing my upper lip eventually, but because the treatment is so short, I kind of want to fold it into another area, possibly my bikini line. My place is 25 minutes from my house, and I feel silly driving almost an hour round trip to sit in the chair for five minutes.)

Medium Areas – How Long?

Medium areas, such as the underarms or bikini area, require more time. A bikini line session can take 15-ish minutes, while underarms take about the same. These areas often have coarse hair, making them good candidates for laser hair treatment.

My underarms treatment was consistently ten minutes, but my tech was an absolute pro. For the underarms, they can use a larger handset that can cover more skin at a time, so these treatments can go quickly too. Still eligible for a lunchtime treatment! 

Large Areas – How Long?

Larger areas, like the legs or arms, take still longer to treat.

 A laser hair removal session for the lower legs can take 30 to 45 minutes. Full-arm treatments also take about the same amount of time. Since the size of the area is bigger, the laser pulses have to cover a larger area of skin.  

The results of laser hair removal on large areas are worth the extra time spent in each session! Lower legs are like a bucket list area for me because shaving irritates my keratosis pilaris. 

Extra Large Areas – How Long?

Extra large areas, such as the back or full legs, require the most time. A full-leg treatment session can last 45 minutes to an hour. A full-back laser session can take up to an hour or more, depending on hair density. 

I’m sure you’re getting the idea here — larger area, more pulses from the laser, more time. 

How Long Does a Full Body Laser Hair Removal Session Take?

Okay, I’m so sorry, this is the dream. 

I don’t have super coarse body hair, but my skin is so super sensitive that any type of shaving is really hard on me. If money was no object, I would schedule my nose-to-toes laser like yesterday. 

What makes nose-to-toes different is that it covers all body areas, including the face, arms, legs, back, and bikini area. Which is great! And it’s going to be more cost-effective than doing all those areas separately. But it also gets any additional areas that you might have that don’t merit their own treatment. So if you have darker hair on your knuckles or the tops of your feet or wherever, this type of treatment will knock them out. 

(So if, like me, you cut your toe knuckles shaving every few weeks in the summer…this is the move.)

If you’re lucky enough to be seeking permanent hair reduction over the entire body, a full-body laser hair removal session can take two to three hours ​if you do everything at once.  Because laser sessions for full-body treatments take a long time, some providers will be willing to split them into multiple appointments.

Final Thoughts

The time spent on a laser hair removal session depends on the treated area, hair type, and number of treatments needed. Smaller areas can take as little as five minutes, while nose-to-toes might set you back a couple of hours. 

With a proper treatment plan, laser hair removal can be an effective way to achieve smoother skin and long-lasting results. The amount of time you spend in the chair is actually pretty limited when you compare it to the time spent not shaving!