Q: I know that you can receive laser treatment to permanently remove hair but I was wondering if there was any treatment to
thin and/or permanently lighten hair (like on your arms). Thanks.
A: To date there aren’t any treatments of any type that will lighten the appearance of the hair on the arms permanently (in the
sense that you would not have to undertake maintenance treatments). Laser hair removal works because it damages the follicles’
ability to produce hair meaning that the hair doesn’t grow back – thus “permanent” removal is achieved.
If your goal is to remove the hair on your arms (or other areas) there are of course many methods
to choose from. There are the traditional methods like shaving and waxing, as well as less known methods, such as threading. And, of
course, many women forget that depilatory creams (such as Neet and Nair) are capable of removing hair without leaving stubble (and
that they provide softer-feeling re-growth). None of these are “permanent” and will have to re-done in order to keep the hair from
coming back.
There are also bleaching creams that can be used to remove the pigment of the hair on parts of the
body other than the top of the head. These are used to make the hairs less visible. These too have to be reapplied as the hair will
grow out and new growth will be the natural color of the hair. You also have to be cautious to test for sensitivity to the products
before you apply the product to large portions of the body.
