Hi there!
There is something I don’t get. If IPL kills hair only in the anagen stage, why do people have to ONLY shave or use epilators, not waxing or rotary epilators while undergoing the treatments?
Wouldn’t actually epilating (taking the hairs from the root) make maybe the process SEEM longer but at least one would be killing the hairs regrowing after being removed from the root… that is, the hairs surely in the anagen stage! while with shaving you can’t know what stage the hairs are in. If they grow back after waxing it’s because they are in the anagen phase, right? Or am I confused???
I know hair grow “slower” (well, apparently at least) with waxing but wouldn’t the results be the same or better than not waxing in between treatments? especially as one would look smooth until next session?
Waxing pulls at all the hairs in the treatment area regardless of growth phase. This means one would have shedding hairs removed and/or breaking off at the same rate as growing hairs. Any growing hair that actually came all the way out without breaking would actually leave that follicle unavailable for LASER treatment, as there would be no chromophor in the follicle to transfer the heat energy. As the saying goes, “Pluck only the hairs you want to KEEP!”
The other problem with waxing/plucking/threading is the breaking hairs, distorted follicles, and healing process tend to lend itself to ingrown hairs, an increase in thickness, color, and number of hairs in the area as blood is to hair as fertilizer is to grass.
The simple fact is that only shaving & clipping renders the unwanted hairs less noticeable, while leaving them available for treatment, and leaves no collateral damage for the body to heal, thus leading to thicker, darker, and more plentiful (possibly distroted) hairs.
For what you describe you should be “Finishing With Electrolysis” now. You could have a 5 to 15 minute appointment with an average cost of $15 to $25 and do it about every 3 to 5 weeks.
Actually, I agree with you.
Only, I will wait a bit to go for electrolysis… maybe a ouple treatments more with the IPL. The thing is that you are TOTALLY right it is the best thing at this point, but for now (in these latitudes summer is approaching) finding the time for the electrolysis appointment and above all, dealing with the lady makes me cringe. Sadly, the one lady that REALLY does a great job (armpit hair free! I did everything ok, but she obviously is great at what she does) does charge quite a lot, at this moment (because of a deal I got) the IPL is working relatively well (knowing it is not like electrolysis in terms of permanence), so for now it is cheaper than electrolysis, the appointments easier to get… and I swear I have to really make up my mind each time I have to go to that electrologist. If she weren’t the only one that works really fine, I would slap her. She is terribly gossipy, noisy and meddly. But when she is the one with the needle in the hands 
and the skills, you really don’t feel like getting on a fight (I want her to work on me). I swear it is sad how her personality is what puts me off for electrolysis (although her prices do not help and her schedules neither) and makes me prefer IPL for a little while more, until seeing her will mean really short appointments and not to see her often.
My country is small, not too many electrologists, and after years, only this one is REALLY good and worth the money. But boy, I can’t stand her 
I will follow your advice ASAP.
In the meantime… the IPL would be killing active hairs if it was used on the new GROWN hairs after waxing many weeks ago (assuming the hair from the waxing is visible)… right? Or am I still wrong about it?
Hugs and thanks for the info and tips.
How can I say this any differently?
If you are looking for permanent hair removal, one should NOT be waxing or plucking. It just makes hairs unavailable for treatment.
As for the IPL, there is a point of diminishing returns. If you have passed that, then you will only get a smaller and smaller amount of reduction. At some point one gets no further reduction at all.
Is this busy body electrologist so bad that you can’t stand the idea of spending a half hour or less with her?
Good Luck in what ever you do.
Well, how to say it? I got it, I understand what you say. I just want to know this one thing linked to hair physology… that’s why I keep on asking but still don’t have the answer… When a hair that was once waxed grows back, at the moment it grows back, is it necessarily in its anagen stage, right?
Don’t get mad! I want to understand, not to annoy you! It is just one specific question and still don’t have the answer.
And really, that electrologist is a pain in the butt, really. I put up with half an hour with her when I do only because she is good, but that does not make it any less hard to bear. It is already no fun to go for electrology (it is no walk in the park)… and if something hurts and on top you have an ill mannered person doing it, nobody would “enjoy” it or be truly enthusiastic about going, I think.
I get the point concerning the diminished return from IPL.
Thanks again, but please, can you answer that specific question on hair stages? it’s just that that I still want to understand.
Light-based systems and electrolysis only work on growing hair. You already know the restrictions for using a light-based system and you already know that electrolysis kills hair anywhere no matter what the color, structure or color of skin it is growing out of… Yes, waxed hair that returns can be treated. Growing hair excites us because we can actually gain ground and permanently squash it.
Contiuous waxing is not want you want to do, if that was something you had in mind. Some hairs don’t follow the regrowth claims of hair comng back in 6-16 weeks. Some hairs may go to sleep and wake up 9 months later or a year later??? I’ve been told this, but I would have no way of watching certain hairs that follow this pattern of growing. I do trust this information, but that is a whole new explanation that I won’t start right now. I don’t know how one would be that great of an observer to come to this conclusion, but I guess someone has done this. Wax once and then go for all the new hair that comes forth over the next 9-12 months.
Too bad we can’t do anything about gossipy, meddeling electrologists. Too bad she’s the best choice in your locale.
Did I answer your question to your satisfaction or did I totally bomb?
Dee
Thank you very much for the clear answer! 
Hugs and I will consider all you said to plan my “strategy” (maybe I will have to buy duct tape to shut that electrologist while on session -just joking!)
Hugs
Hugs back. Good luck with Miss gabby.
Dee
I have a few suggestions for Miss Gabby:
Bring a Documentary to put on while you are getting your work done or have her turn on The History Channel. If that is not possible, bring a book on tape or CD and play that. Tell her you are multi-tasking, as you have to write a report on this book, or subject. Since you have to pay attention to the material, both of you have to be quiet during the session. Neat Huh? You could also tell her that you need to go into a trance-like state so you can stand the pain, and concentrating on the classical music helps you stay in your trance. Note, you can’t use this suggestion and substitute Death Metal. (I actually had a client for whome this type of music WAS soothing, but for me it was musical torture, and really had a negative impact on my work. We compromised, and just did not play music during our sessions. It is one reason I have a TV set up for my clients to watch while they are on the table. They catch up on their movies or fav TV shows, and I get to work in peace.
You are a genius!!! 
Love the idea!!! I will bring in something to “study” and put on the CD… she will have to shut up ;).
You made me laugh hard with the “hard” music anecdote :)
Thank you!!!