Must the treatment be undergone by a physician ?

Yes. It is the first rule of laser hair removal. It is a medical procedure that can only be undergone under the supervision of a physician.

Laser hair removal is not reimbursed by the social security or any other social organisation. We believe presenting in reminder the terms of the law concerning hair removal procedures might be useful.

In France, the order made on January the 6th 1962 defined the list of medical procedures which can only be undergone by physicians or by medical aids or by the directors of medical testing laboratories, who are not physicians.

1st article

The order made on December the 21st 1960, as well as the order made on July the 31st 1961, which modifies it, are revoked.

Article 2

Doctors in medicine only can undergo, in compliance with article L. 372 (1°) of the public health code, the following medical procedures:

1° All joint mobilizations and reduction of bone movements, as well as vertebral manipulations, and, more generally, treatments using osteopathy, spondylotherapy (or spinal manipulation) and chiropractic.

2° The prostatic massage.

3° The gynaecologic massage.

4° Any physiotherapy treatment leading to the destruction, even limited, of the tegument, and notably cryotherapy, electrolysis, electrocoagulation and diathermocoagulation.

5° All hair removal procedures, except for tweezing and wax hair removal.

6° Any instrument abrasion of the tegument with a device able to provoke an effusion of blood (planning, grinding, reaming).

7° The manipulation of devices used to determine the refraction of the eye.

Laser hair removal is by definition an attack to the body, its main objective being to induce irreversible damage on the regenerative structures of the hair.

Very powerful lasers must be used to obtain the desired result (permanent hair removal). These can induce skin lesions.

We have seen that the appropriate device, that is a class IV laser, can be handled only by a physician or under strict medical supervision. Utmost rigour in protocols and a know‑how made by years of practice will guarantee the success of the treatment.

Hair destruction is a purely medical procedure. Patients should thus rely on a physician capable of assuming the professional tasks linked to this type of treatment.

The indication will be determined before the treatment during a first consultation. The physician will then give you all the information concerning the advantages and limits of such a treatment, as well as the potential risks and the precautions to take.

The physician will give you an estimate, as well as the technical characteristics of the devices used. Once the laser will be adjusted according to your skin reactions, you will be informed on the different parameters used (fluence, pulse, etc.) during the treatment.