PCOS Facial Hair: How Laser Hair Removal Can Help

Laser hair removal can thin PCOS facial hair and ease the weekly work of threading, and women report a better quality of life afterwards. Hormones keep making new hair, though, so expect more sessions, regular top-ups, and better results when your hormones are treated too.^1,2

Why does PCOS cause facial hair?

PCOS raises androgens, the hormones that drive thick, dark hair on the upper lip, chin and jaw. It is common: the WHO estimates that 10% to 13% of women have it, and that up to 70% of them are undiagnosed.³ It is also the usual reason behind excess hair, accounting for 75% to 80% of cases.⁴ So if your facial hair has become heavier, it’s worth asking why before you treat it.

Should I see a doctor before laser?

Yes, because the cause changes the plan. Hormone tests are suggested before treatment, as PCOS and thyroid or adrenal conditions can all affect regrowth.⁵ Your doctor can refer you to a gynaecologist or endocrinologist if needed.⁶

Ask for an urgent appointment if thick, dark hair appears suddenly on your face and body, your voice is getting lower, or your muscles are getting bigger.⁷ Sudden or fast-growing hair can point to a different hormone problem.⁴

How well does laser work on PCOS hair?

The research is encouraging, and it comes with one clear limit. A 2024 review of 6 studies and 423 women with PCOS found that alexandrite laser improved both hair severity and psychological wellbeing. Adding metformin or a combined pill to diode laser worked better than diode laser alone. The authors rated the evidence as low certainty, and few women in the studies had skin of colour.¹

The study closest to home followed 172 women with PCOS-related facial hair at a laser clinic in Muzaffarabad. At the start, 62.5% said the hair harmed their daily lives. By 24 weeks, that had fallen to 13.8%. Hair didn’t stay away, though. Most women saw regrowth within one to three months, and by six months nearly all were back to where they started.²

So plan on upkeep. In a trial of 129 women with excess facial hair, not all with PCOS, six monthly sessions cut chin hair sharply, and counts then rose again in the six months after treatment stopped.⁸ Face hair also shows the lowest long-term reduction of any body area in trials.⁹

How many sessions will I need?

More than most people. A usual course is 4 to 6 sessions about a month apart, and hormone-driven hair needs extra. One clinical review suggests about 10 to 15 sessions for PCOS, with 2 to 4 maintenance sessions a year.⁵ Your doctor will review your progress and tell you what your own hair needs. Coarse, dark chin hair usually responds well, while fine hair on the upper lip takes longer.^5,10

What helps results last?

Treating the hormones alongside the hair. Your doctor may discuss:

• A combined pill, which can regulate your cycle and reduce unwanted hair.³ It is the usual first medicine if you aren’t trying to conceive, with an anti-androgen added if hair persists after 6 months.⁴
• Eflornithine cream, a prescription cream for facial hair that can be combined with laser.^4,5,7
• Metformin, where insulin resistance is part of the picture.¹⁰
• Weight loss, if you’re overweight, which can help control hormone levels.⁷

PCOS is long-term, so these aim to manage it over time.³

Which facial hair won’t respond?

Laser needs dark pigment. Fine, pale hair has too little and responds poorly.^5,10 Grey or white hair won’t respond, and electrolysis is the usual choice for lighter hair.⁴

Rarely, hair can increase after laser. Across 22 studies this affected about 3% of people, and it was linked to the face and neck.¹¹ Tell your doctor if you notice this, so your plan can be changed.

What do I do between sessions?

Shave or trim. Stop threading and plucking, because the laser needs the root in place. Shaving won’t make facial hair thicker. The blunt tip only makes it seem so.¹²

What should I do next?

Our facial laser hair removal page covers sessions, each step and aftercare. A consultation for laser is free at all 12 of our clinics, and you can ask for a female doctor. A dermatologist consultation has a fee. Hair growth from PCOS is worth checking with a doctor, and you can see a dermatologist in Karachi or a dermatologist in Islamabad at our clinics.

Medically reviewed by Dr Sadaf Saleem, Dermatologist, FCPS (Dermatology), PM&DC 62494-P; Dr Junaid Rabbani, Dermatologist, PM&DC 44510-S; and Dr Shegref Mushtaq, Dermatologist, FCPS (Dermatology), PM&DC 19827-N

1. Tan K, et al. Laser and light-based therapies for hirsutism management in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome: a systematic review. JAMA Dermatol, 2024.
2. Sakina S, et al. Impact of laser therapy on the quality of life in women living with polycystic ovary syndrome-associated hirsutism. Cureus, 2024.
3. World Health Organization. Polycystic ovary syndrome.
4. Mimoto MS, et al. Evaluation and treatment of hirsutism in premenopausal women. JAMA, 2018.
5. Goel A, Rai K. Methods to overcome poor response and challenges of facial laser hair reduction. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol, 2022.
6. Buddhadev RM. Standard guidelines of care: laser and IPL hair reduction. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol, 2008.
7. NHS. Excessive hair growth (hirsutism).
8. Alijanpour R, Aliakbarpour F. A randomized clinical trial on the comparison between hair shaving and snipping prior to laser hair removal sessions in women suffering from hirsutism. J Cosmet Dermatol, 2017.
9. Krasniqi A, et al. Efficacy of lasers and light sources in long-term hair reduction: a systematic review. J Cosmet Laser Ther, 2022.
10. Bhat YJ, et al. Laser treatment in hirsutism: an update. Dermatol Pract Concept, 2020.
11. Snast I, et al. Paradoxical hypertrichosis associated with laser and light therapy for hair removal. Am J Clin Dermatol, 2021.
12. DermNet. Shaving.

Treatments in this article

Sessions, downtime and results for each, on its own page.

Facial Laser Hair RemovalAppointment: 10–15 minutes · Downtime: None; brief redness and bumpsFull Body Laser Hair RemovalAppointment: About 90 minutes for full body · Downtime: None; mild redness 1–3 days

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