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PCOS & hirsutism · Fitzpatrick IV to VI · Battersea SW11

Laser for PCOS and hormonal hair, on darker skin.

Straight with you from the start. Laser reduces the hair. It does not treat the hormones that cause it, so PCOS hair usually needs more sessions and ongoing maintenance. We will tell you what laser can and cannot do, use the right wavelength for your skin tone, and encourage you to see your GP about the underlying PCOS.

Laser hair removal for PCOS and hormonal facial hair in Battersea, a short walk from Clapham Junction, serving patients across south London. For Fitzpatrick IV to VI skin we use the longer 1064nm wavelength, which supports darker skin by lowering the risk of burns and post-inflammatory pigmentation. Laser is delivered by Catia Zaki, VTCT Level 4 laser practitioner, under clinical oversight, after a consultation and patch test.

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★ 5.0 Google · 53 reviews·1064nm for darker skin·Patch test first·Battersea SW11

What it is

Hormonal hair, and where laser fits.

Hirsutism is excess hair growth in a male pattern, most often across the upper lip, chin, jawline and neck. It is usually driven by androgens, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common cause. The hair itself is coarse and pigmented, which is exactly the kind of hair laser targets well.

Laser reduces that hair over a course of sessions. What it does not do is change the hormone driving it, so while the PCOS is active new hair can keep appearing and maintenance is part of the plan, not a sign it has failed. Because PCOS is a hormonal and metabolic condition, it should be assessed and managed by a GP or specialist doctor. If your excess hair has not been investigated, we will encourage you to see your GP. See the NHS page on PCOS for background.

Honest expectations

What laser can and cannot do for PCOS hair.

What it can do

  • · Give a long-lasting reduction in coarse, pigmented hormonal hair.
  • · Make the hair that returns finer, slower and easier to manage.
  • · Reduce the daily burden of shaving, plucking and threading.
  • · Be delivered on darker skin with the right 1064nm settings and a patch test.

What it cannot do

  • · Treat the PCOS or the hormones behind the hair.
  • · Promise permanent removal while the hormonal drive continues.
  • · Skip maintenance. Periodic top-ups are usually needed.
  • · Work well on very fair, grey or red hair, which lacks the pigment laser targets.

This is why we call it long-term reduction and maintenance rather than permanent removal. It is a genuinely effective way to control hormonal hair, and it works best alongside proper medical care for the PCOS itself.

Why darker skin needs the right laser

1064nm, not one-size-fits-all.

In Fitzpatrick IV to VI skin, the wrong laser or the wrong settings can cause burns and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, the very marks that are hardest to clear in melanin-rich skin. The longer 1064nm Nd:YAG wavelength reaches the hair follicle while sparing more of the surface pigment, which is why it is generally preferred for darker skin.

Our diode platform, SmartDiode MD, delivers 755nm, 808nm and 1064nm. For darker skin we use the 1064nm wavelength. IPL and aggressive short-wavelength pigment settings are generally avoided on darker skin for this reason. Every course begins with a patch test 24 to 48 hours before your first full session, so we can see how your skin responds before we commit to a plan.

What to expect

Consultation, patch test, course, maintenance.

01 · Consultation

Assessment and honest plan.

Fitzpatrick typing, a history of your hair pattern and any PCOS diagnosis, the areas that bother you, and a realistic reading of how many sessions this is likely to take. If your excess hair has not been investigated medically, we will encourage you to see your GP.

02 · Patch test

Always before the first full session.

A small test area at your intended settings, 24 to 48 hours ahead, so we can confirm your skin tolerates the treatment before a full course. This matters most in darker skin, where it lowers the risk of an avoidable reaction.

03 · The course

Sessions spaced across weeks.

Laser is delivered by Catia Zaki, VTCT Level 4 laser practitioner, under clinical oversight, using 1064nm for darker skin. PCOS hair usually needs more sessions than average because of the ongoing hormonal drive. We track progress with photographs at consistent lighting.

04 · Maintenance

Periodic top-ups to hold it.

Because the hormone keeps signalling the follicles, most people need occasional maintenance sessions after the initial course. This is expected, not a failure of the treatment, and it keeps the result manageable long-term.

Who treats you

Clinician-led, laser delivered by a VTCT Level 4 practitioner.

Your consultation and clinical assessment are led by Arman Zaki, founder and Lead Clinician, a GMC-registered Physician Associate. Laser hair removal itself is delivered by Catia Zaki, a VTCT Level 4 laser practitioner, under clinical oversight. For the PCOS behind the hair, the right people are your GP or a specialist doctor, and we are glad to work alongside that care rather than replace it.

Questions, answered honestly

Before you book.

Can laser hair removal permanently remove PCOS facial hair?

Laser can give a long-lasting reduction in PCOS or hormonal facial hair, but it is honest to call it long-term reduction and maintenance rather than permanent removal. PCOS hair is driven by androgens, and while the hormonal drive continues the follicles it stimulates can produce new hair over time. Most people with PCOS need more sessions than average to clear a course and then periodic top-ups to hold the result. Laser reduces the hair; it does not switch off the hormone that causes it, which is why we also signpost you to your GP for the underlying condition.

Is laser hair removal safe for PCOS hair on darker skin (Fitzpatrick V to VI)?

It can be, with the right laser and settings. For darker skin the longer 1064nm Nd:YAG wavelength is used because it targets the hair while lowering the risk of burns and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation compared with shorter wavelengths or IPL. We confirm your Fitzpatrick type, take a full history, and carry out a patch test 24 to 48 hours before your first full session. Laser is delivered by Catia Zaki, VTCT Level 4 laser practitioner, under clinical oversight. It works best on dark, pigmented hair and is less effective on very fair, grey or red hair. See DermNet: hirsutism for background.

How many laser sessions are needed for PCOS or hormonal facial hair?

There is no single number, and PCOS hair usually needs more than the typical course because of the ongoing hormonal drive. Many people need several sessions spaced a few weeks apart to clear an initial course, then periodic maintenance sessions to keep on top of regrowth. We set realistic expectations at consultation based on your skin type, the area, and your history, and we track progress with photographs rather than promises. Individual results vary.

Does laser hair removal treat PCOS itself?

No. Laser treats the visible hair, not the polycystic ovary syndrome behind it. PCOS is a hormonal and metabolic condition that should be assessed and managed by a GP or specialist doctor, who may look at your hormones, weight and metabolic health and discuss options such as medication. We are happy to work alongside that care, and we will encourage you to see your GP if your excess hair has not been investigated. See the NHS page on PCOS for background.

Which laser is best for hormonal facial hair on dark skin?

For Fitzpatrick IV to VI skin, a long-pulsed 1064nm Nd:YAG wavelength is generally preferred because it reaches the hair follicle while sparing the surface pigment, which lowers the risk of burns and rebound pigmentation. Our diode platform (SmartDiode MD) delivers 755nm, 808nm and 1064nm, and for darker skin the 1064nm wavelength is used. IPL and aggressive short-wavelength settings are generally avoided on darker skin for this reason. A patch test always comes first.

Can I have laser hair removal for PCOS during pregnancy?

We do not carry out laser hair removal during pregnancy. Although there is no strong evidence that laser harms a pregnancy, there is not enough safety evidence to justify it, and pregnancy hormones can change hair growth in ways that make timing unhelpful. We are happy to plan a course for after pregnancy and breastfeeding, and to keep a photographic baseline in the meantime.

Finding us in Battersea

Unit 13A, Battersea Business Centre, SW11 5QL.

On the south side of Lavender Hill, at the junction with Latchmere Road, in the London Borough of Wandsworth. 10 to 14 minutes on foot from Clapham Junction, or a short bus down Lavender Hill. We treat patients from across south west London, Clapham, Wandsworth, Battersea Park and Nine Elms among them. Bus routes 77, 87, 156 and 345 stop within two minutes of the door. Pay-and-display parking on Lavender Hill and Latchmere Road.

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Related reading

Before you book a consultation.

Main treatment

Laser hair removal for darker skin. Our full laser page, wavelengths, areas and how we work.

The pillar page for laser at Melatone.

Pillar specialism

Skin of Colour. Why melanin-rich skin needs a different protocol, and how we build one.

Our clinical specialism for Fitzpatrick IV to VI.

Related condition

Ingrown hairs and razor bumps. What causes them on darker skin, and how laser can help.

Often part of the same shaving and hair story.

Related concern

Melasma and pigmentation. Hormonal pigment on darker skin, treated conservatively.

Another hormonally influenced concern we see often.

Consultation and patch test

Start with a real assessment. Not a sales pitch.

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Related

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Important information

This page describes a regulated aesthetic service. Laser hair removal reduces hair growth; it does not treat polycystic ovary syndrome or the hormones that drive hormonal hair, and results are long-term reduction with maintenance rather than permanent removal. Individual results vary. Treatment follows an in-person consultation and a patch test, and is not suitable during pregnancy. Laser is delivered by a VTCT Level 4 practitioner under clinical oversight. For assessment of PCOS, please see your GP or a specialist doctor. Melatone Skin Clinic Ltd, Unit 13A, Battersea Business Centre, 99-109 Lavender Hill, London SW11 5QL. For complaints or concerns, contact the clinic directly.