Laser hair removal works by directly targeting the follicle, where hair grows. How? A concentrated pulse of light -- that's the laser -- is harmlessly beamed through the skin into the hair follicle. The pigment in the hair absorbs the heat and light from the laser, which damages the follicle enough to curb hair growth. The laser only affects hair that is currently growing, and since not all of your hair is growing at the same time, laser hair removal takes multiple treatments to affect all of the hair in the treatment area.