Eliminating unwanted body hair with the help of temporary hair removal methods such as tweezing, shaving, and waxing, can get tiresome. If you’re sick and tired of the nicks from shaving or no longer want to endure the burning pain from waxing, and you’re looking for longer lasting results, you might want to consider laser hair removal.
Hair removal laser is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures in the world of aesthetic cosmetics as it’s a convenient way to get rid of the body hair that you don’t want. If you have never tried it, we’re sure you have a lot of questions on your mind, but no worries, that’s why we’re here today. Here’s everything you need to know about laser hair removal and the ten reasons why you should undergo the procedure.
What Is Laser Hair Removal?
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Nevertheless, keep in mind that even though laser hair removal is an effective way to delay hair growth for longer periods of time, it typically does not result in permanent hair removal. To remove hair initially, you will need to undergo multiple laser hair removal treatments, and you will also need to have maintenance treatments. Laser hair removal has shown to be most effective for people with a light skin and dark hair, but it can also be effective on all skin types.
Why Is Laser Hair Removal Done?
The process of laser hair removal is used to eliminate or reduce unwanted hair. The most common treatment locations are the armpits, legs, chin, upper lips, and the bikini zone. However, you can also treat unwanted hair in almost any body area, except the eyelid or surrounding eye area. You can not treat skin with tattoos. Nowadays facial laser hair removal is very popular among both men and women.
Usually, the success of the laser hair removal is affected by the hair color and skin type. The hair’s pigment, but not the skin’s pigment, should absorb the light. The laser should not damage the skin but should focus on damaging only the hair follicles. Therefore, the best outcome happens when there is a contrast between the hair and skin color — dark hair and light skin.
There’s a greater risk of damage to your skin when there’s a little contrast between hair and skin color. However, the advances in laser technology have made laser hair removal possible for people who have darker skin as well.
Keep in mind that laser hair removal is less effective for hair colors that don't absorb light well such as red, gray, blond and white. However, laser treatment options for light-colored hair continue to be tested and developed.
Does Laser Hair Removal Hurt?
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After the procedure, you might also experience minor irritation and redness, symptoms similar to a mild sunburn. For some people, the procedure may also feel painful to a certain degree. Nevertheless, it all depends on the part of the body that’s being treated. Usually, the more sensitive the skin in that area is, the more painful the experience will be.
To minimize the pain, you can ask your skincare professional to rub a numbing cream to the treated area before you start with the procedure.
1. Saves You Time
Research has shown that, on average, people spend 70 hours a year eliminating unwanted hair. Once you get laser hair removal, you will no longer need to spend countless hours doing this overwhelming beauty ritual. Time is money, which is one more reason to go for a laser hair removal.
2. Saves You Money
Although you might need to pay more upfront when compared to alternative hair removal methods such as shaving and waxing, laser hair removal is still a more permanent solution. You will only need to pay for a total of 6-10 treatments, not indefinitely.
3. Lasts Longer
When you undergo laser hair removal, you won’t have those unpleasant, in-between growth stages. When waxing your skin, you have to let your hair grow out to a certain length to be able to take them out, however, with lasers, you can easily shave in-between treatments and enjoy smooth skin every single day.
4. Low Maintenance
After you’ve undergone your series of treatments (usually 6-10) every 4-6 weeks, you will only need to touch-up the body areas you’ve treated. This means, you will need maintenance treatments just 2-3 times a year.
5. A Pain Free Aesthetic Procedure
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6. Precise Method
The process of laser hair removal selectively targets dark and course hairs to treat, all while leaving the skin surrounding them intact and undamaged.
7. Fast and Easy Process
Each pulse of the laser lasts a fraction of a second and can easily treat an area the size of a quarter. This means that smaller skin areas, such as the chin or upper lip can be treated in less than a minute.
8. Creates No Mess
When doing a laser hair removal, you won’t have to deal with any gels, creams or sticky substances as you do when waxing or shaving.
9. Gets Rid of Ingrown Hairs
One of the most problematic side effects from shaving and waxing are ingrown hairs. Luckily, you won’t have to deal with this when undergoing laser hair removal treatments. By completely eliminating the hair with the laser removal, the blood flow to the hair follicle is cut off, which means the hairs fall out directly from the root.
10. Boosts Your Self-Confidence
Regardless of whether you’re a woman with facial hair or a man dealing with a hairy back, unwanted hair can decrease your self-esteem. It’s no news that we all want to have a silky smooth skin and that hair on certain body parts is not desirable and aesthetically pleasing. Luckily, with laser hair removal, you’ll no longer have to worry about unwanted body hair ever again.
The truth of the matter is, today, there are many ways to remove unwanted hair, but not all of them make sense. Laser hair removal is the best option there is as it not only eliminates annoying side effects, such as razor burn, ingrown hairs, and nicks, but it’s a more permanent solution that saves you time and money in the long run.
How to Prepare for Laser Hair Removal
If you're interested in laser hair removal, make sure to pick a doctor who's board certified in a specialty such as cosmetic surgery or dermatology and has experience removing with laser hair removal on your skin type. If a licensed nurse or a physician assistant will do the procedure, make sure the doctor supervises the entire process and is available on-site during the treatments.
Before you undergo the laser hair removal procedure, schedule a consultation with the doctor to see whether this is a good treatment option for you. During this consultation, your doctor will likely:
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Review your medical history and medication use; any history of skin disorders or scarring you may have and check whether you’ve had any hair removal procedures done in the past
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Discuss the possible risks, the range of benefits and your expectations;
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Take photos which you can use for your before-and-after assessments and reviews
What Is the Average Laser Hair Removal Cost?
According to 2020 statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the average laser hair removal cost is around $400. However, this includes only part of the total price – it does not include any other related expenses or possible complication costs.
Keep in mind that the price for your laser hair removal procedure may be based on the expertise and qualifications of the professional performing the procedure, the time and effort it takes for the treatment to be performed as well as the geographic location of the office.
During the consultation, make sure to discuss your treatment plan and the related costs. Most health insurance plans do not cover these procedures, so be sure to talk to your doctor about this and ask.
To find out the potential cost of your laser hair removal treatment, your best bet is Googling “laser hair removal near me” or “hair laser removal near me” and finding a reliable professional that will guide you through the entire process step by step.
Is Laser Hair Removal Permanent
In short, no. Laser hair removal heats the hair follicles in order to prevent new hairs from growing. This makes the hair follicles dormant for a longer period of time than waxing and shaving. Once the hairs exit that dormant state and grow back, they are finer, lighter and fewer in number.
Although this process is often said to be “permanent”, the truth of the matter is, laser hair removal only reduces the amount of unwanted hairs in a certain area. It does not get rid of the unwanted hairs forever.
What Is Brazilian Laser Hair Removal
A full Brazilian laser hair removal procedure gets rid of all or almost all pubic hair. This is a more permanent hair removal treatment option than shaving or waxing. The laser targets the hair follicles, emits light energy, and prevents the growth of hair in that area. This entire process can be done in less than an hour, giving you smooth, clean skin with minimal effort.
And when it comes to this simply and convenient procedure, it’s worth mentioning that women aren't the only ones undergoing it. Many men choose to remove their pubic hair with a laser hair removal treatment due to its high effectiveness and long-lasting results. Nowadays, people of all ages, lifestyles, professions and walks of life opt for a Brazilian laser hair removal.
Electrolysis vs Laser Hair Removal
Both laser hair removal therapy and electrolysis give longer-lasting results when compared to shaving and waxing. The results from electrolysis are permanent, and you won’t need very frequent maintenance treatments as you would for laser hair removal.
However, the downside of electrolysis is that this procedure must be spread out over more sessions. Also, it does not cover bigger areas at once like laser hair removal does. When choosing which procedure to go for, consider how quickly you want to get rid of your body hairs.
It’s also worth mentioning that doing one procedure and then the other is not a great idea. For instance, doing electrolysis after after you have undergone laser hair removal will disrupt the results of the first procedure. Make sure to do your research beforehand and talk to your dermatologist to decide what is the best option for you. If you decide to switch hair removal procedures, you might need to wait several months before starting with the process all over again.
