One of the biggest draws to laser body hair removal is the fact that it saves time. Maintaining body hair removal is tedious and time-consuming, so many women choose to skip it whenever possible.
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What most people don’t realize is that the cost of hair removal also adds up over the years. When you add up the cost of all the razors, bottles of shaving cream, and waxing appointments, permanent laser hair removal will start to look like a bargain. Here’s a look at how you can save time and money with laser hair removal treatments.
Average Time Spent Shaving
There are a few different kinds of shaving. The quick shave that’s done in the shower when you’re in a rush probably takes about four minutes on average. Then there’s the full-focus shave that requires a dozen handfuls of shaving cream and takes about 10 minutes, but these are performed less frequently. Depending on how often you shave, daily or a few times per week, you’ll spend roughly 30 hours shaving per year.
Total: 30 hours per year / 1800 hours over a lifetime*
Average Time Spent Waxing
Depending on what area of the body you’re waxing, it can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. Since we’re comparing time spent on hair removal, we’ll examine the time it takes to get the legs, underarms, and bikini area taken care of, which would be closer to an hour. This should be done roughly once a month if the area is being well maintained, which would add up to 12 hours per year. However, this number doesn’t account for the time taken to drive to and from the salon as well as the time it takes to schedule each appointment. If it takes under 30 minutes to drive there and back, you’re looking at an additional 6 hours per year.
Total: 18 hours per year / 1080 hours over a lifetime
Average Time Spent Getting Laser Hair Removal
While some small areas of the body can take under ten minutes to treat with laser hair removal, larger areas like full legs can take up to an hour. Since we’re still comparing the time it takes to remove the hair from the underarms, legs, and bikini, the minimum average time it will take is sixty minutes. Depending on the thickness and color of your unwanted hair, you will need anywhere between 5 and 10 laser sessions to get permanent results. This means you’re looking at 50 to 100 hours per lifetime on laser hair removal treatments. Add the time it takes to drive to the laser clinic and schedule your appointments and you’ll spend an average of 200 hours completing your laser hair removal treatments.
Total: 200 hours over a lifetime
Average Cost of Shaving on a Budget
A bag of cheap razors costs about $10 for 10 razors. While there are various reports indicating how often a razor should be thrown out, most say to toss them after an average of 7 uses. If you shave daily, you’re tossing out your razors roughly once a week. Without taking the cost of shaving cream into consideration, you’ll be spending about $52 a year. If you’re using cheap razors, then you likely aren’t dropping too much on your shaving cream either. Budget shaving creams cost an average of $5 and take approximately one month to get through, adding $60 to your annual shaving cost.
Total: $112 per year / $6,720 over a lifetime
Average Cost of Shaving with High-End Products
If you’re using high-quality razors, you’re likely spending more but also getting a better shave so you don’t have to worry about it as often. High-end razor brands sell the handles and razor blades separately. Handles often cost about $10 while 8 replacement blades will run you an average of $22. If you replace the blade once a week, you’re looking at $143 per year on just the blades. High-end shaving creams cost between $15-20 and will add another $240 or so onto your annual cost of shaving.
Total: $393 per year / $23,580 over a lifetime
Average Cost of Waxing
Waxing is one of the most expensive forms of hair removal, but many women prefer it over shaving as it lasts longer. The average cost of waxing the underarms is $20, the full leg is $65, and a Brazilian wax is around $65. This adds up to $150 per month being spent on body hair maintenance.
Total: $1,800 per year / $108,000 over a lifetime
Average Cost of Laser Hair Removal
The average cost of laser hair removal is $235 per treatment depending on the size of the area being treated. However, since 5 to 10 laser sessions are required to permanently eliminate body hair, most laser clinics offer packages that lower the cost. The average price of a laser package that includes 6 treatments of a medium sized area is $1,100. If you’re interested in permanently removing the hair on your legs, underarms, and bikini area then you will need 3 separate packages. The underarms are considered a small area, the bikini area a medium-sized area, and the legs a large area.
Total: $4,500 to $10,500 over a lifetime
When you compare the amount of time and money spent on hair removal throughout your lifetime, laser hair removal is the clear winner. Not only does it provide you with smooth, flawless skin, but also the results are also going to last forever. When searching for a laser clinic, find one that offers packages with a lifetime guarantee. This ensures that if you ever need a touch up down the line, you’ll be covered. Check out these laser hair removal faqs for more information.
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See how laser hair removal is done and never shave again in this video:
*Lifetime calculations are based on 60 years of hair removal
