Razor bumps got you down? Tired of dealing with a painful razor burn at the beach? If you’ve hated shaving for as long as you’ve been … well, shaving, then laser hair removal might be the thing you’ve been waiting all your life to discover.
Laser hair removal is the permanent solution to your hair removal woes that reduces and/or eliminates hair from places on your body that you’d rather be smooth and hairless. But is it really worth it? Will getting laser hair removal mean you can REALLY throw your razors away for good? Read on to find out.
How Laser Hair Removal Works
Laser hair removal uses a specially designed laser to kill or damage hair follicles so they can no longer grow hair. The light from the laser is absorbed by the melanin in the hair shaft, where it turns into heat. That heat either kills the hair follicle permanently or damages it to the point that it can only grow fine, thin hair.
What Happens in a Laser Hair Removal Treatment?
During your session, your provider will press a hand-held laser to your skin. Every few seconds, the laser will pulse and your skin will be exposed to bright light. After each pulse, your provider will move the hand-held device to the next spot on your skin. The process is repeated until the entire treatment has been addressed. The time spent at your appointment depends on the area to be treated. An upper lip can take as little as five minutes. Full leg treatment takes about 45 minutes to an hour.
Is Laser Hair Removal Really Permanent?
Yes and no. Usually, some hair follicles are killed permanently and do not regrow. Others are permanently damaged and always grow hair that’s finer and softer than before. After your initial set of laser hair removal treatments, you’ll probably need to come back for a maintenance treatment every now and then to keep enjoying your results. Most people enjoy long-term hair removal that lasts years, if not a lifetime.
Can Lasers Remove Hair Anywhere on the Body?
Laser hair removal can be used on nearly every area of the body, including:
- Bikini line
- Upper lips
- Arms
- Legs
- Chest
- Back
- Face
- Genitals
Who Gets the Best Results From Laser Hair Removal?
Though laser hair removal can be done almost anywhere on the body, it’s important to note that not all hair responds well to laser hair removal. The best results tend to come from areas where the hair is courser and darker, and the skin is lighter. So, if your upper lip has some peach fuzz, but it’s blonde, laser hair removal may not work well and is not recommended.
Light hair doesn’t work for laser hair removal because it doesn’t have enough melanin to absorb the laser and create heat that kills the follicle. Light hair simply does not respond well to laser hair removal and will not create acceptable results.
How Many Treatments Do I Need to See Results?
You might start to see results after just one appointment, but to see the full glory of smooth, hairless skin, you’ll need between 10-12 treatments spaced four to six weeks apart.
Laser hair removal isn’t a quick fix like Botox or fillers, but the results you’ll see are long-lasting and can save you hours of shaving, tweezing, plucking, and waxing over the course of your life. We truly believe that laser hair removal is worth the time investment!
Does Laser Hair Removal Hurt?
This depends on where you have it done on your body. For example, people often tell us that laser hair removal on the legs or back isn’t uncomfortable at all. However, having the treatment done on your bikini line, face, or genital area is typically more uncomfortable, because the skin in those areas is so sensitive.
Most patients describe the sensation of the laser as being popped by a rubber band. How hard the bad “pops” depends on the sensitivity of your skin and the area you’re having lasered.
To combat any discomfort during the process, you may want to take OTC pain relievers and apply lidocaine numbing cream to the treatment area about 30 minutes before your appointment time. A cooling tip is part of the machine we use to apply the laser to your skin, which helps to instantly cool the area after each pulse of the laser.
What are the Risks of Laser Hair Removal?
Laser hair removal is generally considered very safe. Usually, the only side effects are temporary redness and mild swelling at the site of the treatment. This typically resolves within a few hours to a day.
On more rare occasions, laser hair removal can change the pigment of the skin, causing it to become either darker or lighter. This is often temporary but may be permanent.
On extremely rare occasions, laser hair removal can cause blistering and scarring.
How Much Does Laser Hair Removal Cost?
The cost of laser hair removal varies widely depending on where you live, the type of technology being used during treatment, and what area of the body you’d like to have treated.
The best way to find out how much you’d pay for laser hair removal is to come in for a free consult. You can schedule your free consultation with us by clicking here.
Something to consider: though the price of laser hair removal may give some patients sticker shock, it’s important to remember that laser hair removal eliminates or drastically reduces the cost of shaving and waxing – possibly forever. Over time, those costs add up. In the long term, laser hair removal can be cheaper than shaving and waxing, and WAY more convenient!
Want to Know more about laser hair removal?
We’d love to help you look and feel your best with hair-free skin. Give us a call today or click here to schedule your free consult now.
