Excessive body hair is an absolute nightmare for a lot of women.
Not only does it effect your confidence, removing the body hair can also be very stressful.
A poll done by Kelton research showed that 18 million American women are more stressed out by removing body hair than their own finances.
The same study also showed that 80% women would go without SEX for 30 days and wait for it….. give up CHOCOLATE forever! If they didn’t have to deal with the frustrating task of removing body hair ever again.
Well ladies, I have good news, you don’t have to give sex or chocolate because permanent hair removal at home is possible with laser treatment.
Insider Tip: if you are expecting or current just gave birth, these bikinis would be perfect!
Laser is a fantastic way to remove unwanted body hair, and the beauty, is you can do it within the comfort of you own home.
However, there are some risks and worries that need to be considered, and a lot questions that need to be answered.
Well today I am going to make it very simple for you and cover all this information in our extensive guide below.
Quick Navigation
Is laser hair removal painful?
Answering this question is quite difficult because everybody has a different level of skin sensitivity. However, the majority of experts do claim that permanent hair removal at home using laser does have a low pain level.
Describing this pain is quite difficult, some experts say that it kind of feels like a hot rubber band being flicked onto your skin.
PRO TIP – If you are worried about the pain, or have extra sensitive skin, then you can use lidocaine numbing cream. Apply a moderately thick layer of cream to your skin about 45 minutes before you start your laser treatment.
Laser hair removal side effects
Laser hair removal is incredibly safe; however there are some potential risks and side effects that you must be aware of.
Understanding the dangers and safety precautions involved with laser removal at home will help you make the correct decisions about your care.
PRO TIP- If you are using your laser hair removal device for the first time on a new body part, choose a small section of skin close to the area you intend to treat. This will enable you to gauge how sensitive that area of skin is.
When using your laser hair removal machine, you may smell singed hair; this is normal. You may also experience some swelling, tenderness and minor skin irritation. These symptoms are short term and will cease shortly after the treatment.
Some users have reported burning. This side effect is very rare but can happen if the laser is administered on the wrong skin type or too frequently on the treatment area. The burning is temporary, but if not treated correctly then scarring and blistering may occur.
Hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation are two of the less painful side effects that occur more often in people with darker skin tones.
Hyperpigmentation is the darkening of skin that can potentially occur after laser hair removal treatment. In some cases the laser can stimulate melanin production. This creates a reaction similar to a sun tan. Hyperpigmentation can be reversed with treatment.
Hypopigmentation is the reverse of hyperpigmentation and refers to the lightening of skin after laser hair removal treatment.In some cases when laser light is absorbed, melanin production within the skin can be inhibited, causing a loss in pigment. Unfortunately, hypopigmentation is currently not reversible.
All forms of hair removal do cause a certain level of skin irritation. You have to remember that laser treatment is a longer-lasting solution than shaving and is usually much less painful than waxing and plucking.
Laser hair removal at home eye protection
One of the most important safety precautions that you can take is buying protective eyewear. The laser produced during a treatment is very powerful and can damage your eyes if they are not protected.
Does laser hair removal affect tattoos?
It is not advisable to use a laser or IPL hair remove device on hair that is growing over a tattoo. Lasers are designed to locate pigment, so that light will be attracted not only to the hair, but also the pigment within a tattoo. If the laser happens to reach the tattoo, it will not only remove the pigment, but also may cause blistering and even scaring.
IPL or laser, which is better for hair removal?
When it comes to laser hair removal at home, the two main treatments available are laser and IPL (intense pulse light). There may be some confusion between the two treatments, so below we aim to clear this up.
Hair removal using IPL and laser technologies were both introduced in the 90’s. They both send focused light beam impulses directly through the skin.
This is absorbed by the hair melanin, which is found mainly at the bottom of the hair shaft. The heat generated by the light beam impulses damage the follicle, disabling its regrowth.
A laser device produces a single wavelength of light, which can be concentrated on a specific target.
Laser devices are carefully designed to emit the precise wavelength required to treat your hair, whereas an IPL device produces a wide-spectrum of light that enables a larger area to be treated.
In terms of how IPL compares to laser, which is better depends on who you ask. Manufacturers of both technologies claim that their own devices produce better results.
In general, most dermatologists claim that Laser is more effective. This could be because this technology has been used with hair removal for longer, meaning more positive results have been logged.
However, in 2006, an article in the journal, entitled “Lasers in Medical Science” reviewed both IPL and lasers. The review found that there was no statistical difference in effectiveness, but side effects were slightly more prominent with laser-based treatments.
Is laser hair removal permanent?
Laser and IPL is the fastest and most effective way to remove unwanted hair. Although each user’s experience will be different based on the rate of individuals hair regrowth, experts claim that users of laser and ILP machines should expect to see a reduction in hair regrowth between 70-90%.
In the US, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved laser hair removal for “permanent hair reduction”. The FDA defines “permanent” hair reduction as a “long-term, stable reduction in the number of hairs re-growing after a treatment regime, which may include several sessions”
Using laser hair removal machines will permanently reduce the total number of body hairs, however the treatment will not result in the permanent removal of all body hair.
Laser hair removal cost
Is home laser hair removal cost-effective?…..
Compared to in-office laser hair removal,the answer is yes. In-office prices can range between $75 and $250 per treatment, whereas you would only expect pay between $200 – $500 for a home laser device. In the long term, you will simply save thousands of dollars removing hair permanently at home.
Also, the technology used for home devices has certainly come a long way over the years, meaning that the result they produce are very similar to what you would expect in-office. Plus, you have the benefit of performing the treatment in the comfort and privacy of your own home.
PRO TIP – When choosing your home IPL or laser removal device, it is important that you consider the cost of light cartridges. Some of the home laser and IPL devices require disposable light cartridges to power their light source
Permanent hair removal at home conclusion
Well I hope that this guide was helpful.
If you now think that permanent hair removal at home is for you. Then I encourage you to now pick one of the best home laser hair removal devices on the market and get started!
Then come back and report your results to us.