Some DIY beauty tricks are totally worth it. You can save time and money by dyeing your roots or plucking your brows in the comfort of your bathroom. But laser hair removal?
Click here to get more.
While the procedure used to only be available in the dermatologist’s office, these days you can buy small devices to zap away hair yourself.
But before you kiss your razor goodbye, find out what dermatologist Rachel Ward, MD, has to say about the safety and effectiveness of these devices.
Laser hair removal devices work by killing the hair follicle. But hair grows in cycles, and the lasers only damage follicles during an active cycle of hair growth. So it takes multiple treatments, about a month apart, to completely stop hair from regrowing.
For some people, laser hair removal is not entirely permanent. You might need a maintenance treatment every year or so to keep stray hairs from cropping up.
The process doesn’t come cheap. Professional laser hair removal can cost a couple hundred bucks per treatment, and it might take half a dozen sessions (or more) to knock out every follicle. You could rack up more than a thousand dollars in pursuit of a bald bikini line.
Meanwhile, you can order an at-home hair removal laser for somewhere in the neighborhood of $400 or $500. At first glance, it seems like a better investment. But there are some important caveats, Dr. Ward says.
There are two types of at-home devices for hair removal. One is a true laser, and the other uses intense pulsed light. Both types remove hair, and both are less powerful than the device you’ll find at the dermatologist’s office, Dr. Ward explains.
That’s good and bad. On the one hand, with less power comes less responsibility. These devices are safe for amateurs to use at home, so you don’t have to worry about singeing yourself in the name of smooth skin. (Still, make sure you follow the directions exactly — because laser.)
More downsides: It’s hard to cover a lot of territory — like an entire leg — with the small at-home devices, Dr. Ward says. And they might not be strong enough to get completely hair-free. “Over multiple sessions, you’ll reduce the amount of hair you see — but it probably won’t be a home run,” she says.
One of the biggest drawbacks to at-home laser hair removal? The tools only work on a narrow range of hair and skin colors. The lasers zero in on pigments in the hair follicle and are only effective when there’s a lot of contrast between skin and hair. That means the systems are recommended for people with light skin and dark hair.
In people with darker skin, there’s a risk of burns — though to prevent that, many at-home devices have sensors that block them from working on darker skin.
If you don’t have the pale-skin/dark-hair combo, professional lasers are the only option. “The lasers we use in the dermatology office are more sophisticated and can be used in patients with skin of any color,” Dr. Ward says.
If you have the right hair and skin tones, the devices are generally safe to try, Dr. Ward says. But it’s important to use them correctly.
DON’T use them:
When doing the math, consider that at-home devices might have limited battery power or contain light cartridges that will need to be replaced, Dr. Ward says. And no matter how often you use them, you might never achieve total hairlessness.
“It depends on the person, but professional hair removal usually gives you a bigger bang for your buck,” she says.
Laser hair removal is a procedure that uses a laser, or a concentrated beam of light, to get rid of hair in different areas of the body.
If you're not happy with shaving, tweezing, or waxing to remove unwanted hair, laser hair removal may be an option worth considering.
Laser hair removal is one of the most commonly done cosmetic procedures in the U.S. It beams highly concentrated light into hair follicles. Pigment in the follicles absorb the light. This destroys the hair.
Laser hair removal vs. electrolysis
Electrolysis is another type of hair removal, but it is considered more permanent. A probe is inserted into each individual hair follicle, delivering an electric current and killing hair growth. Unlike laser hair removal, it works on all hair and skin colors but takes longer and can be more expensive. Hair removal can be an important part of transitioning for members of the trans and gender-expansive communities and can help with feelings of dysphoria or unease.
Lasers are useful for removing unwanted hair from the face, leg, chin, back, arm, underarm, bikini line, and other areas. However, you can't get laser done on your eyelids or the surrounding areas or anywhere that has been tattooed.
Benefits of laser hair removal include:
Meizi Product Page
Precision. Lasers can selectively target dark, coarse hairs while leaving the surrounding skin undamaged.
Speed. Each pulse of the laser takes a fraction of a second and can treat many hairs at the same time. The laser can treat an area approximately the size of a quarter every second. Small areas such as the upper lip can be treated in less than a minute, and large areas, such as the back or legs, may take up to an hour.
Predictability. Most patients have permanent hair loss after an average of three to seven sessions.
You should also avoid sun exposure for 6 weeks before and after treatment. Sun exposure makes laser hair removal less effective and makes complications after treatment more likely.
Avoid taking any blood-thinning medications before the procedure. Talk to your doctor about which medications to stop if you're on any anti-inflammatories or regularly take aspirin.
If you have darker skin, your doctor may prescribe skin bleaching cream. Don't use any sunless creams to darken your skin. It's important that your skin is as light as possible for the procedure.
Should you shave for laser hair removal?
You should shave or trim the day before your procedure.
What happens if you don't shave before laser hair removal?
If your hair is too long, the procedure will not work as effectively, and your hair and skin will get burned.
Before laser hair removal
Just before the procedure, the hair that will be undergoing treatment will be trimmed to a few millimeters above the skin surface. Usually, the technician will apply a topical numbing medicine 20-30 minutes before the procedure to help with the sting of the laser pulses. They'll also adjust the laser equipment according to the color, thickness, and location of your hair being treated, as well as your skin color.
Depending on the laser or light source used, you and the technician will need to wear appropriate eye protection. They'll also apply a cold gel or use a special cooling device to prodct the outer layers of your skin and help the laser light get into it.
During laser hair removal
The technician will give the treatment area a pulse of light. They'll watch for several minutes to make sure they used the best settings and that you aren't having a bad reaction.
Laser hair removal side effects
Over the next month, the treated hair will fall out. Wear sunscreen for the following month to help prevent temporary changes in the color of the treated skin.
Other potential side effects include swelling, redness, and scarring. Permanent scarring or changes in skin color are rare.
Laser hair removal risks
Blisters are rare but are more likely in people with darker complexions. Another rare side effect is the treated hair turning gray or more hair growing around the treated areas.
Don't get it done by an unlicensed technician. It's important to go to someone you can trust. Before getting laser hair removal, you should thoroughly check the credentials of the doctor or technician performing the procedure.
The results vary from person to person but can last months to several years depending on maintenance.
Brazilian laser hair removal gets rid of all the hair from your bikini zone, like a Brazilian wax would, but in a more permanent way. If you have light skin and dark hair, you will likely see good results from laser hair removal that can last much longer than other hair removal methods.
Laser hair removal may remove or greatly lessen the hair on your treated area.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of Beauty Laser Machine. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.