One of the longest, most recursive talks in the beauty industry must be the relevance of laser hair removal technologies and their actual utility. Does it work? Do I lose my money? Is it safe? There are many questions that you may have in mind before deserting classical hair removal strategies and diving into the cutting-edge ways of attaining beauty.
When it comes to health-related procedures, however, maybe the most important question that has to be addressed is: Does science approve of it? In short, yes. Laser seems to be the most lucrative long-term solution to smooth baby skin.
The idea of laser hair removal is that since hair follicles are the ones that produce hair, they should be the target. And they are, indeed. The technology heats the follicle which disables it from growing hairs for a long period. This state of dormancy can’t be induced through other techniques because they don’t have the capacity of emitting light directly to the follicle.
The pigment (melanin) of the hair is the first to absorb the light that the laser produces. The heat, then, damages the tube-shaped sacs (hair follicles) in the skin and inhibits or delays hair growth. When it comes to safety, there is no science-based evidence that laser hair removal causes cancer or other diseases. However, this technology isn’t suitable for anyone.
Laser hair removal isn’t recommended for pregnant women or people with particular skin types or skin diseases. If you find yourself in these categories, make sure to get advice from a certified doctor.
Another marker or safety to look for is the experience of the person doing the procedure and the quality of the laser in use. It’s important not to rush when opting for a place to do your laser treatments. Read reviews and make a list of a few top-tier locations and then choose.
Laser hair removal is far from permanent. It requires continued engagement in sessions to keep hair from regrowing. You may expect monthly visits in the beginning and then repeat the procedures once a year or so, depending on your hair follicles and growth pace. Generally, in the beginning, it may take up to 7 weeks to completely inhibit hair regrowth after which you’ll be free for the months to come.
(Check out this study on laser hair removal.)
From all of the technologies available today, laser hair removal is clearly the one that achieves best some kind of permanence to hair growth inhibition. While waxing requires a monthly commitment for your entire life, the laser takes one month of a full year and leaves the rest hairless. This is as carefree as it can get at the moment if efficacy is what you want to get. Of course, some people love the routine of getting shaved or waxed and wouldn’t change it for anything. In the end, you are the one that has to choose what is the priority.