To Laser or Not to Laser
I am sure you have heard of laser hair removal, not to be confused with electrolysis which is the only FDA approved treatment for permanent hair removal. Since light is absorbed by dark objects and reflected by light ones, lasers use selective photothermolysis (SPTL) to cause localized damage by heating dark targets — in this case, melanin in the follicles — without burning the rest of the skin.
Basiclly, lasering targets the hair follicle at the root to burn it off so it doesn’t grow back. Even if a little grows, it will be virtually invisible. Laser hair removal can be done on any part of the body and is a process that is done in sessions.
You have probably heard mostly of women using laser hair removal for their underarms, bikini areas or upper lips. It is a thing women swear by. But when it comes down to it, is it safe and worth the money? The reason not everyone has lasered off their body hair is because it is expensive and time consuming.
I am a wax girl. Recently, I heard about sugaring and gave that a go, but it hurt as bad as waxing, just in a different way. So the time has come for me to get started on some laser treatments because waxing hurts my sensitive skin a lot, and I cannot tolerate the pain anymore. Shaving always leaves my skin bumpy and red, so I need a treatment that will be benefit me for the long run.
Laser hair removal costs about $200 per session. If you decide to do it, you have to look at it as an investment since you won’t have to spend money on waxing or shaving products and you will have significantly less hair so you won’t need to shave. The thing is, depending on what area you want lasered, the price and amount of sessions will vary so ask questions of the person who will be doing your treatments before you go in for a session.
Also, make sure that where you get your treatments done is licensed to do so. A simple question will save you pain from an inexperienced laser tech not able to spot your hair follicles as quickly as a licensed tech could.
It does work and is worth it to me to invest in lasering. Sessions can hurt and be long. But as you keep going, the pain lessens, but it is really all about your pain threshold. The pain can range from minimal to as bad as a waxing session, but once you are done with your sessions, you will have hair-free skin, so no more razor bumps or ingrown hairs from waxing.
Laser works best on fair skin with dark hair such as black, brown, reddish-brown or ditry blond, since the laser can easily spot the hair root and heat it at the right spot. It is more difficult with white, light blond and strawberry blond hair or on darker skin when the hair color closely matches the skin color, like black hair on people with dark skin. But by asking questions and making sure your tech will get the job done with your skin tone, you will be set.
Born and raised in the DMV, Emma Blancovich has a big appreciation for discovering things to do around town, such as new restaurants to try and supporting the local music scene by attending live shows. During the week she is an editor for trade associations, but on the weekends you can find her hiking up trails with the latest fitness gadgets then getting ready for a night out using the latest beauty and health products.