Cost of Laser Hair Removal: Everything You Need To Know
By Aaliyah Albo
Many people have to deal with removing unwanted body hair as part of their normal grooming routine. Whether it’s shaving their legs or tweezing the pesky little hairs sprouting from their chin, people can spend what amounts to months if not years of removing body hair over the course of their lives. Women tend to spend a little more time and money on this process than men. In fact, a survey completed by the American Laser Centers showed that women spend more than $10,000 on shaving products like razors and shaving cream over their lifetime - yikes!
Considering those stats, it’s no surprise that many people are looking for a more permanent solution to combating unwanted hair - such as laser hair removal treatment.
Laser hair removal is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures in the U.S. It uses state-of-the-art laser light technology to target and eliminate unwanted hair. Of all the hair removal methods, laser hair removal treatment offers the closest to a permanent hair removal solution. Still, the question you must ask yourself is: “How much does laser hair removal treatment cost?”
While the upfront costs of this increasingly popular treatment are greater than the costs of other hair removal methods, the long-term benefits may justify the cost for many people. Here’s what to know!
How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?
During treatment, a laser emits a powerful light that is used to target the natural pigment melanin in individual hairs. The light energy is then converted into heat, which damages the tube-shaped sacs (hair follicles) within the skin that produce hair. This damage delays or stops future hair growth.
Hair follows a growth pattern that involves periods of growing, shedding, and resting. Laser hair removal is only effective when hair is in the active growing phase. Hair that has been recently removed and is in the resting period will not be visible to the laser, so you will need to wait until it regrows to eliminate it. This is why you should not wax or pluck the hair before your laser hair removal treatment. To ensure the laser treats every unwanted hair, multiple laser sessions are needed to target hair as it cycles through the hair growth phases. Most people reach their goal of silky-smooth, hair-free skin in as little as six to eight treatments.
Benefits of Laser Hair Removal
The biggest benefit of laser hair removal treatment is that it offers permanent hair reduction over time. While multiple sessions are necessary for complete permanent hair removal, results are often visible following the very first treatment. Some of the other benefits of treatment include:
Minimal pain. The initial laser sessions may feel a little uncomfortable, but the feeling tends to diminish with each treatment, and a cooling gel is usually applied to reduce any discomfort. Most people will tell you it feels similar to the ping of an elastic band and is nothing compared to the pain of getting your lady bits waxed or your eyebrows threaded.
Minimal side effects. In very rare cases, people experience burning from the laser, but generally, there is just a little redness that dissipates quickly. If you do happen to experience a slight burn or any irritation, you can treat it with aloe vera gel and a cold compress.
No ingrown hairs. Imagine never having to deal with another pesky ingrown hair ever again. Since laser hair removal destroys the hair at the follicle, there is no risk for ingrown hairs to sprout.
Fast. Unlike other hair removal methods like shaving, waxing, and sugaring, the laser can treat an area the size of a quarter every second. This means that small areas like the upper lip can be treated in as little as 5 minutes while larger areas like the legs can be treated in around 30 minutes.
Effective. When it comes to hair removal, laser treatment is undoubtedly the most effective method. Rather than cutting off the hair at the root or pulling it out, laser hair removal treatment works by destroying the hair follicle, meaning the results are likely to last much longer.
Precise and accurate. Lasers are meticulous and able to select precise areas to target where dark, coarse hair is growing while leaving the surrounding skin undamaged. They can target anywhere on the body, even in those difficult to reach places like your bum and nether regions.
Safe. Sure, getting zapped with a powerful laser might seem a bit hazardous and maybe even a little scary, but the truth is that treatment by laser is actually one of the safest methods of hair removal. Why? Because it’s carried out by a trained laser specialist and there is no chance of cutting yourself or getting an allergic reaction from harmful chemicals, which are common side effects of other hair removal methods like waxing, shaving, and depilatory creams.
Okay, so how much does laser hair removal treatment cost?
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the average cost of laser hair removal is $429. However, the cost varies depending on many different factors, some of which include:
The size of the area being treated. The beauty of laser hair removal treatment is that the laser can be used on any part of the body, excluding the eyes. Small areas like your chin, underarms, and bikini line require less time than some of the larger areas like your back and legs. The more time that a laser hair removal specialist spends on any specific area, the more expensive your treatment will be.
The number of sessions you will need. During your initial consultation with the laser specialist, the number of sessions that you’ll need for your desired look will be discussed. As we mentioned a little earlier, most people need around six to eight treatments, but depending on your hair color and skin tone, you may require more treatments, which will cost you more money.
The color of your skin and hair. Believe it or not, but those genes that your mama gave you, like your dark glowing skin or your beautiful blonde hair, play a huge factor in the cost of laser treatments. Since the pigment melanin absorbs the laser’s energy in the hair follicle, the ideal candidate for treatment will have light skin and dark hair. But with laser light technology on the rise, lasers have been developed like the ND:YAG laser, which is ideal for people with dark skin tones, making it possible for just about anyone to achieve flawless, hair-free skin. However, several sessions with these special lasers will be required, which can affect the price.
Where you live. Lastly, the area of the country where you live will help to determine the cost of treatment as well. If you get laser hair removal in a city with a high cost-of-living, like NYC or San Francisco, for example, expect to cough up more cash for treatment than you would have to pay in a more slow-paced city.
Recap
So, how much does laser hair removal treatment cost? The answer is - it depends.
Laser hair removal is an effective non-invasive cosmetic procedure to eliminate unwanted hair. It may cost a little more initially, but once you complete all your laser treatments, you’ll save a lot of money by not having to pay for razors, shaving cream, or costly wax appointments ever again. In addition, there are also great at-home laser hair removal options like the KENZZI IPL Hair Removal Handset that are just as effective as getting professionally lasered, but at a fraction of the cost.
With KENZZI, you can have perfectly smooth, hair-free skin, all from the comfort of your very own home!
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