Important Facts About Laser Hair Removal

Laser hair removal is becoming the most popular choice for permanent hair removal. There are several reasons why that could be, but two important ones are likely the time factor and the pain factor: the laser hair removal process is simply less painful and less time-consuming to undergo than it is to endure electrolysis.

Consider, when you go for laser hair removal treatment, in the capable hands of a licensed and trained aesthetician, the hair removal process can be finished relatively quickly. Some lasers don't have a customizable beam, and require stop-and-go (stop-and-zap) action so they may take a little longer. However, the newer lasers, such as the Soprano, use a sweeping motion, which can cover a greater expanse of skin at a time, and results in fewer "missed" spots. Think of how long it would take to paint a wall by dabbing it with a paint brush versus using a can of spray paint - a several minutes versus a few seconds. So, what's the pain of electrolysis like? Well, some individuals say that the older lasers, such as the ND: Yag are uncomfortable, akin to snapping a rubber band on your skin. The newer ones, such as the Alexandrite are much more comfortable, but the new gold standard in hair removal lasers, the Soprano, is virtually pain-free. For someone considering pubic hair removal, where the pain factor is usually the only factor, a hair removal clinic that specializes in the Soprano would be well worth a visit.

On the other hand, the way electrolysis works, a slender stainless steel needle is inserted (just a few millimeters or so, stop panicking) into each and every hair follicle (okay, now you can panic). Considering that the human body has between 700 and 1,000 hair follicles on every square inch of skin (not including your head, by the way), that's a lot of zapping. Is it painful? Yes. Again, no more painful than a rubber band snapping on your skin, but really, if someone was snapping you with a rubber band, wouldn't you want to slug them after the second or third snap?

The truth is that laser hair removal doesn't work on everyone, and a "reputable" laser hair removal center should tell you that (and if they don't, be thankful that you've been forewarned). Even with the advancement of new lasers, certain natural hair colors, such as red, very light blond, white or gray don't have enough pigment in them to attract the laser's wavelengths. That's the bad news. The good news is that excludes a fairly large part of the population.