Tired of tweezing, waxing, shaving, bleaching, and slathering smelly, messy creams to get your body bare and bikini-ready and wondering if there is a magical method of making the fuzz disappear forever? You’re in luck, but it’s not as easy as you may think, and it isn’t for everybody.
One of the most painstaking beauty bores plaguing women – and men – is the ritual of removing unwanted hair. Whether it be areas of the face, underarms, arms, back, belly, bikini, legs, etc., no amount of waxing, shaving, or plucking has been able to keep frustrating fuzz from getting in the way of a day at the beach or otherwise.
Over the years, different innovations to help hinder hair growth, other than the reliable razor, have come up short, leaving many women wondering if there really is an end in sight to this exhausting body upkeep. With all the myriad of methods available to help keep skin smooth and stubble-free, the seemingly endless quest to find the permanent solution to stop the stubble once and for all is not a simple one.
Electrolysis: The Current Situation
The U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) declares the only viable solution to permanently removing unwanted hair is through a process known as electrolysis. Often performed by dermatologists and licensed estheticians, electrolysis is the time-consuming process of zapping individual hair follicles with an electrical current, permanently destroying the follicles, and subsequently, their ability to produce further hair growth.
This pricy, yet permanent, hair removal method is safe and effective for all skin types and tones yet is known to be pretty unpleasant and usually takes several sessions to target all hair follicles in any given area. Generally, targeted areas can be completely cleared of hair growth in about six months to a year, as hair has several different growth cycles that must each be treated for permanent results.
Once all growth cycles have been treated, the skin will remain smooth and sans stubble forever, unless a dormant follicle becomes active.
Shedding Light on Laser Hair Removal
Because electrolysis can be painful, expensive, and laborious, most patients opt for laser hair removal as the next-best option in their hair removal efforts. The FDA touts laser hair removal as a semi-permanent solution or hair reduction. For most patients, results from laser hair removal can last anywhere from six months to many years, depending on the individual and other factors, such as hormonal fluctuations.
The American Society of Dermatologic Surgery suggests laser hair removal is on the rise, up 30% from 2013 due to its affordability, accessibility, and upgraded efficacy across all skin and hair tones. It used to be those with light skin and dark hair were the ONLY candidates for laser hair removal until advancements in device technology have made it a safe and effective method of hair removal for everyone.
Laser hair removal uses mild radiation via high-heat lasers to damage hair follicles, significantly impeding and reducing hair growth. While long-lasting, laser hair removal is usually not a permanent solution and patients will require maintenance sessions to keep things to a bare minimum as follicles eventually regenerate and regrow hair. However, a small minority will enjoy permanent, skin-smoothing results.
Unfortunately, there is no way to tell beforehand if a patient will be one of the lucky few who remain fuzz-free.
Some of the most beloved benefits of laser hair removal include:
- can be performed anywhere on the face or body (except eyelids and scalp), making laser hair removal versatile
- little to no recovery time
- simple prep (shaving targeted areas before your session is highly recommended for optimal results)
- hair regrowth is lighter in color and finer in texture
Bare in Mind – Fast Facts of Laser Hair Removal
Laser hair removal, while typically safe and effective, is promoted as a hair reduction method that boasts semi-permanent results, so you can rid of the razor and sticky wax strips and toss the tweezers for some time. While most patients will need 5-8 sessions to completely treat an area, with 4-6 weeks between sessions, they can expect to book maintenance sessions every six months to a year to retain their smooth skin results.
Most patients report a 10-25% reduction in hair regrowth following their first treatment session and a 90% reduction in hair regrowth over time. Different areas will yield different results for different people, so it’s best to expect some hair regrowth at some point.
There simply is no way of knowing how your regrowth (if any) will turn out or how much. So, if you’re looking to say bye to the blade for good and want to put an end to your waxing woes, then choose the more painful electrolysis as the most permanent hair removal solution. Contact us today.