In the typical person’s beauty routine, getting rid of body hair is a necessary step. Whether you love your body hair or feel empowered by it, most people rely on hair removal techniques to get smooth, fuzz-free skin. To have hair-free limbs is probably a constant struggle for all the hairy girls out there. Popular hair removal techniques like shaving, epilation, and waxing can be time-consuming and painful. The miracle of laser hair removal, which is a boon for the hairy and the lazy, was thankfully made possible by cosmetic innovation.
Why Laser Hair Removal Isn’t As Permanent As You Thought
In the typical person’s beauty routine, getting rid of body hair is a necessary step. You can hate your body hair or feel empowered by it, but either way most people lean on hair removal methods to achieve smooth and fuzz-free skin. To have hair-free limbs is probably a constant struggle for all the hairy girls out there. Shaving, epilation, and waxing are popular but time-consuming and painful hair removal techniques. Thankfully, cosmetic innovation birthed the miracle technology of laser hair removal, which is a blessing for the hairy and the lazy.
The pros in this case far outweigh the drawbacks of laser hair removal, despite the fact that it is the most expensive method of hair removal. Compared to shaving or waxing, which make it simple to miss hairs, laser hair removal is first and foremost much more effective. In comparison to waxing and epilation, laser hair removal is also relatively painless. In fact, there are a number of virtually painless laser models. The cherry on top is that laser hair removal is the closest thing to permanent hair removal that you can find, in case you’re still not persuaded at this point. That said, it’s important to understand that laser hair removal isn’t as permanent as you may assume. Here is a description of how laser hair removal devices operate and how long actual laser treatments last.
The Science Behind Laser Hair Removal
It’s critical to comprehend how this technology operates before discussing how long laser hair removal actually lasts. According to SpaMedica, there are five main types of lasers: Alexandrite, Diode, ND:YAG, Ruby, and Intense Pulsed Light (IPL). The two most widely used lasers are IPL and Alexandrite, though IPL is gaining popularity because it can target all hair and skin types due to adjustable machine options. Alexandrite, on the other hand, is not recommended for those with darker skin tones and it cannot be customized. Diode and ND:YAG machines are better suited for medium to dark skin tones and those with coarse hair.
In general, laser hair machines use concentrated beams of light to damage the hair follicles by converting the light energy to heat, per Mayo Clinic. The melanin or pigment present in hair follicles is drawn to the focused light. IPL uses pulsed light rather than other laser devices in order to operate. The majority of body parts can be treated with laser hair removal in either case. The results vary from person to person and require multiple sessions to see changes.
How Long Does Laser Hair Removal Last?
Many people believe that laser hair removal is permanent. Lasers can only remove a small amount of hair at a time, in reality. It is more accurate to say that laser hair removal can slow the growth of hair rather than actually removing it. Lasers can significantly reduce the amount of hair on your skin by damaging hair follicles and slowing down the process of future growth, according to Mayo Clinic.
Why doesn’t laser hair removal last forever? So, we’re back to the two main categories of hair: terminal hairs and vellus hairs. Terminal hairs are the thicker and darker hairs that are more noticeable than vellus hairs, or peach fuzz, which are the fine hairs that can appear on most areas of your skin (via Cleveland Clinic). Lasers target the melanin in hair follicles, which means that laser hair removal is unable to target vellus hairs, as vellus hairs lack pigment.
Hormone changes, which impact hair growth cycles, are also not taken into account by laser hair removal. Actually, your hormones, particularly androgens, can change vellus hairs into terminal hairs. Because you might grow new terminal hairs that go untreated, laser hair treatments need to be maintained regularly on a monthly or bimonthly basis. Nevertheless, laser hair removal is the most durable method of hair removal currently available, and even though it is expensive and not completely permanent, it is completely worth the Laser Hair Removal cost.
