Beauty
We tried it: Laser hair removal
PHOTO: Pexels
Beauty
We tried it: Laser hair removal
The technology has gotten better, it’s more available than ever and we’re tired of shaving—we tried laser hair removal.
I am an ideal candidate for laser hair removal. I have light skin, dark and coarse hair and a lot of it. I’ve been told this by every waxer I’ve ever been to. And truth be told, laser hair removal is something that was on my must-try list since I was a teenager. But, as with most cutting-edge beauty techniques, the cost was prohibitive when I was a teen and student in my early twenties.
Eventually, I did decide to get laser hair removal on my legs (fun fact, I spent most of my early twenties never showing my legs, even in the sweltering heat because I hated the way my spotty prone-to-ingrown-hairs legs looked). I can safely say (as someone who now wears shorts whenever I can) it was money well spent.
When WAXON got in touch to share the news that it had branched out into laser hair removal (they used to just specialize in waxing), I jumped at the chance to experience the new technological advances and the opportunity to get rid of my underarm hair.
I mentioned that I am an ideal candidate for laser hair removal, but the biggest advancement in this technology is that more and more people are now good candidates for the procedure. It used to be that women of colour would be hard-pressed to find an effective and safe option for laser hair removal, but with more precise and better quality machines, it’s becoming something that is more accessible to people of all skin tones and hair types. Which is why it’s more important than ever to go to a reputable place that has the latest and greatest technology. There are risks involved with laser hair removal (namely, burning the skin) and so you want to go to a place that is highly recommended and has highly trained people doing these procedures.
With more precise and better quality machines, laser hair removal is becoming something that is more accessible to people of all skin tones and hair types.
Now for my own experience. Truth be told I never really minded underarm hair. I even often even enjoyed having it, even if I still always shaved when wearing something sleeveless. But after over a decade of shaving, my already dark and coarse hair was becoming a bit of a nightmare. My shave would last only a day, and then my underarms would be so uncomfortable that I wouldn’t be able to shave them again for a while. I found myself always reaching for sleeves because the tell-tale irritation would make me feel self-conscious.
I did four sessions with WAXON, each spaced a month apart. The day before each appointment, I would shave my underarms, which helps the treatment to be more effective. The process was most painful on the first session, but it was completely bearable, especially since your underarms don’t cover much area—the treatment was over in about fifteen minutes. The experience consists of a melanin reading (done by a machine which then helps to determine the strength of the machine for the actual treatment), the laser hair removal (the laser device moves over your skin targeting the hair—this feels sort of like a rubber band snapping your skin) and then a swipe of cleanser to clean the area. That’s it. The only thing you have to do is put on your eye protection (provided by your aesthetician) and keep still.
After the first session, I was sold. The reduction of hair even from that first treatment was at least 50 per cent—if not more. Immediately I was happy with the results, and I still had three more treatments to go. Four to six treatments are usually recommended no matter your hair type, density or the area you’re treating. This is because your hair growth cycle has stages and many hairs are at different stages at any given time. Opting for multiple treatments ensures that each hair is targeted at a time when it’s most likely to be effectively treated.
Now, after four treatments, I’m virtually hair-free (plus or minus a few strays), which is a far cry from my painful shaving memories from last summer. Now, I don’t even think about whether or not I feel comfortable wearing something sleeveless or do any counting to determine whether it’s likely I can shave again without irritation. Now I just grab what I want to wear and wear it.
Would I recommend laser hair removal? A resounding yes. If body hair doesn’t bother you or isn’t something you think too hard about, then you probably don’t need to go this route. But if you’re someone who waxes or shaves often, or someone who avoids certain outfits because you’re worried about body hair, opting for laser hair removal is a game changer—and a much better investment in the long term, even if you will spend more money up front.
If you’re someone who waxes or shaves often, or someone who avoids certain outfits because you’re worried about body hair, opting for laser hair removal is a game changer.
Which brings me to money. Each place will have different pricing, though most places have pricing breaks if you commit to a certain number of sessions. At WAXON, although this treatment was gifted to me, it would have cost me $357 for my four sessions. When I consider that I likely won’t have to wax or shave again (plus or minus a few strays) this is money well spent in my book—and money I absolutely would have put up myself if the treatment hadn’t been gifted. But of course, if you’re looking to do an area that covers a little more ground like your legs or your nether regions, prices go up ($1,258 and $697 for four treatments, respectively). There’s no doubt that laser hair removal is still expensive—sometimes prohibitively so. But if you’re someone who buys razors or waxes regularly, it might end up being a great investment.
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