Laser Hair Removal: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

You've probably heard about how lots of European women don'tgive a fig about underarm hair or hair on their legs. But manyother women are not as accepting of body hair as their Europeancounterparts. And throughout history, women have been employingvarious techniques to do this: from ancient Egyptian women's useof beeswax and sharp implements to eliminate leg hair up to themodern-day practices of waxing and the use of lasers to achievea smooth and hairless complexion. Here, we'll take a quick lookat some of the pros and cons of laser hair removal and whetherit's the right path to take for a more hairless you. Hair is removed via lasers in the following way: a series oflow-level laser beams is targeted at hair follicles (or the rootof the hair) in certain areas of the body. The hair then fallsout and new growth is discouraged. Here are some of the reasonsfor the popularity of laser hair removal: Long-lasting results. The laser beams zoomin on hair follicles, either destroying them or significantlydisabling them. Thus, hair is a lot slower to grow back and insome cases, they don't grow back altogether. And any hair thatgrows back tends to be finer, thinner, and less visible. Imaginethe time savings you could realize. Finally, freedom fromregular bikini waxes, leg-shaving, and facial hair-plucking!Broader and more convenient applications.Laser hair removal technologies and equipment have evolved insuch a way that it is now possible to treat broad areas of theskin - such as the back and legs - in addition to localizedareas like the skin above the upper lip and around the nipples.There is a wide variety of laser hair removal gadgets andequipment to suit individual cases. Increasedsafety regulations. Hair removal via laser is a processapproved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). So, thetechniques used must meet stringent regulations. In addition,individual states themselves are issuing criteria that laserhair removal cosmeticians must comply with in order to practicetheir trade. Laser hair removal may seem like a godsend to many a woman, butshe would do well to remember that it is not a"one-size-fits-all" sort of technology. Like most other cosmeticprocedures today, it does have its disadvantages, the followingof which are just a few. Slower results fordark-skinned or tanned women. Laser hair removalprocedures are most suitable for individuals with light-coloredskin and dark hair because the laser beam targets dark material.Dark skin pigmentation can prevent lasers from reaching the hairfollicles more rapidly. Evidence also shows that the lighter awoman's hair color, the less efficient the technology is ineliminating those problem hairs. Laser hairremoval treatment costs. It takes several sessions torid a body part of hair, and each session costs on average $300up to $1,000. It really depends on how much hair needs to beremoved and the type of lasers used. Some clinics' laser hairremoval prices are calculated on a "per-pulse" basis and severalhundred laser pulses may be needed to remove hair in just onearea. Also, because hair grows in cycles, it's almost a sure betthat repeat sessions will be needed to ensure that all unwantedhair is removed - which translates to more cash out of yourpocket. Potential side effects or no effect atall. All cosmetic procedures carry a risk of adverseeffects, and laser hair removal is no exception. Patients havecomplained of first- and second-degree burns, blisters, andlesions. Others have noted that patterns of hair regrowth arepatchy and unpleasant to look at. And still others haveinexplicably experienced insignificant or no hair loss at all,despite their being ideal candidates for theprocedure. Laser hair removal is just one of the wonders of moderndermatology, technology that can make a woman look morebeautiful in the shortest amount of time and in the safest waypossible. Although procedures like this are constantly changingand improving, you shouldn't just rush blindly into it. It'simportant to consult your dermatologist and conduct your ownresearch to determine whether you'll be getting the maximumbenefits that medical laser techniques can offer. MeganHalloway is a cosmetologist specializing in body hair removal.Read her most recent report "The Basics of Hair Removal: A Guide to Which Method is RightFor You".