I get so many questions about laser hair removal it's crazy. It does seem like a scary concept if you're not familiar with it.
I first heard about it from a friend and was super scared when they told me more. A laser that burns your hair follicles? Eek!
However, because I do so many swim photoshoots and I just want to be a hairless person (lol) I decided I wanted to try it.
So, let me answer some of the many questions I get asked!
Q: What is it exactly?
A: Laser hair removal is the removal of a hair follicle by exposing it to a pulse of laser light. It basically burns it out really quickly. (i know, scary)
Q: Why did you get it?
A: I got laser because I was SICK of ingrown hairs. I couldn't get rid of them no matter what I did. It hurt to shave and I could never get rid of some of the hairs in stubborn places. I was over it. I would shave and have hair again the next day. Ahhhh! I was ready.
Q: Where do you get it?
A: I get my brazilian and underarms done. They said my leg hairs were too light for it to take.
Q: Does it hurt?
A: Yeahhhhh. Not bad... It's a hard question to answer. Everyone has different pain tolerances. I like to compare it to a hot pinch. It feels kind of like a hot straightener being really quickly tapped on your skin. Not horrible, not painless.
Q: Is it expensive?
A: This is my most common question. There's a misconception that laser is thousands and only for movie stars. Nope! I got my brazilian and underarms done for $90 a session.
Q: How long does it last/is it permanent?
A: It depends on your hair type and color. I have stubborn hair and it's been taking me a lot of sessions. They say 6-8 sessions for it to have full effect. LASER HAIR REMOVAL IS NOT PERMANENT. I know it seems like you do this and the hair is destroyed and never comes back. It's a temporary fix just like anything else. You do the sessions and it basically starts your hair from a baby hair again. They grow out as peach fuzz. If you were to let them grow and grow, your laser would wear off and your hair would be back. So it DOES take upkeep. However, once your hair is ready to give in and stops being a little B, you can be hairless for many months before you have to go back. I've had a friend that could go almost a year with little to no hair growth.
Q: How many sessions do you do?
A: This is fully dependent on hair growth and color. Lighter hair is hard for the laser to find. So, it may take a lot of sessions. Dark but not stubborn hair on light skin is ideal. If your hair is stubborn, it'll take longer too. It all depends. Like I said above, it takes 6-8 sessions to really make a difference. Some people can stop after that and be done for months and months. Some people need to come back a few weeks later.
Q: Is it worth it?
A: Like I said, it depends on your hair. I think so. I have done more than 8 sessions and I still need to go back every 6 weeks. I STILL get dark hair coming back. HOWEVER, it's soft hair that is easy to shave. Don't think that everything I did went to waste because stubble is coming back. Stubble and ingrown hair is no longer a thing with laser. Which is amazing!!!
Q: How often do you do it?
A: Now that you know how many sessions they say to do, how many times do you go? In the beginning it's 4 weeks in between sessions. After they start working, it gets longer. 6 weeks, 8 weeks, etc.
Q: Where do you get it done?
A: SEV Laser Aesthetics
Other tips:
- You can't expose it to sunlight. NO TANNING. So, I would recommend doing it at the end of summer/beginning of winter so you don't even have to worry about it.
- Be prepared to be patient. Hair can be stubborn and frustrating, but if you keep getting stubborn ingrown hairs and hate shaving, then this is for you.
Hope this helps! If you have any other questions, feel free to reach out!