Advantages and Disadvantages : Laser hair removal
Laser hair removal is a clinically proven method for long term hair reduction. What are the pros and cons for potential patients? Here is a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of this unique treatment; please see other pages in this section for more in-depth information on many of these areas.
Advantages
- The successfulness of laser hair removal is backed by medical science and clinical trials. Aside from painful and prolonged electrolysis, it provides by far the most reliable and long term removal.
- Precise laser targeting for large or small sites of unwanted hair.
- Hair can be removed from any part of the body other than immediately around the eyes (due to the damage lasers can cause).
- The most effective treatment method for the relative shortness of treatment, both in terms of the length of each session – no more than an hour, and sometimes between 10 and 20 minutes depending on the body area – and the number of sessions needed overall. The average amount of procedures required for long term, widespread results is between 5 and 10, though some people need only 3 or 4.
- Widespread availability throughout the United States at innumerable clinics and spas, either in the form of a genuine laser or the Intense Pulsed Light systems.
- Reported to be safe when performed, as it always should be, by a qualified and experienced professional.
- Pain is far less of a factor than in electrolysis, which is the only truly ‘permanent’ removal method but which can require a high pain threshold. By contrast, laser hair removal involves short pangs of pain that are similar to snapping an elastic band against the skin.
- Less expensive than electrolysis. Although individual electrolysis sessions seem cheap, the amount necessary for full and desirable results makes the process more costly.
- Advances in the industry mean that leading lasers such as Lumenis can provide superb treatment to all skin types; this is because such lasers do not even touch the surrounding skin.
Disadvantages
- Laser hair removal is not permanent; it has been likened to ‘hibernation’ of the hairs, in that their growth progress is stalled for a time before the regrowth begins. The chief achievements of the laser system are permanent hair reduction (between 70 and 80% initially) and thinning of problem hairs, as opposed to permanent removal.
- Not always the best option for all skin types. This depends on individual factors plus the laser type, and you should check with your chosen clinic to see if they offer effective laser treatment for darker skin types.
- The hair to be treated should be darker than the surrounding skin (for certain lasers).
- Adverse side effects can arise in some cases, particularly hypopigmentation or hyperpigmentation which involve color changes to the underlying skin. These can take up to months to return to normal, though permanent discoloration is rare.
- The treatment’s relative newness means that long term effects – many years after the procedure – have not yet been fully tested, nor has the average extent of regrowth.
- As melanin is targeted by the laser, this can lead to discoloration in darker skin types.