Pros and Cons of Laser Hair Removal

There's a misconception that laser hair removal means permanent hair removal. While that may be the case for some, the only thing that continuous treatment guarantees is permanent hair reduction.

The procedure involves having laser light targeting hair follicles and damaging it in the process. This halts the hair growth process resulting in temporary hair loss. This effect may last for weeks to months, depending on how coarse the hair is. This can be done in a clinic or at the convenience of your own home. Make sure to use only the best at home laser hair removal devices for the best results.

Pros:

• Relatively painless, though this depends on how sensitive your skin is
• High precision hair removal
• Speed, each electronic pulse for each area only takes a second. A whole leg can only take roughly 8 minutes to finish
• High chances of permanent hair loss in patients with fine hairs

Cons:

• Most effective on high contrasting hair and skin combination. This is most effective on lighter skin color against dark hair
• Most expensive among all the hair removal treatments as it takes several sessions to finish the treatment
• There is risk of a sunburn effect or blistering is the pulse is set too high
• Sun exposure should also be avoided after treatment

This is the method that I highly recommend if you're looking for a long term hair removal solution. It may cost a pretty penny to start, but the end result is smooth skin without most of the major side effects as the other procedures.

Pros and Cons of Shaving

Continuing our hair removal 101 posts, let's move on to one of the most popular methods of removing unwanted hair--shaving.

There are two ways to go about this: wet shaving and dry shaving. We'll delve into the pros and cons of each.

Wet Shaving

This is done with the use of lathered shaving cream and a set of razor blades. This is most often used in the bikini area, arms, legs, and underarms.

Pros:

• Painless
• Razors and shaving creams are relatively inexpensive
• Safe and effective to do on an everyday basis
• Certain types of shaving creams provide moisturizing effects which can help prevent ingrown hairs. It can also prevent irritations from the razor blades.

Cons:

• Hair cycle is also quick so this needs to be done daily to avoid unwanted stubble
• Can only be done in the bathroom
• Razors need to be replaced after using it a few times
• Thick hair can cause ingrown hairs. To minimize this; make sure to exfoliate well with a gentle scrub and apply a moisturizer preferably with AHA (Alpha hydroxy acids) right after. This get rid of dead skin and avoid getting it trapped in the follicle. Having a moisturizing shaving gel can also help.

Dry Shaving

This is mostly used with an electric razor. Used for the legs, arms, and face.

Pros:

• Can be done just about anywhere as opposed to just the bathroom
• No need for shaving creams or gels to use

Cons:

• Electric razors are much more expensive and needs maintenance
• Cords and batteries are inconvenient
• Coarse hair can still cause ingrown hairs

A few more shaving tips:

• Shave in the evening for a closer shave. Legs swell slightly as you sleep and you hair cycle begins almost immediately after.
• Never shave with a dull blade. This will not result in a clean shave and can cause red bumps.

Pros and Cons of Waxing

One of the most popular hair removal methods today is waxing. Some people prefer it over tweezing, shaving, epilating, or laser hair removal. It can be applied to almost any part of the body where there is hair--armpits, bikini line, mustache, etc.

PROS:

• Gradually thins out hair growth in certain areas the longer you use this method. Great for naturally coarse and thick hair.
• Longer lasting effect, up to six weeks before the cycle of hair growth starts again.
• Waxing strips are cheap and can be done in the convenience of your own home.
• Target large and small areas in one time.
• No black stubble after--which is a common side effect of shaving
• Can get to harder to reach areas especially in the pubic area
• No more burns or razor cuts

CONS:

• Can be incredibly painful to those with low pain tolerance, especially if you're on your period
• Once the hair cycle begins, you have to wait for hair to grow out at least 1/4 of the way before getting another session. This means you will always have that awkward period where it can get itchy and uncomfortable.
• Brazilian waxes can increase your risk of getting STDs or STIs, especially if you go a public salon where it's not very clean or if they double dip waxing materials. Yikes! Although generally, if you removing pubic hair already increases your risk because you are more open to infections.
• Can cause ingrown hairs if not done properly or if you have sensitive skin
• If not careful, you can get bruising, wax burns or scarring
• If you're on Accutane or retinols, you'll need to stop using them for a week before every session as it leaves your skin vulnerable