Is laser hair removal at home safe?

What Are The Pros and Cons of At-Home Laser Hair Removal

Is laser hair removal at home safe?

 

Some do-it-yourself (DIY) beauty tricks are completely worth it. You can save time and money by colouring your roots or plucking your brows in the privacy of your own bathroom.

 

But what about laser hair removal?

 

While the procedure was once only available at a dermatologist's office, these days you can now buy small devices to zap away hair at home.

 

But, before you say goodbye to your razor, find out about the safety and effectiveness of these devices.

 

So, let us have a look: 

 

Permanent hair removal: 

 

Laser hair removal devices work by destroying or killing the hair follicle. However, hair grows in cycles, and lasers only damage follicles when they are actively growing. So it takes multiple treatments, spaced about a month apart, to completely prevent hair regrowth.

 

Laser hair removal is not completely permanent for some people. A maintenance treatment every year or so may be required to keep stray hairs at bay.

 

The procedure is not cheap. Professional laser hair removal can cost several hundred dollars per treatment, and it may take multiple sessions (or more) to remove every follicle. You could rack up more than a thousand dollars in pursuit of a bald bikini line.

 

In the meantime, you can order an at-home hair removal laser for around $400 or $500. At first glance, it seems like a better investment. But one should keep in mind that there are some important caveats as well. 

 

 
At-home laser hair removal: Pros and cons

 

There are two kinds of at-home hair removal devices. The first is a true laser, while the second uses intense pulsed light. Both types remove hair, and both are less powerful than the device found in a dermatologist's office. 

 

That is both good and bad. On the one hand, having less power means having less responsibility. You don't have to worry about singeing yourself in the name of smooth skin because these devices are safe for amateurs to use at home.(Still, make sure you follow the directions exactly — because laser.)

 

“But with less power also comes less effectiveness: The at-home devices don’t work as well as the pro models” shared by Dermatologist Rachel Ward, MD. 

 

More drawbacks: 

• It's difficult to cover a large area such as an entire leg with the small at-home devices. And they might not be strong enough to completely remove all hair. 

• Over multiple sessions, you'll see a reduction in the amount of hair you see but it's unlikely to be a home run. 

 

Who should try at- home laser hair removal? 

 

What is one of the biggest drawbacks of at-home laser hair removal? The tools are only effective on a limited number of hair and skin colours. Lasers target pigments in the hair follicle and are only effective when there is a high contrast between skin and hair. This means that the systems are best suited to people with fair/light skin and dark hair.

 

 

The risk of burns are more likely in people with darker skin, but many at-home devices have sensors that prevent them from working on darker skin.

 

Professional lasers are your only option if you don't have the pale-skin/dark-hair combination. The lasers that are used in the dermatology office are more sophisticated and can be used on patients of any skin colour. 

 

Laser hair removal safety: 

 

If you have the right hair and skin tone, the devices are generally safe to use. It’s important to use them correctly. 

 

NEVER USE THEM:

 

• Near your eyes (though the upper lip is OK).

• Over tattoos and pigmented areas, such as moles.

• In the genital area (but you can safely target the bikini line).

• When doing the math, keep in mind that at-home devices may have limited battery power or light cartridges that will need to be replaced. 

• And no matter how frequently you use them, you may never achieve complete hairlessness.

 

"It depends on the person, but professional hair removal usually gives you more bang for your buck," says Dermatologist Rachel Ward, MD.