Laser hair removal offers some important benefits, perhaps the most important of which is long-lasting results. Other benefits include less painful hair removal than waxing and no longer having to worry about ingrown hairs and razor burn caused by shaving. Here’s what you need to know about at-home laser hair removal and how it can make a difference in your hair removal routine.
Is At-Home Laser Hair Removal Effective?
At home, laser hair removal may not be as powerful as the results offered in a dermatologist office, but it can be very effective. You may find that you need to treat several more times with an at-home system, but you may also find that these systems are less intense and painful than the experience at the dermatologist. As long as you are a good candidate for laser hair removal, you will likely find that a very high-quality at home laser hair removal system will work for you.
Who is at Home Laser Hair Removal Good For?
Anyone who is a good candidate for professional laser hair removal can also be a good candidate for home laser hair removal. However, there are a few limitations on laser hair removal that will also apply to a home unit.
May be Less Effective for Very Dark Skin
Laser hair removal was not very effective at all for people with darker skin when it first came out. It has made progress for darker skin tones, but it may still not be as effective and may have increased risk for people who have dark hair and skin that is the same color. This is because the laser targets the melanin in the hair and may also affect the melanin in the skin when they are the same color.
Not Effective for Very Light Hair
No type of laser hair removal is effective for people who have very light blond, red, white, or gray hair. Lasers affect the melanin in the hair follicles, so if your hair has very little melanin in it, it will not be affected. It doesn’t matter how many times you treat or what kind of treatment you use; light hair is unlikely to respond to laser hair removal.
It is essential to remember that after a laser hair removal treatment, hair will come back finer and lighter than it was before. Many people are very happy with these results and may not even find it necessary to remove hair anymore. However, if you want to get rid of these very fine, light hairs, you may find that they do not respond to laser hair removal like your previous darker hair had.
Tips for at Home Laser Removal
If you want to succeed at removing hair yourself at home, laser hair removal is a great option. Here are a few tips to help you succeed in your mission for semi-permanently smooth skin.
Make a Commitment to Smooth Skin
Laser hair removal never works in just one or two treatments. The laser effects the melanin in the hair follicle, but it is generally only effective when the hair follicle is young. Therefore, repeated treatments are needed to affect hair at the ideal time. Most people require between half a dozen and a dozen treatment to get the results they are looking for.
Since you should wait a month between treatments, this can be a very significant commitment. People using an at-home routine may be tempted to skip or delay treatments every now and then, but treating precisely at the same time every month is the best way to succeed.
Avoid Sun Exposure
Sun exposure from around two weeks to a month before and after a laser hair removal treatment can result in unwanted discoloration of the skin and pigment changes. It is very important that you avoid sun exposure and use a high SPF sunscreen whenever you will be exposed to the sun. When treatment is over, you will generally be safe to tan about a month after your last treatment.
Don’t Rush Things
Many people are tempted to rush at-home treatments, especially if they don’t have any bad reactions to laser hair removal. However, treating once a month is important not only for the health of your skin but also for the success of the treatment on the hair follicles. Rushing treatment may have unforeseen negative consequences on the health of your skin and hair.
Try a Great At-Home Laser Removal Treatment
If you’re sick of dealing with hair removal, an at-home laser removal system may be the answer to your hairy problem. This is one of the only semi-permanent options available, and it is much less painful than some other choices like waxing. It takes commitment to succeed with an at-home laser removal routine, but if you are a good candidate for laser hair removal and you are dedicated to the pursuit of smooth skin, you will likely see great results.
