Laser Hair Removal for Women: Safe and Removes Hair Permanently
Anyone with hair issues understands how ineffective shaving can be. Most women experience redness and irritation immediately after shaving. For some, the hairs re-grow almost instantly, leading to the same embarrassing inconveniences all over again. You could soon bid goodbye to all of that by resulting a professional laser hair removal device with the same effectiveness as your dermatologist.
What are Laser Hair Removal Devices?
Laser hair removers resemble hair dryers or shaving machines and use laser technology to remove hair permanently from their follicles. An average remover uses a combination of several innovations to pull out hair from your skin painlessly.
The first technology, called Galvanic Energy, opens up your skin pores to expose the hair deep into the follicles. The second technology, Optical Energy, accesses the hair shaft and roots out hair instantly. The laser beam concentrated on the hair follicles also damage them, ensuring hair can no longer grow in the affected areas.
Who should use a Laser Hair Removal Device?
If you are never satisfied by the results you get from shaving or waxing bodily hairs, a laser hair removal device is your best option. No more stress from leg hairs creeping your friends on girls out nights. No more back and forth quarrels with your waxing technicians for not always getting the job right. Once you run a laser hair remover on the affected parts, your hair problems are permanently resolved.
Are Laser Hair Removal Devices bad for your Skin?
The devices use concentrated beams of laser light to penetrate into your skin melanin and damage hair follicles. That sounds dangerous but it's not. Some people experience minor skin irritation and a change in color of the affected area but laser hair removers are largely safe. There are no long-term effects on the device.
Although the devices don’t lead to permanent skin damages, the affected skin areas may become infected if not properly taken care of.
FAQ
What is a laser hair removal?
Laser hair removal is the process of removing hair by using pulses of laser light to destroy the hair follicle. Laser hair removal devices work by killing the hair follicle. However, hair grows in cycles, and lasers only damage follicles when that cycle is active. Hence, it takes multiple treatments to completely prevent the hair from growing back.
What is the difference between laser and IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) hair removal?
The main difference between laser and IPL is the type of light used. Lasers are monochromatic coherent light sources, whereas intense pulsed light (IPL) is broadband pulsed light. Laser hair removal uses a single beam of light energy, making it stronger and therefore more effective on stubborn or coarse hairs. Laser treatment takes longer as it treats only a small surface area. Meanwhile, IPL covers a wider area of the skin's surface, so it may have a quicker treatment time than laser. However, IPL isn't as powerful as laser, so more top-up treatments may be needed.
What are the things to consider when buying a laser hair removal device?
The following factors should be considered when choosing a laser hair removal device:
- Safety: Ensure that your device is FDA-approved as effective and safe. Furthermore, it must include appropriate safety mechanisms to ensure the safety of the users.
- Skin and hair tones: Those with black or dark skin should avoid IPL, as the light could cause serious skin damage or burns. Therefore, if you have darker skin and want laser hair removal, you must seek professional treatment at a clinic with a suitable device. On the other hand, laser treatment works better for stubborn or coarse hair.
- Power Levels: Power level of the device will affect the speed at which desired results can be achieved as well as its efficacy. You should choose a model with a wide range of settings, since different parts of the body have different pain and sensitivity levels.
- Features: Consider choosing a device with features for a more convenient usage such as the following: (A) LED display that shows power level in use, discharge pattern, pulse duration etc. (B) low battery light indicator and (C) light cartridge replacement
What reviewers say
Best Laser Hair Removal Devices
If the cost of laser facial hair removal services scares you, consider buying a personal device. These top brands have devices suited for people with different needs.
YIKAVA Permanent IPL
Designed with women in mind, YIKAVA’s permanent IPL device is clinically tested to remove facial hair, legs, arms, chest, stomach, underarms, and the bikini line. The device is fitted with an ice cooler that ensures you effectively remove hair without causing any redness or irritations afterward.
The most important feature on the YIKAVA device is its IPL technology that produces permanent results. Usually, only dermatologists have devices with the technology, which is why YIKAVA stands out from its competitors. Additionally, the device has top ratings, with most users saying it effectively removes hair after three treatments.
Pros
- Easy to operate with one hand
- Uses IPL technology for better results
- Clinically tested to work on different body parts
- Ice compressor feature make hair removal painless
Cons
- Can be noisy
BoSidin
BoSidin is a low budget hair removal device loved and hated by many alike. The device works effectively on many women but fails on some. This can be attributed to the fact that laser hair removers work differently based on your skin and hair pigmentation. Also, this device is advertised for reducing hair and not for permanent solutions.
Women who approve the device claim the device produce great results after 3 treatments. It works effectively on the face, arms, legs, bikini area and the stomach. It also features a skin tone sensor to prevent skin damage while handling sensitive skin areas.
Pros
- Features a skin tone sensor to work efficiently on different skin pigmentations
- Budget-friendly
- Reduces hair as advertised
Cons
- Does not remove hair permanently
- Has mixed reviews
WPL ICE Cool
Although it takes a few treatments for effective hair removal on the face, the WPL ICE cool device is one of the best in the market. Unlike BoSidina, the device’s users almost agree unanimously that it’s worth buying. It costs $170 on Amazon. It works smoothly with no pain or irritations caused.
You may experience hair regrowth after the first two attempts but hair finally stops growing after about two months of using the device. Of course, you won’t like its results if you are impatient. But give it a few tries and the WPL device is the best device you will ever use.
Pros
- Uses IPL technology to remove hair permanently within two months
- Works smoothly with its ice compressor feature
- Light and easy to use
- Offers great value for money
Cons
- Takes some time to produce permanent results
DEESS Permanent Hair Removal System
DEESS IPL hair remover is designed to serve you for an extended period of time with its 350,000 flashes. It can be configured in five ways to suit different body parts. The medium setting works best for most people. The lowest level misses some hair follicles while the ultimate level may leave a lot of redness on some types of skin pigmentations.
Like many facial laser hair removal devices, DEESS IPL device produces permanent results after 6-12 weeks of use. It is safe and works efficiently even on skins with pimples and inflammatory acne.
Pros
- 350,000 flashes for long-lasting usage
- Works on all kinds of skins, even if you have skin issues
- UV filters make the device safe
- Easy to use
Cons
- Does not offer 100% hair removal
How long does Hair Removal take?
Laser hair removal devices are advertised as having the ability to remove hair permanently all the time. Most of them don’t, instead only reducing hair growths by some percentage. You notice a reduction in the amount of hair on your legs but not a permanent solution.
A few hair removal devices offer permanent solutions but only after using them for several weeks. The devices take an average of 10 weeks to damage hair follicles permanently. This also depends on the body part being operated on.
The bikini area, the stomach, and lower legs are less persistent to laser hair removers and require fewer treatments than the face and legs. People with pale skin and dark hair also take the least amount of time to see results. People with darker skin, blonde, red and white hairs take longer to view results because their color combinations don’t work well with laser beams.
Does Laser Hair Removal Stop Hair Growth
Hair grows in three main cycles. The first stage is called Anagen and is characterized by the hair starting to appear above the skin. At this stage, the hair is usually attached to a part of the hair easiest to burn using laser hair removal devices called the papilla.
The second and third stages are called Catagen and Telogen. At the second stage, the hair begins to shed, usually for two days. During the third phase, the hair usually has stopped growing and the strands are not rooted in the papilla anymore. Neither the second nor the third stage helps you end hair growth permanently.
Since your hair could be in the second or third stages the first time you shave, don’t expect immediate results. However, the hair undergoes the first stage after shaving for 6-12 weeks after shaving, giving you an optimal time to eliminate it permanently with a laser device.
To Sum It Up
A laser hair removal device uses light to burn the hair follicles that hold hair strands as they grow. Once permanently burnt, hair can no longer grow in the affected areas. Most laser devices are safe to use and rarely leave you with permanent side effects.
But to ensure you get the right device, take time to review the available brands. The best devices reduce hair growth effectively after 3 uses and may provide permanent results after 5 attempts. While at it, keep in mind hair growth cycles. The devices are most effective 6-12 weeks after the initial shave.
