Electrolysis vs. Laser Hair Removal

Question: Electrolysis vs. Laser Hair Removal

Maya, a reader from the UK, wrote in asking me about her best options for removing hair from her chin and upper lip. She was curious about electrolysis and laser treatments but was worried about the process involved, including having her upper lip shaved before a laser treatment (she didn't want her hair to grow back thicker).

Answer: Dear Maya, I suffer from chin hairs myself, so you are in good company here. Lasers and electrolysis are the only options for permanent hair removal on the chin and upper lip, but there are pros and cons to both.

Laser Hair Removal

Lasers work best on dark hair, light skin because the laser targets melanin which is found in dark hair. There are some lasers that now successfully remove blonde hairs, but from what I've read, they've not yet perfected them. If you have dark skin, beware also, because the laser will target the melanin in your skin as well, which can cause pigmentation problems. The pain factor I've found lasers aren't as painful as waxing, but are more painful than depilatory creams or tweezing. I am going through laser hair removal on my legs right now (read all about it here) and it's working great. A pulsed light from the laser can feel like a rubber band snapping your skin. I recommend taking a couple Advil an hour before.
How much time, how much money? The good news is a laser session on the upper lip and chin is fast compared to the legs and bikini. Each session will take about 10 minutes. You'll need 5-6 treatments spaced four weeks apart. The bad news is laser hair removal is not affordable for everyone. Depending on where you live, each session can cost $150-$200.
To shave or not to shave? As for your concern about shaving, you may have to shave the area for a particular machine to work. But the good news is that all the hair falls out within 10-14 days. I have fast-growing leg hair, so when I get laser hair removal the hair grows in immediately per its usual tricks, but then it magically falls out (with a bit of exfoliating help on my part) within that magical 14-day period. Depending on how fast your hair grows, you might have a bit of coarseness for a few days, but it should all fall out.
And just so you know, shaving never makes hair grow back thicker. Virgin, never shaved hairs have fine, soft ends. Shaved ends are coarser. This is why the hair that grows back after you shave seems to be thicker.
Are results guaranteed? Results, unfortunately, are never guaranteed with laser hair removal. You can expect an 80% reduction in hair growth, but some people see more, some less. I have had great success with lasers, while a friend of mine turned to electrolysis because all his back hair grew back after his laser treatments.
Find a reputable aesthetician Beware the cheap places that offer discounts. You want to make sure you are going to a credible, licensed aesthetician who is most likely using the best, most up-to-date machines available. City Search has a salon section where users rate salons in cities.

Electrolysis

Electrolysis is a more guaranteed form of hair removal and works on dark AND light hair. How it works The licensed electrologist (make sure yours is licensed) inserts a sterile needle into every hair follicle. A low-level electrical current kills the follicle. Because electrolysis focuses on one hair at a time, it can be a tedious process, which makes it ideal for small areas like the brows, upper lip and chin.
The pain factor The pain from electrolysis is greater than laser and it may feel like 20 pricks to your one for laser hair removal. Cost is about $60 for a typical 30-minute session, but the con is you need about 15-30 visits to see the best results (ouch!)
Are results guaranteed? Yes. Unlike laser and pulsed lights, electrolysis kills every follicle the electrologist treats.

Laser Hair Removal - Upper Lip

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Laser Hair Removal 2

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Recovery and Risks

For a day or two afterward, the treated area of your skin will look and feel like it's sunburned. Cool compresses and moisturizers may help. If your face was treated, you can wear makeup the next day unless your skin is blistering.
Over the next month, your treated hair will fall out. Wear sunscreen for the following month to help prevent temporary changes in the color of the treated skin.
Blisters are rare but are more likely in people with darker complexions. Other potential side effects are swelling, redness, and scarring. Permanent scarring or changes in skin color are rare.

Costs of Laser Hair Removal

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the average cost for laser hair removal is $235 per session. The cost varies widely, depending on factors that include:

• Size of the area being treated and time required for treatment
• Number of treatments required
• Whether a doctor or someone else is performing the procedure
• The part of the country where you are having the procedure

Ask for a consultation to get a better idea of the cost for your particular case.

Laser Hair Removal 1

If you're not happy with shaving, tweezing, or waxing to remove unwanted hair, laser hair removal may be an option worth considering.
Laser hair removal is one of the most commonly done cosmetic procedures in the U.S. It beams highly concentrated light into hair follicles. Pigment in the follicles absorb the light. That destroys the hair.

Benefits of Laser Hair Removal

Lasers are useful for removing unwanted hair from the face, leg, arm, underarm, bikini line, and other areas.
Benefits of laser hair removal include:
Precision. Lasers can selectively target dark, coarse hairs while leaving the surrounding skin undamaged.
Speed. Each pulse of the laser takes a fraction of a second and can treat many hairs at the same time. The laser can treat an area approximately the size of a quarter every second. Small areas such as the upper lip can be treated in less than a minute, and large areas, such as the back or legs, may take up to an hour.
Predictability. Ninety percent of patients have permanent hair loss after an average of three to five sessions.

How to Prepare for Laser Hair Removal

Laser hair removal is more than just ''zapping'' unwanted hair. It is a medical procedure that requires training to perform and carries potential risks. Before getting  laser hair removal, you should thoroughly check the credentials of the doctor or technician performing the procedure.
If you are planning on undergoing laser hair removal, you should limit plucking, waxing, and electrolysis for six weeks before treatment. That's because the laser targets the hairs' roots, which are temporarily removed by waxing or plucking.
You should also avoid sun exposure for six weeks before and after treatment. Sun exposure makes laser hair removal less effective and makes complications after treatment more likely.

What to Expect During Laser Hair Removal

Just before the procedure, your hair that will be undergoing treatment will be trimmed to a few millimeters above the skin surface. The laser equipment will be adjusted according to the color, thickness, and location of your hair being treated as well as your skin color.
Depending on the laser or light source used, you and the technician will need to wear appropriate eye protection. It will also be necessary to protect the outer layers of your skin with a cold gel or special cooling device. This will help the laser light penetrate the skin.
Next, the technician will give a pulse of light to the treatment area and watch the area for several minutes to make sure the best settings were used and to check for bad reactions.
When the procedure is completed, you may be given ice packs, anti-inflammatory creams or lotions, or cold water to ease any discomfort. You may schedule your next treatment four to six weeks later. You'll get treatments until hair stops growing.

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