Does Laser Hair Removal Hurt? Here’s What You Need to Know

People searching for laser hair removal will often search for the term, “does laser hair removal hurt?” This is a common question among most patients who want to get rid of body or facial hair for the first time. Although there is a chance that laser hair removal can cause some slight discomfort, the truth is that it’s general painless.

Does laser hair removal remove all hair?

Permanent hair removal should really be better known as semi-permanent hair removal or even permanent hair reduction. This is because, although it is possible to remove nearly 100% of the hair follicles in the areas being treated, it is very likely that new follicles will be produced over time. The volume of new fresh, follicles, however, will be few and far between and often don’t even need a trip back to the salon or clinic.

Laser hair removal is a precise and effective hair removal technique that only targets the hair pigment, thus leaving your skin untouched. The intense heat of the laser beams works at the speed of light and its pulses are short and to the point. Therefore any pain is very short lived and as such becomes absolutely tolerable.

Your skin type can alter the pain threshold

Of course, there are a variety of skin types and tones and so this variation in skin type can affect the amount of pain caused by the Laser and IPL hair removal treatments.

For naturally, dark skinned individuals, a laser hair removal with a longer wave-length would be a perfect fit. For individuals with a lighter skin tone, a shorter wavelength laser treatment would work just fine. The different wavelengths represent the different levels of intensity applied during the laser hair removal procedure.

The pain is minimal but these tips will help

There are a couple of preparations that will help you feel much more comfortable when undergoing laser hair removal.

First of all, if you are a much more sensitive individual, make sure that you stay away from caffeine before undergoing the procedure. Caffeine keeps the body on edge and it would make you fill more discomfort during the procedure.  It has been muted that some specialists may even recommend taking some wine before the procedure to help your body relax.

Most patients compare the discomfort felt during a laser hair removal procedure to a rubber band pinged against their wrists. Some patients find it tolerable, especially after a couple of rounds of laser treatment procedures. Conclusively, the experience you get from a laser hair removal on your underarm, back, chest, leg or face will highly depend on your skin and hair type, the sensitivity of your body and the intensity of the laser treatment. So does laser hair removal hurt ? Well, not really and also, if it’s anything to go by, the comfort of staying hair-free outweighs the slight discomfort of a quick laser hair removal procedure.

Article by Richard Bannister, BeauSynergy in Hertfordshire