How permanent is permanent?
March 16th 2007 03:40
We regularly read about permanent hair removal, but is this really what you get?
There is no such thing as permanent hair removal but the growth can be stunted and maintained over a period of time. You need at least 3 sessions to know if laser hair removal will work for you. Most treatments take 4-8 sessions.
Laser hair removal is very lucrative to the Beauty Industry.
I have known people who have spent thousands of dollars on laser hair removal. A friend for example paid $3000 up front to have his back treated at discounted rates. This works out to be about eight treatments every 6-8 weeks at approx $380 per session, (which is relatively cheap in comparison to some places that can charge up to $700 per treatment for a back) Not happy with his results, and unable to get a refund, he refused to spend anymore on laser treatments and now has his back waxed.
A lady, who won a competition, entitling her to have one year worth of hair removal treatments by laser, had lived with ape hair on her body since adolescence. She just wanted to feel feminine; she wanted the hair gone forever. Even as a prime candidate with the very dark hairs that covered her arms, legs and face, laser hair removal failed in her eyes leaving her to despair. Her expectations were not reached although the treatment had reduced some, not all of her body hair.
Laser hair removal will only work on dark follicles (not hairs). To check this, tweeze out a hair and lay it on a white tissue, then look at the bulb that the hair is growing from and see whether it is dark or not. As the sun is attracted to a black tee-shirt drying on the clothes line, more so than a white tee-shirt, the laser light is attracted to dark hair follicles. The laser will not work on blonde, gray or light coloured hair. For those with light coloured hair, electrolysis is an option, and like laser hair removal you will need to be committed for a positive result and continue treatments over a period of at least one year.
Prior to laser treatment you are advised not to tweeze or wax as this will remove the follicles needed to be treated by laser light, but you can shave. For a woman wanting to have her upper lip treated the thought of shaving her face can be devastating.
If you find after three treatments that you notice NO change in hair growth then it is not working for you. Either the operator has not synchronised the machine to your hair type and skin colour (Fitzpatrick scale) accordingly or you are one of the unlucky ones that has light coloured hair follicles.
The results of laser hair removal vary. It has a 50/50 success rate. Even with successful treatments you still require on going maintenance at least once every 6-12 months for the rest of your life, and this is not within everyones budget.
You often see the before and after shots portraying a half hairy back on one side and a smooth soft surface on the other. Did you know that to achieve the photo portraying the smooth half it is shaved before treatment, then sometimes photographed, to give you the impression that the laser works after x amount of treatments!
Cut your losses and quit before your bank balance goes into the red. Or maybe, just maybe, you might be one of the lucky ones.
There is no such thing as permanent hair removal but the growth can be stunted and maintained over a period of time. You need at least 3 sessions to know if laser hair removal will work for you. Most treatments take 4-8 sessions.
Laser hair removal is very lucrative to the Beauty Industry.
I have known people who have spent thousands of dollars on laser hair removal. A friend for example paid $3000 up front to have his back treated at discounted rates. This works out to be about eight treatments every 6-8 weeks at approx $380 per session, (which is relatively cheap in comparison to some places that can charge up to $700 per treatment for a back) Not happy with his results, and unable to get a refund, he refused to spend anymore on laser treatments and now has his back waxed.
A lady, who won a competition, entitling her to have one year worth of hair removal treatments by laser, had lived with ape hair on her body since adolescence. She just wanted to feel feminine; she wanted the hair gone forever. Even as a prime candidate with the very dark hairs that covered her arms, legs and face, laser hair removal failed in her eyes leaving her to despair. Her expectations were not reached although the treatment had reduced some, not all of her body hair.
Laser hair removal will only work on dark follicles (not hairs). To check this, tweeze out a hair and lay it on a white tissue, then look at the bulb that the hair is growing from and see whether it is dark or not. As the sun is attracted to a black tee-shirt drying on the clothes line, more so than a white tee-shirt, the laser light is attracted to dark hair follicles. The laser will not work on blonde, gray or light coloured hair. For those with light coloured hair, electrolysis is an option, and like laser hair removal you will need to be committed for a positive result and continue treatments over a period of at least one year.
Prior to laser treatment you are advised not to tweeze or wax as this will remove the follicles needed to be treated by laser light, but you can shave. For a woman wanting to have her upper lip treated the thought of shaving her face can be devastating.
If you find after three treatments that you notice NO change in hair growth then it is not working for you. Either the operator has not synchronised the machine to your hair type and skin colour (Fitzpatrick scale) accordingly or you are one of the unlucky ones that has light coloured hair follicles.
The results of laser hair removal vary. It has a 50/50 success rate. Even with successful treatments you still require on going maintenance at least once every 6-12 months for the rest of your life, and this is not within everyones budget.
You often see the before and after shots portraying a half hairy back on one side and a smooth soft surface on the other. Did you know that to achieve the photo portraying the smooth half it is shaved before treatment, then sometimes photographed, to give you the impression that the laser works after x amount of treatments!
Cut your losses and quit before your bank balance goes into the red. Or maybe, just maybe, you might be one of the lucky ones.
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