You may have already planned a summer holiday, or maybe you are just fed up with shaving, waxing, sugaring or whatever other temporary hair removal method you use. Either way, if you want to banish hair from anywhere on your face or body, ready for summer, you might want to consider permanent laser hair removal.
But with more and more permanent hair removal machines available for home use, you may also wonder if it’s still worth going to a clinic for professional laser hair removal. In this post, we will look at the critical differences between home hair removal and professional hair removal to help you decide which option is best for you.
The Basics
Home hair removal machines generally do not use lasers. Instead, most use intense pulsed light (IPL), which is widely considered less effective than laser hair removal. Even if you splash out on a more expensive home laser hair removal machine, it will not be anywhere as powerful as a professional hair removal machine used in a clinic.
Although home laser and IPL hair removal machines are less powerful than laser hair removal machines used in clinics, they do not have cooling technology. This means laser hair removal at home can be more painful, and treatments can start to feel unpleasant after just a few minutes. Professional laser hair removal machines treat larger areas faster; this normally makes the treatment easier to get through, even if it hurts a little.
We asked Nazia, an aesthetic practitioner at Shumaila’s Aesthetic and Laser Clinics in London and Essex, about professional laser hair removal treatments.
“My clients often tell me how surprised they are by how fast and easy laser hair removal treatment is at our clinic. At Shumaila’s, we use the Soprano ICE Platinum, which is an award-winning advanced professional laser machine and comes with effective cooling tips, which make treatments almost painless.”
Are Home Hair Removal Machines Safe?
When used incorrectly, at-home hair removal machines can cause severe burns and permanent scarring. This is why it’s advisable to purchase an IPL home hair removal device. Not only are these devices normally suitable for all skin tones, but they are also less likely to cause burns and skin damage.
How Effective Are Home Hair Removal Machines?
A home laser or intense pulse light hair removal machine will only target a small area. This means hair removal at home will take a lot longer and you will generally need more treatments over a longer period of time. That being said, if a high-quality home hair removal machine is used correctly, the results can be long-lasting.
Five Benefits of Professional Laser Hair Removal
1. Hair Growth Cycle
The hair growth cycle is an important factor to consider when it comes to laser hair removal. It can be difficult to know how best to use your home hair removal machine, to ensure you are targeting hair follicles at the right stage of the growth cycle. But aesthetic practitioners can effectively target hair in the active growth stage during every treatment when the laser energy is most effective.
2. Experience and Expertise
Aesthetic practitioners at clinics are highly trained and experienced in laser hair removal. They have completed extensive training and have an in-depth understanding of the technology. This means they know how to adjust the settings to prevent burns and produce the most effective hair removal results.
Plus, when someone else is performing laser hair removal, it is faster. Additionally, because professional laser hair removal machines come with cooling technology, they tend to hurt less than home hair removal machines.
3. Safety
Safety is always a priority when it comes to laser hair removal. Professional clinics use medical-grade lasers designed to be safe and effective. This is not the case with home laser hair removal machines, which can easily cause burns and skin damage in untrained and unskilled hands.
4. Cost
One of the main advantages of home hair removal is the cost. But will you really save money in the long run? Although professional laser hair removal may seem expensive when compared with the cost of an at-home hair removal machine, if you can’t bear to use it, then you are wasting all of the money you spent on it.
5. Convenience
Another advantage of professional laser hair removal is convenience. You can simply lie back and relax as a professional aesthetician performs the treatment. It is also less likely you will miss a treatment when it’s booked and scheduled in your diary.
Take Away
Whether you choose professional laser hair removal or hair removal at home is up to you and will depend on your priorities and pain threshold. No matter which option you choose, follow the instructions given by the manufacturer or clinic for the best results.
