So I was chatting with a friend some days ago, she is currently contemplating having the laser hair removal treatment done on her legs, and she has been doing some reading online about the pros and cons of having treatment done. We chatted a lot about my experience so far with the laser treatment; I have my next session over the weekend, and I am super excited.

Our chat kind of prompted this post. I think many people are still wary of the whole laser ‘thingy’. Some people think the treatment could lead to serious life threatening illnesses, while others think the hairs in the treated area would grow back with a vengeance, longer and more coarse. Anyways, here is what I think, based on my 4 laser hair removal sessions:

PROS

1. It works. I have had 4 sessions already, I have 2 more sessions to go, and I started to notice a difference as soon as I had my first session. The hair on my chin, which is the area I am treating at the moment, had strands of coarse hair, but after the first laser session, the new growth is no longer visible to the naked eye.
2. Each session is very quick, depending on the area to be treated. The treatment on my chin takes about 10 minutes for each session.
3. The technique is very safe if performed correctly. So a patch test should be carried out before starting the treatment to see how well the area reacts to the laser, no makeup in the area to be treated to avoid burns, protective glasses should be worn at all time while undergoing the treatment, an ointment should be applied after the treatment to ensure the treated area is not irritated, and so on.
4. The treatment is not as painful as threading, so if you can handle threading, then the discomfort you will feel while having this treatment done should be a walk in the park.
5. There is no research to show that this treatment would lead to life threatening illnesses, or that the hairs in the treated area, will grow back longer and more coarse.

CONS

1. The treatment does not come cheap. However there are finance options available in most clinics.
2. The laser treatment promises permanent hair reduction and not permanent hair removal, so the rate at which the hair grows back will depend on your genetics.
3. Some people could experience some itching, redness, burning, skin discolouration and swelling after having the treatment. This usually disappears within few days.
4. Several sessions are usually required to reduce the hair growth, usually 6 – 8 sessions.

I do recommend having the laser hair removal treatment done, if you need it. It gives long-lasting results, compared to other hair removal methods, like shaving, threading, waxing and depilatories, and it is over in a matter of minutes.

*This is a collaborative post.