Is Laser Hair Removal Painful?

If one is tired of shaving, waxing, tweezing, plucking and other ways of removing facial and body hair, then one should consider Laser Hair Removal. It is a permanent method of hair removal and gives the longest-lasting results. One can go for weeks before going for the next session and once all sessions are completed, one has to go once or twice a year for a touch-up or maintenance.

Permanent Laser hair removal works with the help of high-heat lasers that weaken the hair follicles. The targetted pulsed lights reduce hair growth and new hair does not grow back for several weeks. The hair that does grow back is weak and light.

The reason why many companies call it Laser Hair Reduction is because only up to 80% of hair is lasered as only hair in a certain phase of growth reacts to lasers. It is for the remaining 20% of hair that one has to come in once or twice for a touch-up or maintenance procedure. Imagine going in only once or twice for hair removal in comparison to fortnightly trips for waxing. This makes Permanent Laser Hair Removal the best procedure to get rid of hair for the long-term.

The results of Laser Hair Reduction last for several weeks. It is best suited for areas of the body that are difficult to wax or shave though one should not get it done for certain facial hair removal like nasal hair.

One of the biggest questions that anyone asks is whether Laser Hair Reduction is painful.

Laser hair removal is designed to target hair follicles with tiny high-heat laser beams and there is a certain discomfort during the procedure. While one may not feel the heat, it may feel like the skin is being snapped with a rubber band or like a sting.

Truthfully, the level of pain depends on the area under treatment - the thinner the skin, the more the pain. So face laser treatment for the upper lips is more painful than the arms. it also depends on the person's pain tolerance level. The more sensitive the skin is, the more uncomfortable it’ll likely be.

Does laser hair removal hurt the face?

As the skin is thinner around the upper lip, it might hurt more than the cheeks and forehead where the pain is mild. It all depends on which part of the face is being lasered. Facial hair removal is quite popular with both men and women.

Does laser hair removal hurt on arms and underarms?

The skin of the underarms is one of the thinnest in the body and thus underarms may hurt more than the arms where pain may be milder. A lot of people prefer to get their underarms done for laser hair removal as a trial before moving on to getting their full-body done.

Does laser hair removal hurt on the back or stomach?

The skin on the abdomen is thick, almost like the skin on the arms and thus laser hair reduction does not cause much pain here. However, the skin on the back is thin like that of the bikini line or underarms and thus may hurt more. The back and stomach are popular areas when it comes to laser hair removal for men.

Does laser hair removal hurt on the legs?

The skin on the legs tends to be thicker than other areas like the face. So the Laser hair removal hurts moderately or less on the legs. However, the inner thighs may hurt more than the shins depending on the sensitivity.

Does laser hair removal hurt on the bikini line?

The skin along the bikini line is quite sensitive, just like the underarms. Thus permanent laser hair removal may be more painful in the private parts.

A final consideration of laser hair removal pain

Laser hair reduction is a dependable procedure and one may experience some pain depending on the part of the body getting treated.

One should consider the long term benefits of laser hair reduction like smooth hair-free skin that doesn't need shaving or waxing or threading or plucking. These outweigh the permanent laser hair removal cost which may seem high upfront.

At Clinic Dermatech, which is one of the best laser hair removal clinics, the lasers used have chill tips that provide a cooling effect on the skin and thus reduce the discomfort too.