Laser hair removal is constantly becoming more and more affordable. The average price for one procedure is around $350 in a clinic. Although, they range depending on what body part you want to remove the hair from and what country or state your are residing in. Of course, the number still looks high, especially when one session is not enough to completely get rid of hair. However, laser hair removal machines are becoming more and more popular. Nowadays, you can easily buy a device like that with a click of a button for a price of $250-$500. Most importantly, you can then use it as many times as you want – all of it for a 3 digit price. Sounds good, doesn’t it? Here are a few types of affordable laser hair removal and a list of side effects.
What are the Types of Affordable Laser Hair Removal
In order to choose a laser hair removal method that suits you best, you need to know a few facts about each method and how it works. Also, understanding the possible side effects is the first step to preventing them from happening. Read through to find extensive descriptions on how to do that.
Long-pulse Alexandrite Laser
This type of laser is also known just as Alexandrite Laser. People first heard about it in 1997. It’s very often compared to diode laser due to the similar results that it produces. However, it was noticed that Alexandrite laser is better at removing vellus hairs. That’s impressive since this type of hair is barely noticeable and therefore hard to attack. In addition to that, scientists came to conclusion that this laser method and IPL are both effective on the same level. However, it’s believed that Alexandite laser should be used for skin types I to III. Why? This technology offers lower risk for burns that are so common amongst light-skinned individuals. This laser treatment can remove hair for up to 6 months.
What is it and how does it work?
An alexandrite laser uses alexandrite crystal. It’s often described as a red light laser due to the light wavelength that it produces. It basically uses light to heat up specific areas that you choose. In addition to that, it’s very specific and therefore doesn’t damage surrounding skin. That mainly contributes to the reason why it reduces the risk of burns.
Usage
Alexandrite laser can be used for hair, tattoo removal as well as skin disorders such as vascular lesions and pigmented lesions.
Diode
Diode laser is effective for individuals who have darker complexion due to longer wavelengths that laser emits. However, it’s not as effective with light hair. It significantly reduces hair thickness and density. Therefore, it offers a measurably efficient treatment for those who have coarse hair. It’s believed that diode laser is one of the less painful methods to treat your skin. It can very often be used to remove hair from larger areas as they recover faster. On average you’ll need 5 to 6 sessions to completely get rid of hair. However, it very much depends on what part of your body you want to fix and what kind of hair you have. In conclusion, diode laser is most suitable for individuals with skin type III to V.
What is it and how does it work?
Laser diode generates a beam of light. That beam has really high energy that then can attack your hair. It converts electrical energy to light energy that also produces heat which contributes to burning of hair follicles.
Usage
It’s used not only in hair removal but in surgical procedures, CD players, printers and other highly used technologies. As you understood, it’s all around us.
Intensed Pulsed Light(IPL Laser Hair Removal)
Unlike the lasers I’ve described above, IPL is not a laser. That’s something that makes it the least painful procedure. It was invented in 1991 by Dr Shimon Eckhouse. This laser treatment can be used to remove hair from large areas of body such as legs, back and chest due to the way it works. However, it’s not a good choice for hair removal on small body areas such as upper lip. Morever, IPL machines are often bulky and hard to move around. That also contributes to the fact that they should be used for large areas. All in all, it’s important to seek for professional’s help when it comes to getting a treatment or learning how to do it properly.
What is it and how does it work?
IPL generates noncoherent light beams – many wavelengths in each pulse. Therefore, it has the ability to excite multiple chromophores in the skin at the same time. That can result in complications. It’s very important to get an IPL treatment from an experienced professional or by following very specific steps if it’s done at home. After all, safety and health is more important than
Usage
IPL is most widely used for hair removal. However, it also treats pigmentations, acne, thread veins and sun damage.
Laser Hair Removal Side Effects
Burns
Thermal burns is a quite common side effect caused by a laser. These kind of burns result in blisters that can be very painful and contribute to a lot of discomfort. Even though it sounds quite scary and serious, there are ways to prevent them from appearing. First of all, it’s important to select an appropriate laser machine that wouldn’t cause burns. It’s especially essential to select the right device for those who have darker skin. In addition to that, you need to trim your hair before each hair removal. That ensures that laser procedure will not result in cutaneous burns. In case you are wondering, those are simply burns that are caused by heat or electrical current. However, if you end up getting burns you can treat them with analgesics and topical emollients.
Pain
Like many other methods permanent hair removal treatment like this one causes pain. What is pain like? It’s the kind of pain you would experience if you were to . Not very pleasant. There are still ways that can help you prevent or reduce the pain. One of them is the usage of anesthetic creams before procedure. The second one, cooling the air in the room where you are going to remove your hair. The third one, local anesthesia. It’s up to you whether you want to go for any of these methods or embrace the pain and see whether it’s so bad. In the end, if you were to choose to remove hair in the clinic, they are most probably going to advise you on most suitable pain prevention methods.
If you choose to embrace the pain, make sure to use ice packs to cool down affected areas. As a result, pain will subside and skin will relax. Experiencing pain tenses up your whole body, it’s a good idea to have a massage and just relax for a while. All in all, pain is a beatable side effect.
Premature Hair Graying
Hair graying is a natural process in life that every person of age will experience. It’s completely normal and doesn’t seem to cause any discomfort to a human being. Obviously, grey hair cause each one of us to look older. However, they may also make us look better. Interestingly, photoepilation causes premature graying of hair. Scientists haven’t found a way to prevent it or treat it yet. Therefore, it’s a possible side effect that you won’t be able to control. Obviously, you’ll not turn grey in a day. However, you may notice grey hair appearing from time to time.
Scars
Permanent laser hair removal procedure sometimes may cause hyperthropic and keloidal scars. However, cases when people end up suffering from this side effect are rare. The best way to prevent this seemingly terrible result is to make sure there is no family history of easy scarring. If anyone related to you has suffered from hypertrhopic and keloidal scars, laser hair removal may not be for you. It’s very important to discuss that with your doctor. However, sometimes this side effect may come up out of nowhere, even if your family history is clear. What to do then? Treatments involve using steroid injections with intense pulsed light as well as excision laser and carbon dioxide laser. Please make sure to discuss all of the possible outcomes of such a hair removal with your doctor. In the end, all of these procedures also cost making laser hair removal not affordable.
Eye Damage
It’s of extreme importance to wear protective goggles that will secure your eyes from specific waves. These waves can cause a lot of damage to your eyes and contribute towards worse eye-sight. As a result, you may end up with such diseases as cataracts, iritis, uveitis, iris atrophy and retinal burns. In addition to that, it’s very dangerous to use laser hair removal for eyebrows since even goggles cannot protect your eye in that case. However, if you end up with damaged eyes, you should seek for a doctor’s help and treat each eye accordingly.
Skin Rash
Laser hair removal causes rosacea-like rash. The reason behind this skin condition that mostly affects your face is unknown. The symptoms are flushing, thickened skin, visible blood vessels and papules. You can treat it by applying ivermectic, azelaic acid or metronidazole creams. Appropriate treatment helps to keep the rash under control, however doesn’t completely treat it.
Growth of Thicker Hair Afterwards
The reason why hair grow back thicker after the first couple of times is unknown. However, the fact that it happens is very apparent and frequent. That’s mainly the reason why one laser hair removal session is usually not enough. Affordable laser hair removal still exists! Even if you are going to have a few procedures to permanently remove your hair, you still need a substantial break between them. Therefore, you will have time to save up more money. In conclusion, if you have one hair removal treatment and they happen to grow back thicker, don’t be scared. The best cure to get rid of hair is to go and get another procedure. Sometimes buying a laser hair removal machine can bring better results and end up being cheaper.
Prolonged Face Redness
Here is another side effect and no one knows how to prevent it from happening. However, it usually results in fair-skinned individuals who are more prone to redness. Therefore, if you are one of those people, you can expect to experience this side effect. You’re still lucky though. There are ways to treat it. It’s important to apply cold compresses with anti-inflammatory medication. In addition to that, you should reduce doses of the following treatments to make sure that redness does not appear and stay there again. Just speak to your doctor, they may have even more tips to prevent unwanted results.
Aggravation of Acne
Laser treatments seems to worsen acne. That’s especially a problem for young individuals who are already suffering from it. Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent it. The only choice you have is to treat it. You can go for traditional acne treatments to smoothen your skin. That includes therapy and use of antibiotics. However, you can always go for natural remedies.
Laser Hair Removal for Dark Skin
Laser hair removal is a very new technological invention. It most effectively works on individuals with pale skin and dark hair due to the difference in pigmentation of hair and skin. People who have dark skin can still use laser treatments to reduce the amount of hair. However, the risks associated with that are higher. Dark-skinned individuals are more prone to scarring and dyspigmentation. Although, the usage of longer wavelengths, appropriate cooling systems and following all of the steps to prevent complications can reduce the amount of side effects. Currently advised lasers for those with dark skin are diode and Nd:YAG. Therefore, getting professional help and advice on the type of laser to use can be essential in successful hair removal procedure. Hence, if you have dark skin, you can still get appropriate treatments.
Finding an affordable laser hair removal treatment is easy. However, finding the type of the method that could suit you best and understanding possible negative consequences can make you feel a bit helpless. I very much hope you found this article informative and now have an idea of what kind of procedure you should think about. Please comment below in case you have any questions.