Permanent Hair Removal is Not Perfect
Permanent hair removal is quite a nice thought for anyone wanting to rid themselves of an unattractive feature on their body. It also seems that with modern technology today, this certainly must be possible and commonly done. The truth is, much of the hype about permanent hair removal is myth.
Permanent hair removal is indeed something that can be done, but it must be noted it is only to certain degrees. Laser hair removal, if you have heard of the science, is often marketed as a permanent solution. Buyer beware though, this is advertising and something of an exaggeration.
What areas can I have laser hair removal?
Laser hair removal can be performed, even over large body areas (like the back or legs) but often results in thinning and reduction of the individual hairs in a particular area. Laser hair removal is only about 90% effective. Multiple laser treatments are necessary to accomplish this feat and are costly per treatment and add up considerably with repeated sessions.
That other 10% is officially described, if disclosed as, “permanent hair reduction.” The sales pitch, of course, is to get you into the office, but upon consultation you should be given the scoop that often some hair grows back in areas. Some yes, perhaps a thinning of hair density is achieved by as much as the 90%. Much of that will be permanently gone. The hair that may return tends to be softer and finer, and most likely lighter in color. But clean and completely hairless forever is a claim that should be approached with realistic expectations.
Will the hair grow back?
One reason hair grows back in areas is because of the way it grows. Hair on your body is always falling out and being replaced with new hair growth. Hair goes through different stages of growth as it ages and the newer, younger and weaker hairs are best suitable for permanent removal without growing back. Because of this phenomenon, multiple treatments are required to remove hairs in various growth stages. Often all of them are not totally removed forever.
Lasers sound like the latest, but in light of this information, the older known method of hair removal, electrolysis, is still the truly perfected method of complete and permanent hair removal. However, this method is not ideal either, in all cases. Each hair follicle must be treated individually. There may be some red spots. It is time consuming, and therefore not used on larger areas, like legs and bikini line removal. Upper lip hair and other small areas are the general usage of the method.
Waxing, shaving, and depilatories are of course not permanent for hair removal. Some temporary methods do last longer than others though. Some methods are less irritating. Some methods leave the skin smoother than others. Shaving is the fastest and easiest method. It can cause irritation and does grow out the most rapidly of all methods. Depilatory creams take longer to apply and allow to dissolve the hair. They are not suitable for terribly delicate skin areas. They do last fairly long for new growth to become apparent. Waxing pulls the hairs out by their roots, and the hair does grow back after awhile. It takes some time, and is quite long lasting. However, if it sounds painful, that is because it is.
Permanent hair removal with lasers is expensive, but they do a good job, if done by a competent technician; although lasers are not perfect. Electrolysis is a perfect method that is permanent, but not used for all areas of unwanted hair, and can have some minor side effects.