This procedure doesn’t provide instant results with no risks or drawbacks. These are some potential downsides that can come with laser hair removal:
A Prolonged Hair Removal Process
Don’t expect this procedure to instantly wipe out your hair for good. It can take up to a month after the procedure for the hair to fall out. Then, you won’t necessarily be hairless from then on. Laser hair removal doesn’t technically remove hair forever like the name suggests. Instead, it inhibits the hair so it doesn’t grow back as fast as it normally would. Generally, you need a few treatment sessions in the beginning to see results, although it depends on the person. After that, you will likely need to have additional sessions every so often to maintain your results.
Varying Results
This procedure works best on fair-skinned people who have dark hair, so it might not be as effective for you if you don’t fit that description. Although advances in the field have made it more effective for different skin types, you might need the procedure more often if you have darker skin. Also, the procedure doesn’t work well on light hair or red hair.
Possible Side Effects
The procedure itself can come with certain side effects. Commonly, people experience temporary irritation to their skin and/or changes to the color of their skin. Some people have experienced their skin becoming crusty, scarred or blistered.
Changing Trends
Another thing to consider is that trends change. Women might always want shaved legs, but what is popular for the bikini line and the eyebrows has evolved over time. Therefore, remember that even if the hair does grow back to a certain extent, you might not be able to get it back to its original state if you ever desire to in the future. Before you have the procedure, ask yourself whether you think you’ll want the results in the long run.
Costs
Another downside to this treatment is its expense. There is a wide range of pricing based on factors such as the area of the body and where your procedure is being done, but on average, a session costs $301, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons’ 2013 Plastic Surgery Statistics Report. Multiply that by the number of sessions it takes to see results. Nonetheless, you do have to factor in the amount of money you would spend over the course of time on waxing and other treatments to remove hair.