What’s your approach to body hair removal? Whether it’s trimming, shaving or waxing the chances are that you’re spending a lot of money on disposable shavers and even more time grooming yourself every other day.

While this is fine and often an enjoyable ritual, it can become stressful if you’re in a hurry. The good news? There’s a better way: Laser hair removal.

Isn’t that dangerous?

Laser hair removal sounds scary, but it’s really not. According to British Institute of Lasers, it means using a cosmetic laser to beam powerful light on hair follicles in order to damage them and to stop them from growing hair.

That can’t be done permanently, but it can reduce body hair for up to a year. Another similar treatment is IPL (intense pulsed light). That’s also a machine that works by penetrating the skin to disable the hair follicle.

Neither laser hair removal nor IPL hair removal causes pain. It might feel a little uncomfortable where the skin is thin, but that’s described as a similar sensation to having a rubber band snap against you.

There is no permanent impact on the skin, and you won’t be left with any marks or scars. As long as a professional who is trained in using the machine provides your laser treatment, you’ve got nothing to worry about. 

How much does it cost?

It’s true that laser hair removal and IPL are both more costly than any other form of hair removal, including epilators. However, if you splash the cash on a set of treatments then you can stay hair-free for months.

That means no buying disposable grooming products or spending time that you could have invested elsewhere. This is particularly useful for large areas of the skin such as the back. Laser hair removal starts at around $50 per treatment for a small area of skin and it can go up to $1,000.

It’s a good idea to do research on prices at your nearest laser skin clinics and to ask for a special offer. Many clinics also do special deals and will allow you a free consultation to determine whether laser hair removal is for you.

Can I do it at home?

Unlike other hair removal methods, it’s not recommended to do laser hair removal or IPL at home. This poses additional risks as it’s difficult to manage the machine on your own and if you’re not qualified in handling it, you might cause damage.

Many of the best laser hair removal machines are very large so it would be unpractical to have them in your house. Hand operated IPL machines can work but they have less efficiency than a clinical IPL machine, and it can be difficult to use them on all parts of the body.

Hopefully, this article has inspired you to cast a wider net when it comes to your grooming routine. If laser hair removal interests you, it’s worth a try. If you’re still wary, contact your local laser clinic and ask for testimonials from other clients or read more about it on platforms like WebMD.

That way you can get an honest account of the process, and ultimately decide if it’s really for you.