This is the story of a guy who sprouted a hairy back once he reached 30 and whose wife fondly calls him “Chewbacca” as a result.

He has taken the plunge with laser hair removal to increase his body confidence.

Though laser hair removal isn’t a fully permanent solution for hair removal it will reduce hair permanently and can be managed from then on with maintenance sessions. And if you can afford it, it is a good alternative to waxing. ( Phil, the guy in the story, did not find that waxing helped

a) due to the pain of the treatment

b) due to itching and stubbly regrowth after a few days).

The Sun Online – Real Life: My wife calls me Chewbacca

Is laser hair removal in Chicago any different from laser hair removal in London? I don't think so. Essentially the same equipment is available both sides of the Atlantic – yet very different rules control what you can CLAIM about the process.

In London and the rest of the UK laser hair removal clinics are able to claim that the process will permanently remove hair and that it is pain free. Yet in Chicago or New York (or any other US state or city) companies who advertise laser hair removal in this way will be in trouble with the FDA.

And the truth? Laser hair removal is neither permanent nor pain free wherever you have your treatment. No doubt the UK authorities will be on the case soon. 

Not all laser hair removal machines are created equal. There are several types used in salons and others that you can buy for home use.

The Thermolase Corporation’s Soft Light Hair Removal System was the first machine to receive FDA approval for professional use in 1995 and since then laser hair removal machines have gone through constant improvement.

Intense Pulse Light (IPL) is the laser hair removal equipment used in most of the spas and clinics. These machines use a principle known as selective photothermolysis which works best where there is a strong contrast between hair and skin. The laser emits a strong beam of light (or pulse) for a millisecond which is directed at the skin. The wavelengths of light are calculated so that they are absorbed by the melanin pigment in any dark hair present, destroying it while leaving the lighter surrounding skin unharmed.

The Alexandrite laser works on this principle sending a pulse of light into the subdermal skin where the hair follicles are situated. The aim is to damage hair follicles with the heat from the laser while they are in their active hair growth phase.

Diode lasers use miniature diodes or semi-conductors to produce longer wavelengths of laser light energy. This type of laser hair removal machine is more effective in treating dark complexions where the contrast between skin and hair is not so great.

Other salons use a YAG laser which produces rapid pulses of laser light with two different wavelengths – one pulse of infrared light which goes deeper into the skin to treat the hair follicles lying there, and one of green light which treats those nearer the surface. This is effective at treating more of the hair in one go.

You’ll hear other names talked about too which offer variations of these models – they all have their advantages. Be sure to ask your specialist about the different machines available when you go for treatment in particular if you have a dark complexion.

Because of the precision technology involved, professional hair removal machines are expensive and training to operate them may take up to 30 hours. This makes laser hair removal one of the most expensive beauty treatments around.

With the expense involved many people expect miracles from their treatment but laser hair removal is not an instant success type of treatment. Yes, you will see a big reduction in hair growth but you may need a course of treatments before you see permanent hair removal and even then a few “top up” sessions may be needed.

Even so, you can cover large areas of the body in a relatively short amount of time – whole legs, arms, back and chest which gives the laser method an edge over electrolysis. And it generally leaves skin smooth and soft as well as hair free so you can see why it is becoming increasingly popular.

If you are thinking about getting laser hair removal treatment, you will want to know “how many treatments?” and “how much will this cost?” but hair removal specialists can only give an estimate at best and it depends on how your particular hair and skin reacts.

This makes home hair removal systems seem like such a good idea. You buy the equipment and then you can use it in the privacy of your own home for as long as it takes and as often as you like to achieve permanent removal of unwanted hair. See our next article on this for more information : Home Laser Hair Removal Machines

Things change over the years and I have had to update this site concerning home laser hair removal to cover advances in technology in recent years. First, laser hair removal treatment could only be carried out by medical practitioners. Then it was allowed by trained technicians in beauty clinics and spas. And now a home laser hair removal machine or two such as the Silk’n have been approved by the FDA as safe for you and me to operate – and buyers are having good things to say at last!

This means that you no longer need to use an expensive clinic if you don’t have the budget or the time to attend. However you still need to use caution when considering purchasing laser equipment to remove hair.

These portable laser hair removal machines use more or less the same technology as those used in many clinics so you need to consider the same factors before embarking on treatment.

Most of all be aware of the type of skin you have – the more contrast between skin and hair the better you will get on with one of these systems and if you have dark skin then it is best to consult a professional rather than risk using home laser equipment. Some clinics have particular equipment which is better for use on dark skin – see previous post Laser Hair Removal Machines. If you have any doubt at all contact a medical practitioner before you treat yourself.

Read and follow the instructions carefully and start off with a small area to be treated on a non-sensitive area of the body such as your legs or arms. If you’re unsure book one professional laser treatment at a clinic so that you know what to expect before you start. Also see our articles on what to expect before, during and after laser treatment – you’ll find them in the Laser Hair Removal section.

For your safety always wear goggles when operating a laser and stop using the laser hair removal machine immediately if you notice adverse side effects on your skin.

Advantages of Using a Home Laser Hair Removal Machine

One advantage is that you can carry out treatment for a significantly lower cost than that involved in going to a specialist clinic. This is especially significant if you are going to treat large areas of your body considering that whether you use a home or professional treatment you will need a number of sessions and often top up treatments every few months (reducing over time). See Cost of Laser Hair Removal for typical costs.

A second advantage is the sheer flexibility of when you carry out your treatment. There is no need for an appointment – you can fit in your treatment at any time in the comfort and privacy of your own home.

Another advantage is that you will probably decide to treat areas of your body that are not so “hairy” that you would have considered paying large sums of money for professional treatment. You will end up with beautiful, smoother, more hair-free skin as a result of owning a home machine.

Finally in favor of these machine is that as you perform your treatment you can regulate the intensity yourself so that you get the right balance between your threshold for discomfort and the efficiency of the hair removing process. And you can increase the intensity of the treatment as you get used to it entirely at your own pace.

Disadvantages of Home Laser Hair Removal

The machines currently on the market for home use are not for everyone – if you don’t have a good contrast between your (dark) hair and (fair) skin you need a professional opinion on whether laser treatment is for you and potentially a more specialist laser hair removal machine only available in salons.

If you are not confident in your ability to withstand a little discomfort for the sake of beauty, visit a professional laser hair removal clinic where you will feel better in the hands of a technician trained to deal with pain reduction and nervous clients.

If you want to perform hair removal on your face you are advised to use a professional clinic. (Actually I would advise electrolysis anyway for permanent hair removal on a small area such as the face).

A laser hair removal machine may not be sold unless it has received the approval of the FDA so you know they are safe however you do need to follow the instructions – so if you are the type of person that doesn’t do that – use a clinic!

Once You Decide

If you do decide to go ahead then read what independent buyers thought (good and bad – though generally favorable) about the most popular home laser hair removal machine : Silkn Reviews

The Silkn personal laser hair removal system is the latest line in home hair removal products approved by the FDA for use by you and I to take care of our own unwanted hair problems.

Of course, the ideal is that you have the money and time for professional laser or electrolyis treatment to permanently remove excess hair but most of us don’t have that luxury and the Silkn system fills that gap.

It seems like it will be the perfect solution to be able to treat yourself whenever you have time in the comfort of your own home, but is it?

Here is our review of the Silkn at home laser hair removal system – just a few things to think about before you rush out and buy one.

The Silkn is not for those with Dark Skin

The Silkn relies on there being and marked difference between the color of the hair and the skin as it targets the dark-colored pigment in hair. If you have dark skin there will not be enough contrast between your skin and hair for a home laser hair removal equipment to work effectively. There are now professional machines which cope better with dark skin but they are not affordable for home use.

The Silkn is not for the Face and Neck

The Silkn personal laser hair removal system is safe but it has not been approved for use on the face and neck. A home laser and facial hair removal just don’t go together. You simply don’t want to be messing with laser treatment anywhere near your eyes especially if you are not trained. And to be fair if you are looking to remove hair from these areas, laser hair removal is not your best option. The best permananent solution for small areas like the face is electrolysis. You can now get a home hair removal product for use on the face called the One Touch. See our One Touch review. Or pay the money and have professional treatment. Other areas of the body which might warrant professional treatment are those which you can’t reach properly yourself (if you don’t have anyone to help) such as your back or the more sensitive regions of the body such as the pubic area. Silkn is great for permanent removal unwanted hair at home however if you would like to treat your legs, arms and/or chest and you can save big bucks just by doing these areas yourself.

The Silkn is not for the Impatient

If you expect to zap your hair and never see it again you will be disappointed. (But then you would be disappointed by professional treatment too) Laser hair removal machines treat all the hair over large areas of your body quite quickly and the hair will fall out. From that point of view they are fast. However you can expect quite a lot of regrowth over time. Quite a lot of the hair follicles will have been at the wrong stage in the growth cycle for treatment – and you can’t tell until you see which ones don’t grow back! If you read buyers’ reviews of the Silkn machine you will find a few people who were expecting more instant results and are therefore not so happy with their purchase. But if you understand the norm for laser hair removal you will see that you have all the benefits of having the treatment at home – privacy, low-cost, less inconvenience – and the SAME results you might expect from professional laser treatment.

There are not many effective options when it comes to home remedies for permanent hair removal so if you’re interested, find out more details about the Silkn and the latest discounts and deals HERE as well as reading reviews of this remarkable personal laser hair removal system.

Going for laser hair treatment is not like going for a facial and massage or getting highlights at the salon. It is a medical procedure in many ways which can be likened to cosmetic surgery, although thankfully there is no knife or incision.

If you go for a consultation be sure to disclose everything that is relevant even if the consultant or technician does not ask.

What information should you give to the laser hair removal center so that they give you the correct hair removal treatment?

Tell the consultant

1. About any skin conditions you have

This can be terribly important to your treatment as it can prevent damage to your skin, even permanent damage by the laser light technology. Make your technician aware of any allergies or problems you have had with your skin in the past or ones you are suffering in the present.

2. Any medical conditions you have

It is always worth mentioning any medical condition that you have even if you have not heard that it might affect your treatment or you don’t think it is serious. It does no harm to ask whether there are any contra-indications which might affect you and mean it is better not to start these hair removal treatments. If you go to a laser treatment clinic they operate under medical supervision and they are the best people to know about any ways laser treatment might harm you.

3. About any sunbathing you have done or plan to do

Any laser hair removal clinic worth using will REFUSE to treat you if you have a suntan or plan to go in the sun or on vacation shortly after treatment (that is within two weeks). Postpone your treatment until your tan has faded for the sake of your skin. The better the contrast between hair and skin the more effective  the treatment will be and the less danger of damage to your skin.

Ask all the Questions you need to for Your Laser Hair Treatment

4. Any concerns or questions

Don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as you like about your situation in particular and laser treatment for hair removal in general. You are paying for the treatment and you deserve to be fully briefed about what to expect from it. Ask for

• their assessment of your skin type,
• the type of laser machine that they propose to use and why
• how you should prepare for the laser treatments
• what pain relief they provide
• what results and side-effects to expect or watch out for
• whether the procedure will result in a permanent reduction in hair growth
• how many sessions might be required
• the cost of the treatment
• any guarantees or policies if hair remains after a full course of hair removal treatment

Many hair removal clinics will give you written notes on how to prepare for laser treatment and what you need to know and watch out for but if you think of anything you forgot to disclose or want to ask something else about your laser hair treatment don’t hesitate to contact your consultant again.

The short answer to the question is laser hair removal permanent is “yes, maybe” but beyond that you need to understand what is behind the maybe and why it might not be permanent removal of hair from the whole area treated in your case.

All that laser hair treatment clinics may promise is a permanent hair reduction – electrolysis is the only method approved for permanent hair removal. But what does “permanent hair reduction” mean exactly?

It means that a significant proportion of the hair follicles will be destroyed by laser treatment and those hairs will not grow back.

Usually MOST of the hair follicles are killed and you will have minimal regrowth after the recommended number of laser treatment sessions. The remaining hair is easily dealt with by top up treatments (which may destroy more follicles each time) or other hair removal methods.

Just sometimes all of the hair follicles are destroyed and then you have permanent hair removal.

But why do all the hair follicles not get destroyed by laser equipment during treatment?

The laser needs to target the hair follicles when they are at the right stage in the growth cycle in order to destroy them permanently. Hairs are at all different stages in that cycle and although all the hair will be removed during a laser session the follicles may not be destroyed. During any one treatment only a proportion of the hairs will be permanently destroyed.

Also the laser beam has to reach the right depth in the skin for each individual hair follicle. Some follicles may be deeper in the skin and the laser will not reach them with enough power to destroy them. Too powerful a laser would damage the skin so those hairs may not be successfully treated.

Having said all that, most people in recent times with state of the art lasers and multiple sessions designed to hit hair at each stage of growth have successful laser treatment in nearly all cases and enough hair is destroyed to make them happy with the result.

So in summary, if you are asking is laser hair removal permanent you would have to say that you are likely to experience a permanent reduction in hair which will make laser treatment worthwhile and potentially permanent removal.

The Epila laser hair removal machine is available at a discount on Amazon. That looked like good news for those of you looking to get rid of unwanted hair without breaking your budget. (After all professional laser hair removal prices can be hundreds of dollars a session and you need several sessions to complete your treatment). So I thought I’d take a look at the comments of those who had bought the Epila laser hair remover and see what they had to say.

Oh dear! I so wanted another option to offer which was cheaper than the Silk’n home laser hair removal product I reviewed earlier but the Epila laser hair removal system is not something that I can recommend to anyone based on the twenty or so Epila reviews on Amazon.

I know that all such products need a willingness to carry out repeated treatments (as you often don’t get to kill the follicles the first time around) and many customers lose patience and give a bad review but there must be a good proportion of customers who are happy with the product for me to recommend it. (There seems to be only 2 real people out of 20 who are happy when I read the reviews and then I start to wonder if the real people are real)

It’s a shame as when I saw the Epila I noticed it was a few hundred dollars cheaper than the Silkn product and therefore within the reach of a lot of people who want to save money on professional laser treatment. But too many Epila laser reviews are screaming “Don’t buy it!” and you should be really wary of going anywhere near the system. That means you only have the option of paying a few hundred dollars for a machine like the Silk’n or paying for expensive laser treatments in a salon. Why oh why doesn’t someone invent a cost-effective permanent easy pain-free hair removal treatment? Just so sorry the Epila Laser hair removal system isn’t it.

If you are interested in having laser hair removal treatment then I’m sure that cost is at the forefront of your mind. Laser hair removal prices are pretty difficult to determine however as they vary so much.

Let’s just say it is not cheap to have laser treatment whatever prices you are quoted. The actual prices for laser hair treatment really depend on where you live and type of salon, spa or laser hair removal center you go to and the clinic’s policy on pricing as well as on the part of the body you are having treated.

Most laser hair removal centers will say that a treatment costs “from as little as so many dollars” but that gives you no idea at all how much you are going to have to pay. So the only thing to do is to check out a few different places and ask and then compare prices.

Just to give you a reasonable idea, expect to be charged around $200 to $400 a session and to need several sessions (3 to 6) to treat any area of your body. (This will save you time talking to clinics if the procedure is completely outside your budget).

If you’re on a limited budget and you go to clinics don’t just look at the prices for laser hair removal also look at what is included in the costs and the quality of the service you will get. In particular look at the guarantees that are on offer. After the main laser hair removal sessions are complete you are likely to have some regrowth. If the cost of these sessions is included in the laser hair removal prices listed then that may offer much better value than a clinic which charges for every follow up session over the long term.

Laser hair removal for men has become very popular in recent years as the trend is for men to have as little body hair as possible these days – at least that’s the trend among fashionable men from the world of sport, fashion and movies (the beautiful set who appear regularly in celebrity magazines).

Of course, there are other ways of removing hair such as waxing, depilatory creams and shaving but laser hair removal is the most popular method of removing hair for men who have the cash to spend. Here’s why:-

1. You can treat large areas of your body fast. Men typically want to remove hair from areas such as the back, chest, stomach and legs and this would be too costly and time consuming for any other permanent hair removal method such as electrolysis.
2. Laser hair removal is less painful than other effective methods of hair removal. Any man who has read a graphic description of chest waxing (or worse, back, crack and sack waxing) is likely to choose laser treatment from sheer terror! Although men will of course experience some discomfort from laser hair removal it is nowhere near as painful as waxing or as daunting. (The treatment feels like being pinged with tiny rubber bands)
3. Laser hair removal is a permanent method of reducing hair growth. After the initial sessions the odd top-up session might be needed but hair will be permanently reduced or eliminated. Actually, this can also be a disadvantage (see below).

If men decide against laser hair removal the main reasons are usually because

1. the cost of laser treatment – you pay a few hundred dollars per session and need probably 3 to 6 sessions to treat each area plus follow up maintenance sessions to deal with any regrowth
2. the time required for appointments in a busy schedule
3. the permanent nature of laser treatment. Once hair has gone it is unlikely to return and as we know fashions change..a chest wig is not a good look

Laser hair removal for men is available in many clinics and centers nationwide. They are just as used to treating men as they are women. So if it seems like the right method for you, browse around a few clinics online and make appointments with a few consultants to talk about treatment, costs and potential results.