You’ve been fighting with your body hair since you hit puberty. Are you over it yet?
Think about all the money you’ve spent over the years buying razors, shaving cream, waxing strips, or professional waxing services. The tips from waxing salons alone could buy you a year’s worth of Starbucks. According to the Huffington Post, women spend 72 DAYS of their lives shaving their legs.
We could be wrong, but we think you have better uses for those hours than being bent over your legs in the shower. That’s where the laser hair removal vs waxing discussion comes in. Sure, waxing saves more time than shaving, but it’s still an expensive and constant cost.
Why not spend the money upfront and never have to worry about it again? Learn more about the best path towards your hairless future, below.
What is Waxing?
Waxing is an ancient practice of taking hot wax, which can be made from anything from sugar and lemon juice to man-made products, smearing it across the skin, waiting for it to dry so it adheres to the hairs, then ripping it off.
Waxing results last longer than shaving results, but the hair does grow back. And there’s not a lot of data to support the idea that hair doesn’t grow back as strong or as much when you wax regularly. Shaving doesn’t make your hair grow back darker either, while we’re busting myths.
And while staying hairless for longer is a nice perk, the wax still pulls at your skin and dries out your skin. The type of wax determines the level of skin damage, but ripping hot liquid off your skin is never ideal.
The most common type of body waxing is through at-home strips, which create waste both through the sticky wax with discarded hair, and the strips used to rip it off. Those strips can’t be recycled because of (1) the material they’re made of and (2) the sticky substance on them.
Not to mention the packaging that at-home wax products come in and the amount of product you waste trying to get the process right by yourself. It’s an environmental nightmare.
Waxing and Pain
Waxing hurts, there’s no way around it. It can hurt less sometimes, depending on the expertise of your waxer, the type of wax they use, and the body part you’re waxing, but it always hurts somewhat. Then there’s the excruciating tweezing of the hairs the wax didn’t pick up when your skin is now hot and sensitive from being waxed.
It’s enough to make anyone’s eyes water.
Cost
The average cost of having both your full legs waxed (thigh to ankle) is $80, not including tip. Given that you need to get waxed around once a month, that means you’re spending about $950 a year (including tip, excluding two months for winter). And that doesn’t count the bikini wax you probably get six times a year ($350) or your monthly eyebrow appointment ($250).
If you get your legs waxed 10 times a year, a bikini wax 6 times, and a brow wax every month, you’re paying your waxing salon around $1,550 a year. You could buy a brand new Louis Vuitton Neverfull with that money.
If you continue that trend for 10 years, you’ve spent over $15,000 getting hot wax ripped off your body. That’s the price of a small car.
Laser hair removal isn’t exact enough for your eyebrows, but if you get your bikini and legs done, you can save around $1,200 a year, every year! That makes the one-time cost sound worth it, right?
Laser Hair Removal: How Does It Work?
Instead of ripping or cutting your hair off where it comes out of the skin, laser hair removal destroys the hair follicle so hair can never grow back. It is quite literally like getting rid of the problem at the root.
There are different light frequencies (think rainbows) and some of them are more powerful than others. Laser hair removal machines use multiple light types to emit bright flashes of light that travels through the top levels of skin and gets absorbed by the melanin in your hair follicles.
That light energy essentially “zaps” the follicle and stops its ability to grow hair.
Don’t worry, the light frequencies these wands use are FDA approved and there is no evidence that they cause lasting health damage of any type, past some immediate irritability, that goes away within hours or days.
What Body Parts Can I Get Laser Hair Removal On?
Pretty much any part you grow hair on. Some areas are going to be more sensitive than others, like your bikini area, but it can still be done.
The most common areas for women are legs and underarms, while we see men for neck hair (reduce the need for shaving) and unwanted back hair.
How Long Does Laser Hair Removal Take?
Laser hair removal results aren’t immediate. It takes 2-5 sessions to see permanent results, but those sessions are included in your total package price (or you can pay per treatment). While that may seem like a lot, results can last for a lifetime, with very little maintenance.
A few visits or a lifetime of fighting your body hair? You decide.
Laser Hair Removal vs. Waxing
There are pros and cons to everything in life. Waxing lasts longer than shaving and is cheaper upfront than laser hair removal. On the other hand, it hurts, costs more over time than laser hair removal, and doesn’t stop your hair growth.
Laser hair removal lasts years to a lifetime, stops hair growth at the source, and can be done in as few as 2-3 sessions. However, it’s more expensive upfront and can be uncomfortable during the treatment and for a short period afterward.
It’s the difference between putting off a problem until the end of the month (waxing) and dealing with it upfront, then never having to think about it again. The method you choose is up to you!
We hope you enjoyed this laser hair removal vs. waxing guide. If you’re interested in laser hair removal, give us a call. We’re happy to give you a consultation or answer any questions you still have!
Want a great deal? Check out our promos, here.