Laser hair removal uses light to target and destroy hair follicles that cause unwanted hair growth, making this treatment effective yet sometimes uncomfortable for some individuals. Although successful, laser hair removal can sometimes cause pain.
Procedure may feel like small stings, or rubber band snaps on the skin, lasting several minutes to an hour depending on where they’re being applied.
It’s Not Excruciating
If you have heard friends talk about laser hair removal, you might think the experience was excruciatingly painful. What you may not realize is that pain levels vary significantly depending on the area being treated – for instance, upper lips contain many more nerve endings in a small space than legs do; underarms and bikini areas also tend to be more sensitive due to thin skin thickness; however back and chest areas have thicker skin, making the sensation far less severe, according to Dr. Pierre.
Laser hair removal treatments vary in their degree of discomfort depending on your skin tone. People with dark skin typically experience greater discomfort during treatment due to pigment being hit by laser beams which cause redness and swelling post-treatment.
As such, some laser hair removal patients use numbing cream before their treatments to help mitigate sensations. However, it should be noted that incorrect use can have harmful side effects; to make sure this product meets with safety, always consult a dermatologist or nurse first.
Laser hair removal varies from person to person as everyone has a different tolerance level for discomfort. Still, most agree that the treatment is far less painful than shaving or scheduling wax appointments and after multiple sessions the sensations start diminishing as hair grows finer and thinner.
Keep in mind that regular laser hair removal sessions will be necessary if you wish to achieve smooth and hairless skin. Sessions typically last anywhere between a few minutes and an hour, depending on the area treated, with slight itching in the area post-treatment and possibly some swelling; these effects usually fade within hours after your appointment has completed. After treatment it’s important to stay hydrated, applying aloe vera after your session, and avoid direct sun exposure on treated areas as these areas will likely be more sensitive after this process has completed.
It’s Not Painful
Laser hair removal might seem painful at first, especially if you’re used to shaving and waxing for years, but that isn’t necessarily the case. Your pain level depends on which area is being treated; generally thicker skinned backs and chests tend to be less painful than facial or bikini line treatments. Your pain threshold also matters as certain people have more sensitive skin that affects how much it hurts during treatments.
A physician will press a handheld device against your skin, activate a laser, and direct its beam at pigments in hair follicles to target them for destruction. You may experience some mild discomfort similar to warm pinpricking during this procedure; cooling devices or gel may be utilized during treatment to ease discomfort and protect your skin.
Once activated, laser therapy may cause a brief but unpleasant stinging sensation that lasts up to one minute. If you have low pain tolerance, numbing cream should be applied prior to beginning your appointment – just note that its full effect usually takes 30 minutes!
After laser hair removal treatments, your skin may become red and swollen, and to protect it further from sun exposure, use at least 30 broad spectrum SPF sunscreen to avoid burns and scarring.
As you progress with laser hair removal treatments, you may find them less painful than waxing or shaving; this is due to not extracting an entire hair follicle from your skin. Over time, your hair will thin out and lighten until no further shaving or waxing sessions are required.
It’s Not Intense
Laser hair removal varies in intensity depending on each person and their ability to tolerate pain. While some are able to tolerate the process without experiencing any discomfort at all, others clench their fists every time the laser goes off. Pain from laser hair removal also varies based on where it is being performed: thicker and darker hair will feel more intense than thinner and lighter ones because the laser’s heat can more readily penetrate thicker surfaces than lighter skin; hence areas like stomach and back may experience more acute discomfort than others.
Pain from laser hair removal should lessen with every treatment session as hair follicles become gradually destroyed over time. However, your skin may remain sensitive following each session and must be protected from sun exposure as it heals; individuals planning multiple sessions should avoid direct sunlight and use broad-spectrum sunscreen when outdoors in the first few weeks after each treatment session.
Practitioners use a cooling device on the surface of someone’s skin before initiating laser treatment. Once their skin has cooled down sufficiently, they use a handheld device to press against the area being lasered and trigger it, creating an elastic-band snapping feeling on their skin and trigger the laser. This may produce slight sensations similar to when snapping an elastic band against it.
Once treated, skin will likely appear reddened and perhaps blister-like after being exposed to laser hair removal; this is normal and should pass within several hours. Those experiencing discomfort should try holding an ice pack against their skin to alleviate pain. Laser treatment also makes the skin more vulnerable to sunlight than before so those opting for this form of hair removal must take special care when venturing outdoors.
Overall, laser hair removal is generally safe and well-tolerated by most individuals. For optimal results, individuals should select a qualified practitioner to conduct the procedure due to its nature as a medical procedure that could result in side effects like burns or scarring if performed incorrectly.
It’s Not Uncomfortable
Laser hair removal can be an extremely comfortable procedure. While waxing or plucking can cause pain, laser removal typically causes less discomfort – although you might feel pinches or rubber bands snapping against your skin during treatment. Not everyone experiences pain when they get laser treatment – it depends on how your body handles pain tolerance.
Consideration should also be given to how laser treatments affect different areas of the body differently, for instance women often report that lasering their bikini line or underarms is more painful than treating chest or face hair follicles due to thin skin or simply due to more individual hair follicles needing zapped off.
Your choice of laser will also have an effect on how much pain you experience during laser treatments. Diode lasers tend to be less painful than their older counterparts like ruby lasers; moreover, some hair removal devices use cooling machines at the tip of each laser beam in order to ease discomfort during treatments.
Your skin tone may also play a significant role in how much discomfort is felt during laser treatments. People with lighter skin are typically more tolerant to pain than those with darker complexions; nonetheless, anyone can undergo laser hair removal treatments without too much trouble.
Prepare for your treatment by shaving away unwanted hair before your appointment and wearing loose clothing that allows for comfort. An antihistamine taken the night before and morning of can also reduce discomfort levels significantly.
An effective way to ensure maximum comfort during laser hair removal is to select an experienced practitioner who knows precisely how to perform the treatment. They’ll always keep your comfort in mind and can adjust the strength of the laser as necessary if necessary; alternatively they may apply numbing cream prior to starting which could significantly decrease pain levels by up to a third.
