Is Home Laser Hair Removal Really Worth It?

In the endless search for the perfect body, the market for high-end electrical equipment such as home laser hair removal treatment is a growing industry. Advances in technology have meant that women (and an increasing number of men) who want to remove 'unsightly' hair can now do so in the privacy of their own bathroom, rather than having to go to a specialist clinic. But there are still considerable concerns as to the safety of such equipment in the hands of those not fully trained to use such devices.

The biggest problem is that home laser hair removal devices are approved for use on areas such as the legs, but not on more delicate areas such as the face or the bikini area. If used incorrectly, home laser hair removal devices can still burn the skin, causing painful blisters and tissue damage. Although these devices are designed not to discharge unless closely applied to the skin, it is possible that if used on the face around the eye area an accidental slip of the hand might cause the laser to be activated directly into the eye, which can cause irreparable damage and possibly even blindness.

The key to effective permanent hair removal is using the correct laser for a particular skin type. Professionally trained practitioners will be able to adjust their equipment according to the skin type. By their very nature, home laser hair removal equipment is generic and therefore may not suit particular skin types. At best, the result may be unsatisfactory, with regrowth despite treatment. At worst the skin could be damaged, causing painful blisters or even scarring.

Another thing to consider about home laser hair removal products is that they are particularly unsuitable for some skin types, such as African or darkly pigmented skin. At the other end of the spectrum, some very pale skin types (particularly redheads and blondes) may also find home laser kits extremely harsh on delicate skin.

Laser technology as applied to the beauty industry is still in its infancy, which is why many products on the market are severely limited in what they can actually achieve. Laser technology brings with it an element of risk, which is why home laser hair removal equipment should not really be considered as a replacement for a professional procedure at an established clinic. The process required to sever the hair follicle in the subepidermal layer of the skin requires a great deal of energy that only large, commercial machines are capable of producing. Home laser treatment is still not as effective as that carried out in a professional clinic resulting in treatments that may take a very long time to do anything but the smallest areas of skin. As such they may be seen to be perhaps a complementary treatment to be used in between sessions.

It is also important that the equipment you use for home laser hair removal treatment is genuine and conforms to all health and safety guidelines. Cheaper equipment may seem like a cost-effective alternative to a lifetime's supply of hair removal creams and razors, but if there is any doubt to its authenticity as a genuine product (and not some cheap imitation), then there have to be severe doubts as to its safety. Recent studies have shown that many devices promoted for home hair removal have such low energies they will never cause permanent hair reduction.

Laser hair removal in the beauty industry has really developed from the expansion of the use of lasers in such procedures as laser tattoo removal, but, as stated earlier, it is still in its infancy. In this instance, maybe it is better to leave the use of such potentially dangerous equipment in the hands of professionals who are fully trained and experienced in its operation. The cost of the consequences should it go wrong far outweigh any perceived saving that home laser hair removal may promise.

Dr Sean Lanigan -Consultant Dermatologist - sk:n was established in 1990 and is the UK's leading provider of skincare conditions treatment and products including: sknclinics.co.uk/skin-treatments/laser-hair-removal.html laser hair removal, laser tattoo removal & acne treatments.

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