Laser hair removal was first introduced in the aesthetic industry in the mid-’90s; since then has come a long way, with safer machines but also for all skin types. However, there are many people that still concerned about the treatment. Below are frequent questions we receive from our clients, and we hope that will help decide for hair-free skin.
1. How much does laser hair removal cost?
As the industry expands, many new clinics are opening, or the existing ones are developing their businesses with this treatment, which suggests lower prices to tempt clients. In our clinics since 2001, we have provided competitive pricing, but we also put our clients’ skin safety first. Our practitioners are certified with NVQ level 4, plus we are investing in continuous training to recognise skin needs through consultation and provide the correct sessions that a person will require to see the expected results. In addition, before any laser hair removal treatment, and due to our medically grade laser machines, we offer a free patch test to see skin reactions and to adjust the correct settings for the individual needs. This also supports that we won’t waste any suggested sessions to modify the correct settings. Furthermore, we understand the need for affordable treatments; hence we provide a finance option payment plan to spread the cost in 12 monthly payments.
2. What are the risks and damages?
Another question we receive is the laser hair removal treatment risks. Many have in their mind someone they know or an article they have read online about burns, pigmentation or scarring. The lasers used for hair removal are powerful machines using an intense beam of light that selectively destroys the hair, which of course, if the practitioner is not trained enough, could cause skin damage. Those damages could be immediately noticed, such as burns or infection and the long term, such as pigmented treated area, scarring or even hair stimulation in an area that never had hair.
We support the free patch test in our clinics to offer a safe treatment. With the skin test, we treat a small skin area, where we will identify any skin reaction before the treatment and determine the laser settings; this usually takes place 48h before the session. The patch test is not only for new clients but for our existing ones too. The reason is that when our clients have sun exposure on the treated area, they should avoid laser treatments for six weeks; otherwise, they could develop pigmentation. In terms of hair stimulation risk, there are many factors that hair can stimulate in an area that never had hair before, but usually, is wrong laser settings due to lack of practitioner knowledge, training and experience. The usual side-effects following the treatment could be swelling, redness and skin sensitivity, but they don’t last more than 48h.
3. Can I have laser hair removal when I am pregnant?
The short answer is no; As much we support that lasers are safe machines, there is a lack of studies and evidence on this matter that lasers won’t cause any harm to the child, so we have a strict policy of not offering any laser treatments during pregnancy. Also, skin pigmentation could change when pregnant due to hormones in our bodies, so there is a risk that could cause a permanent pigment on the skin.
4. Can people with darker skin types have laser hair removal?
In the past years, darker skin type was not easy to treat because lasers were targeting the pigment to destroy the hair follicle, which was difficult on darker pigmented skin and was damaging the surrounding tissue. However, the new laser machines, like the ND: Yag we use in our clinics’, can target the hair follicle pigment and remove the hair from the root safely without damaging the surrounding skin. Also, it’s essential to understand if the treatment is to be made with a laser, like we offer, or with IPL. IPL uses light energy, which is different from lasers that beam energy. So IPL is not safe for darker skin types due to the many risks involved.
5. How to trust a clinic before taking any decision?
We suggest looking at their practitioners’ knowledge, experience, results, and training. All the reputable clinics are offering before and afters on their websites, and they have as a standard the consultation process and patch test. Another area before deciding is to check what type of lasers they use, also their online reputation, aftercare process and customer support.
Our clinics have treated more than 200,000 people only for laser hair removal; our knowledge of ingrown hairs, hair stimulation, and excessive hair growth due to hormonal problems like PCOS has set us apart from the competition for more than 20 years. In addition, we have heavily invested in in-house trainers passing on the knowledge we gained through these years with case studies that we have successfully treated. Pulse Light Clinic has the biggest range of laser machines in the UK, and we have pioneered in treating skin conditions with innovative processes.
