The Laser Hair Removal Costs Guide

You must know these laser hair removal costs facts before you spend any money on a treatment that may or may not give you the results you desire.  Don't go into this process blindly and end up being not happy with the results.  You can have a good experience or a bad experience and that is predicated on understanding a few facts about the laser hair removal procedures and what to expect.

Lasers have been used by cosmetic surgeons to remove unwanted hair since about 1996.  The first attempts were kind of clunky but the procedures have now been refined to the point that a patient can expect very good results.  There are now literally hundreds of clinics and physicians who offer this treatment to get rid of unwanted hair from all parts of the body.

If you are contemplating having this procedure done then there are a few things you should think about.  One is do you really need to get rid of the hair this way.  There are several other methods that may actually be better for your particular situation.  For example, if there are only a few errant hairs plucking or waxing may be a more cost effect way to remove them.  There is some pain involved in these procedures but it is short lived.

Also, shaving has been a method used for thousands of years to remove unwanted hair.  It is cheap and effective although you are forced to do it every day or every few days.  There are hair removal creams on the market also that should be looked at as potential alternatives to the laser hair removal process.

There are some potential laser hair removal safety concerns that need to be addressed when you are deciding whether or not to have the process performed.  One of the big questions is one of potential pain involved.  That is does it hurt to have the hair removed with lasers or is it completely pain free.  Like any medical procedure there are variations that can affect this.

Two of the big physical variables that can have an affect on the levels of pain and discomfort are skin type and thickness of the hair shafts.  Some skin types are just more easily irritated than others.  This preponderance to irritability can have a dramatic affect on how painful the experience is.  Skin tint in particular can affect this with darker skin tending to heat up more with the laser energy than light skin does.

The actual thickness of the hair being removed has a big affect on how uncomfortable the situation is.  The thicker the shafts the more treatments and the longer the treatment that is required.  Each treatment will reduce the cross section of the hair shaft further and so the initial visit usually involves the most painful sensations.

Another factor is the size of the area to be treated and the thickness of hair measured in hair per square cm that must be removed.  It goes without saying that the chances for discomfort increase in proportion to the number of individual hairs that need to be treated.  The particular area of the body can also have an effect on the amount of pain with some areas being more sensitive than others.

The two main cost variables for the laser hair removal process are the expense of the individual treatment and the number of treatments required.  Both of these are based on several factors that need to be considered.

The number of treatments varies depending on the area to be treated, the number of hairs per square centimeter, and the thickness of the hair.  As stated above, the thicker the hair shafts the more more treatments required to remove it.  Each laser treatment will reduce the size of the hair shaft until it finally dies and falls out.  The number of hairs also plays an important part.  The guy above heeded a lot of hairs removed so he will pay more than a woman with a small mustache she wants removed.  You also need to consider how many follow up visits will be needed to keep the hair growth in check.  Most people need to return at least once a year.

The cost per treatment can vary based on the skill and experience of the physician and the geographical location of the clinic.  This is not a time to scrimp and get the cheapest doctor you can find.  Go for quality and you will be much happier in the end.  You don't want to save a few bucks and end up with scarring that can last the rest of your life.

Generally the cheapest geographical location is the South with the average cost of treatments at $400.  The most expensive is the Midwest with $450 per treatment.  Of course this is also going to vary within areas with the costs more expensive in larger cities.