Laser Hair Removal: Is it Right For Me?

Laser hair removal is one of the most popular non-invasive treatments today for both men and women year after year. It’s a treatment that permanently reduces unwanted hair from the legs, arms, chest, armpits and face. It’s popular partly due to its convenience factor; people don’t have to worry about constantly shaving or waxing regularly.

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Don't Skimp Out On Laser Hair Removal

Who doesn’t love a good deal? Sales and discounts give you a rush because you feel like you’re saving money on that new shirt or phone you bought. It can sometimes feel like an impulsive reaction to buy something because it's just so cheap compared to other prices you've seen. But think twice about certain things such as unusually cheap non-surgical treatments like laser hair removal, especially at establishments without licensed medical professionals. Sometimes the results could be poor and even dangerous because of the lack of medically licensed or poorly trained staff.

What’s a medi-spa?

Medi-spas offer treatments like laser hair removal, laser tattoo removal and dermal fillers unlike a regular spa. Ideally, medical doctors, aestheticians and nurses should be a part of the staff at medi-spas. Depending on what treatment you’re having, the individual who’s treating you should be well-experienced and licensed to do so at a medi-spa.

The risk of so-called medi-spas

Tons of establishments market themselves as medi-spas with limited (or any) licensed staff on site. This sounds obvious, but the lasers used in laser hair removal treatments are incredibly hot. These powerful lasers can leave burns and scars, especially when they’re operated by inexperienced hands.

It’s sadly common for dermatologists to see patients who suffer from complications after getting laser hair removal treatments from ill-trained individuals.  The Canadian Dermatology Association surveyed doctors across the country and found that “73% of  dermatologists surveyed have treated patients for burns, scars or other wounds sustained after seeking laser treatments.”

The medical aesthetics industry is unregulated

Technically, anyone can legally operate lasers and perform laser hair removal treatments. You don’t have to be a doctor or a dermatologist. You can even buy laser equipments online on Kijiji without any training or credentials. With this loophole, it’s quite simple to make money off of oblivious patients without having real qualifications.

Another issue to consider is that a medi-spa or salon may not have enough lasers that are right for your skin type. Sometimes the laser(s) they have can’t remove all of your hair. According to this article, patients with light skin and dark hair get the most effective laser hair removal results. This Toronto Star article reports that people with dark or tanned skin are at a higher risk of side effects because of the extra pigment in their skin. If the wrong machine is used or the laser’s settings aren’t adjusted, the patient can leave with burns or discoloration.

Dr. Mulholland at SpaMedica performing a laser hair removal treatment. SpaMedica has multiple lasers and wavelengths.

Your best bet is to visit a centre that has multiple lasers and wavelengths that can be used throughout your treatments. This is important because while one laser can permanently remove some hair follicles, a different laser is needed to remove the rest. Multiple lasers should be used if you want the best results.

Don't be afraid to ask questions

It’s always stressed to do your research before any procedure. Laser hair removal is no exception. It might be tempting to choose an establishment with dirt cheap prices, but don’t let the cost of treatments sway you. Find out if the treatment provider is a licensed doctor, nurse or dermatologist or if there are any on-site. You really don’t want to deal with buyer’s remorse, especially when it can leave you with scars and burns.

Laser Hair Removal: Do Women Prefer Bare or Hairy Men?

Do you know what I’m talking about when you first starting dating someone and you spend a lot of time trying to look good and attractive to impress them? Even in the honeymoon period of relationships, you probably put in a lot of effort to keep your partner impressed.

You want to reel your partner in and look as attractive as you can be—who doesn’t do this? Humans are visual creatures after all. Perhaps you’ll fit in extra workouts at the gym or spend a lot more time grooming and putting together outfits.

A big part of this whole grooming and pampering stage involves your hair. Trying new hairstyles and cutting your hair is a given, but what about shaving or permanently removing body hair with laser hair removal? Of course, men and women’s preferences on body hair will always differ from person to person. However, lots of studies show that women do have specific preferences when it comes to men and their grooming habits.

Here are results from one study that Remington Products published:

•       71% of the surveyed U.S women prefer men to trim their backs. 
•     33% of women preferred a man’s back to be completely bare.
•     53% of the women who are casually dating or divorced think men should trim their chest.
•     43% of the women preferred men to keep all of their chest hair.
•     17% of women prefer men without any hair on their chest.

Preferences of body hair vary from person and culture. One study shows that 80% of surveyed Turkish and Slovakian women like men to be smooth and bare.

If you do personally prefer to have little to no hair, laser hair removal will give you what you want. Treatments get rid of hair just about anywhere on your body. It could be an area as small as your fingers or toes or as large as your back. Below are some common body areas we remove hair from.

Underarms

Shaving underarms is pretty much second nature for women, especially when it’s bikini season and summertime. You can’t really get away without shaving when you’re wearing tank tops like you can during the winter when you’re covered in thick sweaters. Laser hair removal for underarms is considered a small zone, so each treatment costs $199.

Source: SpaMedica. Before and after photo of a patient who had laser hair removal treatments on his back.

Back and Chest

When men book laser hair removal treatments at SpaMedica, it’s usually to remove hair on their back and chests. Dr. Mulholland, a Toronto plastic surgeon, says when men have a lot of hair in these areas, they tend to go through a lot of dress shirts—it gets embarrassing in social situations and not to mention it becomes a hassle to constantly go through several shirts regularly. The back is considered an extra large zone; each treatment starts at $499.

Legs

Keeping legs bare and smooth is another region that majority of women do as part of their grooming routine. Especially during the summer, it’s essential to have bare legs in the summer when you’re rocking shorts and skirts all day. Really, no matter what season it is, you can’t get away with letting leg hairs go wild if you have to dress up for an event or have a hot date that leads to a little more. Legs are considered a large zone, so each laser hair removal treatment costs $399.

Free Laser Hair Removal Treatments

Until March 15, 2015, SpaMedica is offering a free laser hair removal package when you purchase any body contouring package. You’ll get 5 free laser hair removal treatments on extra small zones. Interested? Go on and book your appointment online now or call us at 1-877-712-8367.