Long gone are the days when all you could do to get rid of unwanted hairs on your skin was shave or wax. Modern technologies offer plenty of alternatives. Some are more affordable, others less painful, while others will have you walking out of the salon fully hairless in a matter of minutes. So, which one is for you? Read on to find out.
Electrolysis
Essentially, electrolysis sends electric currents into the skin, down to the root of each hair on one’s face and body. There are three types of electrolysis currently available: the one that galvanizes hairs, thermolysis, which induces high-temperatures and the mixed variant, which blends the aforementioned two methods. The main perk of electrolysis is that it’s extremely precise and accurate, since it targets each hair individually.
On the downside, however, many who have experienced this treatment have reported pain, and for most people, the treatment can last for a long time (up to 30 sessions in treatment). While it is not counter-indicated for any particular type of hair or skin, electrolysis is not recommended for fair-skinned individuals, nor for people whose skin has proven sensitive to abrasion, since it destroys hair follicles through the use of heated energy. Yet another problem with electrolysis is that it does not help get rid of the hair once and for all—it simply burns it down and the root, and so needs to be repeated periodically.
Laser Hair Removal
Removing unwanted hair on your face and/or body can now be achieved via laser technology, and this is especially advantageous for those who want to cover large areas of the skin all at once. It lasts, it doesn’t take long to undergo a full treatment and the side effects are mild—if any. However, experts warn against the possibility of getting serious burns to your skin, or of damaging your eyesight when using this technique. Always make sure your local hair removal center is authorized to employ laser technologies beforehand and get your skin tested before treating large areas of your body.
IPL (Intense Pulsed Light)
IPL procedures are by no means some newfangled technology. Top-of-the-line beauty salons have been using the technique for many years now, in skin rejuvenation treatments. It is now also employed for getting rid of unwanted hair and it’s comparatively much more painless than laser hair removal, electrolysis or waxing. The main difference between laser hair removal and IPL is that the latter produces very little swelling or irritated areas on the skin, and these, too, should they appear, will go away in a matter of hours post-procedure.
Since IPL is more intense than laser, naturally darker-skinned individuals or those with a profuse tan should be cautious in resorting to it, since some hypo-pigmentation may occur post-intervention. According to the expert, the best results can be enjoyed by people with coarse, light hair, while those with darker and thinner hair should expect a longer span of time before results actually start showing.
