Is Laser Hair Removal Really That Expensive

Laser hair removal is a pretty popular hair removal method these days. It works better than waxing and shaving after all. However, it is still subject to a lot of misconceptions and myths that hurt its reputation. The most powerful of those myths is that laser hair removal is expensive. Like, very very expensive. However, this could not be further from the truth! Let us explain why by comparing laser hair removal with other popular hair removal methods.

The cost of shaving

Shaving is one of the most popular hair removal methods. Why? Simply because it is cheap, fast and convenient. Is it really though? In truth, no, but we will explain that later. The concept behind shaving is easy. You use a blade to cut the hair at the surface of the skin. Technically, it looks like the hair is gone.

However, because it is simply cut, and not removed, it will start to grow back immediately. Plus, because the hair is cut flat, it looks thicker and darker when it grows back. While men tend to shave every day, women shave every two to three days. Fast and easy it may be, but convenient certainly not, as you need to do it very often.

Shaving can also lead to razor cuts, bumps and ingrown hair. Those all create an ideal environment for bacteria development and infections. Plus, shaving may seem cheap in the short term but actually becomes quite pricey in the longer term.

Assuming you buy one razor a month and change blade every week, that would cost you roughly $20 a month. Shaving cream will cost $10 a month. Per year, the total amounts to $360. If you shave for 50 years, you will spend a grand total of $18,000 on razors and related equipment. Basically the price of a small car. Quite expensive in the end.

This cost may increase depending on the brand of razor you buy as well as how often you change razor and blades. Or how many years you shave. However, in the end, it still is a significant expense over a lifetime.

The cost of waxing

Waxing is another hair removal method that ends up being quite expensive in the long-term. Although you can wax at home, most people still favor going to an esthetician. Indeed, waxing is time-consuming but also very painful. Especially in those areas of the body that are quite sensitive, like the bikini.

During a session, the esthetician spreads the wax on the skin and pulls it off, removing both the hair and the root. Because the root is gone, the hair follicle must produce a completely new hair, which takes a bit longer. The wax will also remove dead skin cells, so your skin may look lighter after the treatment.

The results of a wax will last up to four weeks depending on your hair growth cycle. However, you may see some hair grow back fairly soon after your treatment. Waxing can cause red bumps, bleeding and ingrown hair. Those can end up causing infection too.

Waxing is much more expensive than shaving. Its long-term cost will be very high. Let’s say you wax the following areas: full legs, bikini, underarms and legs. Not including tax and tip, you will pay close to $100. In a year that makes $1,200. Multiply that by 50 years: $60,000. This is a lot of money.

Waxing will reduce hair growth in the very long-term and damage hair follicle. However, chances are you will still have a significant amount of hair to treat and would still have to wax even after all those years. The monthly expense may seem affordable but the lifetime cost is very high.

The cost of depilatory creams

Amongst other hair removal methods are chemical or depilatory creams. Depending on the size of the areas and how often you remove your hair, you will need more bottles of depilatory creams and the cost will as a result increase. Depilatory creams are packed with chemicals that are harmful to the skin.

As a result, it is highly unadvised to use it on sensitive areas such as the bikini. They can damage or even burn the skin. Thus, patients should always do a patch test prior to trying creams out. Furthermore, the results are quite similar to shaving. The cream dissolves the hair at the surface of the skin.

The root remains intact and the hair will start growing immediately back after the treatment. If you decide to do your full legs and underarms, you will probably need close to two bottles a week. A month the cost will amount to roughly $80. A year that will make $960, which gives a grand total of $48,000 after 50 years.

Here again, the cost of hair removal is very high. Not in the short-term maybe, but in the long-term for sure. Plus, since the only thing the cream will damage is the skin, hair growth will not change and patients will have to use creams several times a month for many years.

The cost of electrolysis

Electrolysis is a hair removal method that was invented back in the nineteenth century. It is not as popular as other options but it is the only permanent hair removal one. Just like laser hair removal, patients will have to book sessions for the areas they wish to treat. However, that is where the similarities stop.

Electrolysis uses a needle to send an electric current to the hair follicle to damage it. Unfortunately, the needle will have to treat each hair one by one which explains why a treatment takes a lot of time. Thus, it is possible that you may be done with a small area like the underarms in 30 minutes, which is the shortest duration of an electrolysis session.

If you treat your full legs, you may be coming back a few times to treat the same legs but different parts of it. Electrolysis not only takes longer than laser hair removal but it is also much more painful. And, more important, it is also much more expensive. The average cost of a 30 minutes session is $80.

The cost of each area will depend from one person to another. However, if you choose electrolysis as a hair removal method, expect to pay at least $10,000. This price would cover your full legs, bikini, underarms and upper lip. Even though the cost is lower than waxing and shaving, upfront it is quite expensive.

The cost of laser hair removal

There we finally are. Laser hair removal. Is it that expensive? Well, upfront it may seem like it. However, in the long-term, it is so much cheaper than all the other hair removal methods mentioned above.

Laser hair removal targets the pigment in the hair. Once the melanin in the hair absorbs the light energy, the latter travels all the way down to the hair follicle. The heat damages the follicle so that no new hair is produced. Although a lot of patients experience permanent hair removal, laser hair removal is called a long-term hair growth reduction method.

Depending on the area treated, your hair growth cycle, skin color, hair color, genetics, etc you will need more or less sessions. However, a non-hormonal area such as the full legs usually needs six sessions before all the hair is treated. Some hormonal areas like the bikini or upper lip will require more sessions.

Let’s say you want to treat your full legs, full Brazilian, underarms and upper lip. Six sessions of full legs ($1,750), underarms ($500) and eight sessions of full Brazilian ($1800) and upper lip ($700) will cost you $4,750 max. We say max because we offer discounted laser hair removal packages that will make the bill smaller.

At Spektrum Laser Spa, we also offer payment plans and the opportunity to pay for each treatment in installments. The more areas you buy, the cheaper the cost. The more sessions you buy, the cheaper the cost. For example, we currently have a package for two small and one large areas that could go towards your underarms, upper lip and full Brazilian. The package has eight sessions and costs $287.

Thus, in the end, the cost of your laser hair removal treatment would probably be twice cheaper than the predicted price. Which makes it a hair removal method that is not as expensive as the myths lead you to believe. Laser hair removal is an affordable hair removal option and one that offers amazing long-lasting results.