How Much Does Laser Hair Removal Cost? (2024)

Everything You Need to Know About This Extremely Popular Cosmetic Procedure

Sick of taking a razor to your body hair on a regular basis?Tired of the mess and skin irritation that so often accompanies hair removal creams? Want a more permanent solution to your least-loved body hairs? Laser hair removal might be for you.

But if you've never done it before, you probably have some questions about it. After all, hair removal creams and razors are pretty straightforward, and you can employ these methods yourself, in the comfort of your own home. Laser hair removal, on the other hand, requires that you book some time with a professional, perhaps over multiple sessions. And, as you might expect, it doesn't come cheap.

RELATED: Best Hair Removal Creams for Men

Read on to learn everything you'll want to know about laser hair removal, from how it works to what it costs to what kind of results you can expect.

Everything You Need to Know About Laser Hair Removal

First off, don't be intimidated. Laser hair removal is an extremely common and popular cosmetic treatment, and one that's also very safe.

What Is Laser Hair Removal?

Laser hair removal is a permanent method of depilating (a fancy way of saying removing hair) from a section of skin. It works by using targeted laser light, shot out in pulses,to permanently destroy the hair-creating follicles in the target area. So, whereas shaving and hair removal creams target thehair, laser hair removal targets the hair's source.

Step one, however, is a consultation with an experienced laser hair removal technician. The technician should be assessing you: are you in good general health? Will your skin type respond well to the treatment? Are your goals for laser hair removal realistic and achievable?But you should also be assessing the technician and the clinic. For example, ask them about the type of laser they use, as well as what kind of recovery time or side effects they might expect.

While laser hair removal is a relatively safe and straightforward cosmetic procedure, it can cause skin irritation, crusting, blisters and even changes in skin pigment, in isolated cases.

Why Choose Laser Hair Removal?

If it's expensive, and not entirely without side effects, you may be wondering why you should opt for laser hair removal in the first place. The truth is, it has a ton of benefits, and for the right person with certain specific grooming goals, it's a great long-term solution to removing unwanted hair. Here are its key upsides:

• Permanence: With laser hair removal, you're attacking the problem at the root— literally. If done right, you will be left with hair follicles that can no longer create hairs, which is ideal for someone who never wants to shave their upper back ever again.
• Speed & Precision:Lasers are extremely fast-acting and about as precise a grooming instrument as exists. An experienced technician with the right hardware will be able to permanently depilate about one square-inch of skin every two or three seconds.

Even if you don't currently have any facial hair, you can probably envision a future where you want a 5 o'clock shadow or a fun mustache, but if your back hair really bothers you, you probably won't regret getting rid of it permanently. If that sound familiar, laser hair removal might be for you.

How Much Does Laser Hair Removal Cost?

There are some pretty serious variables that can impact how expensive your laser hair removal treatment will ultimately be, but it's a safe bet that it's going to cost you more than a razor and some shaving cream. Here's a short list of the factors that can impact the price of treatment:

• Where you live
• The experience/expertise of your technician
• Size ofthe area of desired hair removal
• How many different treatment sessions will be required

You won't get an accurate estimate of the cost without first visiting a treatment center for an in-person consultation, but a good ballpark estimate is $300 per session. If the hair removal location is small (face or underarms, for example), it might be a bit cheaper, and if it's large (legs or back, for example), it will probably cost a bit more.

What About Aftercare?

In the immediate aftermath of a laser hair removal session, you're probably going to feel like you've had a bad sun burn in the area of treatment. And, in fact, you're going to need to treat the skin in a similar manner to sunburn recovery: avoid further sun exposure, don't wear tight and abrasive clothing, and apply moisturizer at least once a day.

Skin swelling and redness are common reactions and not cause for alarm, but if you have a persistent irritation (lasting multiple days) or if the skin starts to scar, get in touch with your technician.

You Might Also Dig:

• Should Men Shave Their Pubic Hair? We Asked Women
• A Guide to Buzz Cuts
• Back Hair Removal Guide