Many people have to deal with removing body hair as part of their normal grooming routine. Whether it’s shaving their legs or removing the stubble from their face for a clean-shaven look each morning, people can spend what amounts to months of removing body hair over the course of their lives.
American women spend more time and money on this process than American men. A survey completed by the American Laser Centers showed that women spend more than $10,000 on shaving products over their lifetime.
Considering those statistics, it’s no surprise that many people are looking for more permanent options, such as laser hair removal. Still, the question you must ask yourself is: “How much does laser hair removal cost?”
While the upfront costs of laser hair removal are greater than the costs of other hair removal products, the long-term benefits may justify the cost for many people. Here’s what to know
How does laser hair removal work?
Laser hair removal is a medical procedure that must be performed by certified technicians. The process uses concentrated light to target and damage individual hair follicles.
As a result, the hair in each follicle falls out, and its growth process slows. The pigment in the hair attracts the laser so that the energy is focused on the hair. Laser hair removal is most effective on hair that is dark and coarse against fair skin.
However, several different lasers are available for different types and colors of hair and skin, and for different areas of the body.
Benefits of laser hair removal
The biggest advantage of laser hair removal is that it offers permanent hair reduction over time. While multiple sessions are necessary for permanent hair removal, results are often visible in just one session. Most people require four to six sessions to achieve permanent results.
Unlike waxing, tweezing and other hair-removal options, laser hair removal causes minimal discomfort. Those who have undergone the procedure describe it as feeling like a rubber band snapping against the skin.
Speed and precision make laser hair removal an attractive option for many people. Because the laser targets the hair specifically, the surrounding skin remains undamaged.
This is in contrast to waxing, shaving or tweezing that can damage the skin by leaving it red, sore, and swollen. Additionally, the laser works quickly, covering an area the size of a quarter every second
Laser hair removal cost breakdown
The average cost of laser hair removal is , according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
However, the cost varies depending on a number of different factors. The biggest factor is the area of the body that receives treatment. The size of the area and the amount of time it takes to perform the procedure help to determine the cost.
The table below illustrates the average high and low costs of laser hair removal for different areas of the body.