If you know anything about laser hair removal, you will know that it’s an effective way of getting rid of unwanted body hair. It’s commonly used to target legs, underarms and the bikini line, as these are the areas most people spend a lot of time shaving or waxing. It’s also often used to remove unwanted facial hair around the lips, chin and cheeks. Though there are various ways to remove unwanted hair, laser hair removal is one of the longer-lasting solutions. It’s also the method many people assume to be painful, even though this is rarely the case. For most people, laser hair removal is not as painful as they think.

How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?

Laser hair removal works by directing a short pulse of light onto the skin’s surface, which is then turned into heat in the hair follicle. Heating the follicle prevents further hair from growing, and the hair is removed. This needs to be done between six and eight times to achieve results, and a gap of six to eight weeks should be left between each round of laser hair removal.

The exact number of treatments needed depends on a variety of things, such as the colour and density of the hair, skin colour, the amount of hair and the area on the body. Laser hair removal works very well on dark hair because the pigment can absorb the light from the laser very well. It doesn’t work as well on very light hair or red hair.

There is a lot of debate about whether laser hair removal is a permanent treatment, as a single laser system cannot destroy all hair follicles. Though some follicles are destroyed, some just enter a prolonged resting phase. This means that another set of treatments might be needed further down the line, though this is not always the case.

How Painful is Laser Hair Removal?

There is a common misconception that laser hair removal is painful, but it’s not as painful as you might think. Many people are pleasantly surprised at how little pain is caused by laser hair removal treatment. Though there is some pain, it’s often less than people imagine. Laser hair removal targets your hair follicles with a very hot laser, but you won’t feel this heat or any burning. Instead, you might feel a sensation similar to having an elastic band snapped against your skin. This might be slightly painful and certainly not pleasurable, especially as the treatment continues, but it’s not unbearable. Most people manage to undergo treatment without too much discomfort, and the impressive results far outweigh any negatives.

At Cambridge Laser Clinic, we use cold air to direct it over the skin’s surface during treatment; this helps reduce unnecessary pain, and very few patients experience anything more than a slight stinging feeling.

Are Different Parts of the Body More Painful?

All body areas can be effectively treated with laser hair removal, including the legs, arms, underarms, face, back, chest and bikini line. We can target any area where you have unwanted hair. However, the part of the body undergoing laser hair removal can impact how painful the treatment is, as some areas of skin are more sensitive than others.
Legs – Legs are one of the most commonly treated areas, as many people want to cut down on shaving efforts with laser hair removal. Compared to other parts of the body, the legs are one of the least painful areas for laser hair removal. This is because the skin is thicker and less sensitive than elsewhere.
Face – Laser hair removal on some areas of the face is more painful than on others, depending on how thin and sensitive the skin is. Whereas the cheeks and forehead are rarely too painful, the upper lip can be.
Arms and Underarms – On your arms, the pain of laser hair removal is mild and easily tolerable for most people. However, the underarms are one of the most painful areas. Underarm skin is extremely thin, making it sensitive to laser hair removal treatment.
Bikini Line – One of the most painful places to get laser hair removal treatment is your bikini line, though it’s still not as painful as most people think. Like the underarms, the skin on the bikini line is very thin and sensitive.

Though some areas of the body are more painful than others, laser hair removal treatment rarely causes anything more than discomfort and slight pain. It’s unusual for a patient to experience anything more than a sting.

What to Expect After Laser Hair Removal Treatment

You should expect some discomfort after laser hair removal treatment, but this is only a short-term symptom. It’s not uncommon to experience redness, irritation and tenderness in areas treated for a few days after treatment. This is not too painful and can be likened to mild sunburn.
Sometimes, blistering might occur in a small minority of patients, but this should clear up without treatment. There’s also a small chance that your skin might appear discoloured after laser hair removal, but this temporary side-effect usually resolves itself.

Professional Laser Hair Removal

At Cambridge Laser Clinic, our experts can offer an effective and professional laser hair removal service. Whether you want to put an end to shaving your legs or you have unwanted facial hair, laser hair removal treatment is sure to help. To learn more about laser hair removal at Cambridge Laser Clinic, speak to a specialist.