Laser Facial Hair Removal: What You Need to Know
Facial hair trends come and go. Many men take pride in manscaping, shaving completely, or shaping a goatee, mustache, or beard.
For others, though, a beard is an unwanted nuisance. Either too thick and always showing a 5 o’clock shadow or too patchy, beards can be a problem for many men. Some have issues with ingrown hair or want to avoid premature graying but don’t want to shave daily.
Fortunately, laser hair removal has blossomed into one of the largest industries in the personal appearance arena, mainly because of its safety and effectiveness. Laser hair removal can be the answer for those looking to ditch the beard permanently. At Bared Monkey, the premier laser spa in NYC, our professionals can guide you through questions and answers regarding beard laser hair removal.
What Is Laser Facial Hair Removal?
Laser hair removal has been a practice for decades, with increasingly promising results. This clinical procedure uses high-intensity laser light to change the hair follicles. Numerous patients have chosen this procedure for various areas, from the legs, armpits, and bikini areas, to the chest, back, and even eyebrows, with great success.
Just like laser hair removal for other parts of the body, beard hair removal targets the hair on the face, chin, lip, and neck for permanent removal. Beard removal is usually a multi-step process and does require some preparation, which you will discuss with a technician during an initial consultation. Numerous individuals have reported fantastic results and relatively hair-free conditions for long periods, often forever.
How Does the Procedure Work?
The first step for patients considering laser hair removal is to consult a technician(s) who will perform the procedure. It’s important to ask questions, understand the full scope of the procedure, and develop realistic expectations about how much hair can be removed and the approximate number of treatments the process will take.
For the actual treatments, clients will schedule with the technician for the first round, with other scheduling for treatments occurring as needed. Once prepped and ready for treatment, a laser light-emitting machine blasts the hair targeted for removal, and the hair pigment or melanin absorbs the light’s energy.
The laser light’s energy is converted to heat, and the hair melanin transfers the heat to the follicle. When the follicle gets hot, its ability to grow hair is disrupted. After a few treatments, the follicle will stop producing hair altogether.
It may be necessary to continue regular maintenance treatments for problem areas or hair which continues to return. Our bodies are fickle and can have a mind of their own, so it may be necessary to use more than one technique to achieve a completely hairless look.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Treatments?
Laser hair removal is most effective for clients with distinct contrasts in their hair and skin pigmentation. For instance, a client with dark hair but a light skin complexion will most likely see the fastest or most successful results. Overall, dark hair is the most receptive to this kind of hair removal treatment.
Not to say that all clients can experience hair removal success, but it’s essential to set realistic expectations early on. Fortunately, professionals like those who work as technicians for Bared Monkey are experienced in numerous forms of hair removal. They can offer suggestions for other treatment possibilities or additional treatments to help support the laser hair removal process.
How Much Hair Can It Remove?
Laser hair removal will eliminate approximately 80% of a client’s targeted hair. Besides hair colors, some hair types can also pose problems with complete removal. Lightly pigmented hairs often don’t transfer the heat to the follicle as readily as darker hairs.
The amount of hair removal achieved is also relative to the number of sessions. Consistency is also beneficial, as some follicles are pretty robust or stubborn, depending on how you look at them. The more difficult strands may take a few sessions more than the rest to shut down hair production finally.
How Long Will the Procedure Take?
Each client’s hair type, coloration, and skin pigmentation will significantly define the total number of treatments necessary to achieve the client’s desired look. Most treatment sessions are between 15 and 30 minutes but can extend to a full hour.
An average regimen of treatments to remove as much hair as possible is around 6 hours of laser time spread out over one year. Let the skin naturally rest and rejuvenate between sessions to avoid overexposure or skin damage. Fortunately, most clients should begin to notice results after just one session.
Is Treatment Painful?
Many patients are concerned about how hair removal treatments will feel. Will there be pain, swelling, redness, or discomfort? These are valid questions, too, as hair removal has been a more painful process in the recent past.
Waxing, for instance, is a popular procedure for removing hair quickly and for a decent period. The wax, then quickly removed, pulls the hairs out of the follicles. It can be pretty painful, especially considering hair type and skin. And although waxing removes hair, it can grow back.
Electrolysis is another hair removal procedure that involves electricity and hair follicles. It is another successful hair removal procedure with more sting than most people would like.
By contrast, laser hair removal involves high-intensity light for hair removal, and the potential for some discomfort is possible. Many laser hair removal patients have described the procedure as feeling like a rubber band slightly popping on the skin. Far less painful than other options.
There is also the possibility of finding a laser spa that understands how to manage the sensation caused by the laser hair removal process. Choosing the right technician with the most up-to-date training can make a difference.
At Bared Monkey laser spa, we strive to create a pain-free experience for all our clients. Using numbing creams or specific procedural techniques, our technicians can leave clients with less unwanted hair and more smiles.
How Much Does the Treatment Cost?
Laser hair removal is a more minimally invasive or pain-free procedure a patient can choose. The technology to create these machines is constantly innovating and presents patients with an excellent option for hair removal.
Sessions for hair removal will range in price, depending on the amount of hair a client wants to remove and where the hair is located. Treatments can be as inexpensive as a few hundred dollars or range upwards into the thousands. It’s best to consult with a technician to develop a realistic plan for your specific hair removal needs.
Does It Help Shaping Your Facial Hair?
Removing beard hair with laser light can often be most effective when clients want to establish an area they don’t want to shave or trim but also plan on leaving some hair to style. For instance, a goatee or jawline beard can be accentuated with laser hair removal on the cheeks and around the sideburns.
By removing hair along a definitive facial line or structure, the client may be able to accentuate their natural beard tendencies without having to shave or shape regularly.
Laser hair removal for beard areas is also an excellent method for reducing or alleviating problems with ingrown hair. Some clients complain of ingrown hairs on the neck, face, and back of the neck.
These areas may be made even more sensitive by shaving. Laser hair removal can eliminate these unsightly and often painful skin problems.
Is Beard Laser Hair Removal Treatment Worth It?
Choosing laser hair removal may sound daunting or too difficult to attempt. In actuality, it’s one of the safest and most successful hair removal procedures available today. Patients worldwide choose laser hair removal every day, with fantastic results.
With more men realizing the benefits of this procedure, including being able to ditch the razor, its popularity is on the rise, which is good news. More technological advancements and training mean more significant results and a better patient experience.
If you’re living in or around the tri-state area, Bared Monkey laser spa in NYC is a professional full-service spa able to help clients with a wide variety of procedures and equipment. From CoolSculpting® and chemical peels to MIcroneedling and even laser tattoo removal, our technicians are the best in New York City.
Contact us today so we schedule a consultation. Plan your transformative processes with the professionals.
