With so many deals out there, how could you not contemplate laser hair removal?
There's cheap ones, expensive ones and different jargon like IPL and Candela but no-one really seems to know what the deal is.
I had the privelege of speaking with the manager of one of Sydney's best laser hair removal clinics.
She prepped me by going through what it involves, whether it hurts, what the different types are and the big one - does it really work?
She let me in on the perks and insider secrets to getting the most out of your treatments.
These days, some clinics will offer pre-pay packages where a session works out to the same price of a wax.
With an approximate 95 percent reduction in hair growth, I was all for it!
Here's how it works: energy attacks the hair follicle and destroys it at the root, damaging its ability to grow.
If you look for a salon that uses Candela machines, they’re one of the most effective and expensive top-of-the-range technologies which, if used properly, will give you good results.
What you want is a consultant who knows how to control spot and energy size to cater to your skin type.
Nad's Laser Clinic has an excellent reputation for their honesty and excellent results however pricey.
The less effective the treatment; the more money you have to spend on extra follow-ups.
If you've found a deal too ridiculously good to be true, take caution.
Don’t get laser hair removal mixed up with IPL.
This method works out cheaper, however IPL is primarily used to treat skin conditions like pigmentation and just happen to assist in hair reduction.
The light emitted from IPL machines is scattered and often lacks precision and, of course; results.
Now, laser doesn't work for everyone.
Those with fair skin and dark hair experience the best outcomes but those who are fair with light hair will find the treatments far less effective.
I’m told that those with darker hair and skin tones are best too look for salons that offer the services using the Candela GentleLase and Candela Yag machines.
After a recommendation, I decided to visit The Laser Lounge in Sydney which only uses the Lase machine.
People like me who do have dark hair and skin need to be aware that clinics that only use Lase should look for therapists that have experience in altering spot and energy size to suit different skin tones.
I'll mention more about this later.
As someone who doesn't mind waxing, I wasn't so worried about the pain factor and you shouldn't be either.
Bear in mind you need to have hair in full cycle before your visit.
Shave before your appointment and avoid unprotected sun exposure on the area post-treatment.
After your consultant divides up the area being treated with a liner, they move over the skin with a handheld device which releases energy in bursts several times within each section.
Each burst feels like a heated flicking sensation that tends to feel more intense in the areas with more hair.
Sections with little or no hair feel almost pain-free.
I was told that the area might slightly blister post-session; however I didn't have any issues.
The hair began to grow back and fall out aided by gentle exfoliation to avoid in-grown hairs.
An extra bonus is that laser hair removal helps to prevent in-growns unlike waxing.
Many clinics will advise you to come back between four and six weeks, however eight weeks is sufficient.
Returning too soon can miss hairs in that cycle and tend to be a marketing ploy to get you spending money.
I’ve found the treatment working okay but I was a bit disappointed to find that the darker areas weren't treated as effectively as the lighter sections.
I'm putting this down to my consultant failing to change the spot size of the laser and the amount of energy being released when covering different skin tones.
I'll be sure to keep you all updated over the course of my sessions!
