Laser Hair Removal VS. Waxing; Who Will Win?

Casandra MalynowskyjEducation Leave a Comment

Dealing with unwanted hair, whether it be on your face, chest, legs or a little down-under can be stressful to constantly maintain. Sure you can trim, or shave, but really it’s much like Hercules battling with the Hydra. You can try to cut off its head, but just as you do – another one is already growing back. Then all your left with is battle scars (razor burns and ingrown hairs). Truly an exhausting experience.

So, what’s a hairy gal to do? Certainly their must be something!

Thankfully in 2021, we have plenty of choices; Waxing and Laser Hair Removal. Both treatments have their pros and cons. Both treatments make battling hair a much easier fight. But who is truly the best?

Since I believe there’s no choice like an informed choice, I’ll break it all down for you.

Waxing VS. Laser Hair Removal – What’s the Difference?

Underarm waxing

Waxing involves applying hot wax to the desired area and removing the wax in one fell swoop, in the opposite direction of the hair growth (a minimum of a quarter-inch of hair is required in order to be waxed), pulling out hairs directly from the root. It takes a while to grow back, and since it’s a brand-new baby hair again, it’ll look much finer than it did before. For a while. But eventually, you’ll need to repeat the process all over again. Waxing temporarily removes hair at the root for an average of three weeks of smooth skin, which can range from two to six weeks depending on your hair type and thickness.

Laser Hair Removal (IPL; Intense Pulsed Light)

Laser Hair Removal/IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) gets rid of unwanted hair by sending a broadband pulsed light source down the hair shaft where it’s converted into heat. In the process, the heat kills the hair follicle. That hair isn’t growing back anymore. You’ll need spot treatments for a while afterward. But expect the hair that regrows to be patchier after every treatment. Eventually, it’ll all stop growing. The only thing you’ll ever need to worry about is the occasional new hair that pops up over time.

The Pros of Waxing and Laser Hair Removal

Pros of Waxing; To be honest, waxing is much less expensive than laser hair removal. However, if you get wax treatments regularly for years, it can end up costing you even more than laser treatment.

Waxing is effective for all hair types, skin types, and skin tones. Regardless of the color or texture of your skin or hair, waxing is a good option for those who might not be great candidates for laser removal.

Another benefit of waxing is that it can be done at home. However, it is always best to have a professional do it for you (and that can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars over time).

Pros of Laser Hair Removal/IPL; (Intense Pulsed Light) devices have a relatively large treatment window and are able to cover large areas quickly (in comparison to laser or electrolysis). Typically, it is likely to take around 10 – 15 minutes for a whole leg. In fact, the treatment itself is almost painless in comparison to waxing.

No unsightly regrowth – you can shave between treatments and, unlike waxing, epilating, or using depilatories, you do not need to allow the hair to grow at all for IPL to be effective.

Permanent results – over time, you should see permanently reduce hair re-growth, if you continue with treatments. The number of treatments required will reduce and the time between treatments increase. IPL 360 has a success rate of 80% hair reduction.

The Cons of Waxing and Laser Hair Removal

The Cons of Waxing; If you’ve ever waxed any part of your body, you know one thing: It hurts like a bitch!

It can be especially painful in sensitive areas of the body, such as the chest, bikini line, and underarms.

Waxing can also cause ingrown hairs. It does not destroy the root of the hair; it simply pulls the hair from the follicle. The hair will grow back, and when it does, it could become ingrown.

If you want smooth, hair-free skin at all times, waxing is not the best option.

The Cons of Laser Hair Removal (Intense Pulsed Light); The equipment involved is more sophisticated than what you need to perform waxing. And the initial investment is definitely more expensive than the alternative.

IPL hair removal has historically been most suited to those with light skin and dark hair and whilst there have been many technological advances to widen the scope of IPL, this is still broadly the case.

You can check your skin tone against the chart as a rough guide.

There is a universally recognized numerical table known as the Fitzpatrick scale which rates skin tones by their response to UV light (from 1 – 6).  If you fall in the 1 – 5 range then IPL should be good for you. 

So What’s Better? Waxing or Laser Hair Removal?

While waxing is not without its advantages, personal laser hair removal might be the best way to go if you’re serious about permanently removing unwanted hair. Laser treatments have much less chance of pain, and the effects are permanent. It’s a lot cheaper in the long run.

Thankfully for you, at Nude Wax Bar, we have amazing Laser Hair Removal services available. Plus, currently, we are providing our customers with 50% off Laser Hair Removal packages!

Select any Laser Hair Removal treatment with a minimum of 6 sessions for 50% off.

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