Fitness Nutrition Forums

How To Ditch Your Razor Forever

At-home gadgets offer a compelling solution to the hair removal problem. Here's what you need to know before you buy one.

Summer’s coming, and we all know what that means. You’ll be busy shaving your legs morning, noon, and night in the hopes of avoiding a hairy situation. (Okay, not literally morning, noon, and night but you get the gist.) Unfortunately for those of us who loathe the razor — and who doesn’t, seriously? — hair trends come and go but stubble is never in style.

We’re willing to bet that like most women, you’ve tried other hair removal options and keep coming back to your razor. The reality is that waxing and epilators are painful, while depilatory creams are seriously stinky. Perhaps you’ve thought about getting laser hair removal but can’t justify the up to $2,000 price tag.

At the very least, shaving is fast, cheap, and relatively painless.

Luckily, technology has advanced in the hair removal department. And though It may sound too good to be true, we’re actually talking about permanent solutions, here. Today, new and surprisingly affordable gadgets can help you to remove unwanted body hair at home—and maybe even dump your razor for good.

Here’s what you need to know about at-home laser hair removal.

The Gadgets: Not Cheap, But They Will Save You $$$ Long Term

An at-home laser hair removal system will cost you upwards of $300 USD. Though that might seem steep, it’s substantially less expensive than in-office laser hair removal, which will run you about $150 a visit. On average, between five and eight sessions are required. Compared to the ongoing cost of waxing or shaving — which can total upwards of a couple hundred per year — it’s actually a sound investment.

The most popular FDA-approved gadgets on the market? Here are a few:

  • Tria Hair Removal Laser 4X ($449)
  • elōsmē Me Classic ($299)
  • Phillips Lumea Comfort IPL Hair Removal System ($229)
  • LumaRx Full Body IPL Skin Beauty System ($449)
  • Silk’n Flash&Go Express ($299)
  • iLIGHT® Pro PLUS Quartz Intense Pulsed Light Hair Removal System ($399)
  • iluminage Touch Permanent Hair Reduction System ($445)

It Isn’t For Everyone

Until recently, at-home laser hair removal tools weren’t available for people with medium-dark or dark skin tones. While that has changed — the iluminage Touch Permanent Hair Reduction System is suitable for all skin tones — it’s still important to read the list of skin and hair restrictions carefully. Other devices can’t distinguish light hairs, making them ineffective for people with blonde, gray, white, or red hair.

It Takes Time

Like in-office laser hair removal treatments, it will take a minimum of six weeks, which allows hair to fall out after subsequent growth cycles. The results aren’t always permanent — you may need to touch up from time to time. Thankfully, this is one of the benefits of having the machine on-hand.

It Hurts Like a B$#%@

Pain for beauty, as the old saying goes. The lasers deliver a pulsing sensation to your skin that’s powerful enough to stop your follicles from growing new hairs. It feels, to put it mildly, like a series of tiny claws are pinching at your skin over and over and over again. Naturally, bonier body parts hurt more than flabbier body parts.

Still, it may be worth it to just suck it up. The higher the intensity, the faster the results. Plus, you’ll find your skin gets used to it after a few zap sessions.

Do Not Laser Your Face (Or Your Lady Parts)

Obvious to some, not-so-obvious to others. Read the fine print carefully — most gadgets aren’t supposed to be used on sensitive areas, like the upper lip or genitals. Most devices can be used on the bikini line.

Still Not Convinced?

Hope you kept that razor.

[Imnage via Shutterstock]

{{ oArticle.title }}

{{ oArticle.subtitle }}