Waxing vs Laser Hair Removal
Let’s face it, getting rid of unwanted body hair is a chore. Silky smooth legs and underarms are a treat, but the various at-home hair removal methods are far from perfect. Whether you use a razor, epilator, depilatory cream or you’re brave enough to wax yourself (eek!), you’ll still probably be doing battle with the occasional shaving rash, cuts or ingrown hairs. Not to mention those annoying moments when you’re at a party and look down to realise you’ve missed a big patch of hair next to your knee...
At Woodlands, we offer two professional solutions for getting rid of body hair; waxing and laser hair removal. But which is better? Well, let’s talk through the pros and cons of both and find out...
Waxing
One of the oldest methods of hair removal, waxing, as you probably know, involves warm liquid wax being applied with a spatula to the skin. A fabric strip is then pressed over the wax and pulled away rapidly, removing the hair with it. A beauty therapist will work in sections, applying the wax in the direction of the hair growth and then pulling the strip in the opposite direction for total removal of each hair from the root.
What are the pros of waxing?
1. Waxing is quick. Small areas such as the underarms take a matter of minutes to complete. Even if you’re having larger or several areas waxed in one session, most of the time you should be done within an hour.
2. The results of a waxing treatment are instant. The area may be a bit red or tender for a few hours after your treatment, but once this has settled, you’ll be silky smooth. If you’re going on holiday, we usually recommend booking your waxing treatment a day or two before to give any redness time to settle.
3. Because the hair is being removed from the root, you’ll find that it takes much longer to grow back than it does after other removal methods such as shaving. It will grow back eventually, however, with regular waxing sessions, you may find that the hair gets thinner and more sparse over time, allowing you to wait longer in between appointments.
4. Compared to laser hair removal, waxing is relatively cheap. Depending on the areas being treated, prices range from around £5 to £40, and most people leave several weeks in between sessions, so it’s not a huge expense every month.
What are the cons of waxing?
1. Probably the main issue with waxing is the pain factor. Certain areas will hurt more than others, although you may find that you build up a tolerance for it over time. Thankfully, the pain only really lasts during the treatment.
2. Another issue that some clients have with waxing is that you have to wait for the hair to grow before you can have it waxed again. In order for the wax to actually grip the hair, the hair needs to be at least half a centimetre long, meaning that there’ll be at least a few days of spikiness, even if you are as smooth as a dolphin for the rest of the month!
3. Ingrown hairs can also still occur through waxing. In our experience, the frequency of them is much less than it is with shaving, but there is still a risk. If you’re prone to ingrown hairs, we recommend exfoliating your skin in the shower, using a loofah or exfoliating gloves.
Laser hair removal
A more permanent solution for hair removal, laser treatment targets and destroys the hair follicle, preventing any more hair from growing in the area.
What are the pros of laser hair removal?
1. The most obvious benefit for opting to undergo laser hair removal is that once your treatment is complete, the hair will not grow back. While laser hair removal can never guarantee permanent hair removal, the total reduction in hair growth is huge. It is recommended to have a “top up” session about once a year to maintain the results.
2. While older laser treatments could be quite uncomfortable, there are now a number of lasers on the market that include an in-built cooling system to ensure that the treatment is more tolerable. At Woodlands, we use the EosIce Ultralight, which is very quick and virtually painless.
3. Once your hair is gone, you won’t have to deal with those pesky ingrown hairs anymore!
What are the cons of laser hair removal?
1. When compared to both at-home methods of hair removal and salon waxing treatments, laser hair removal is significantly more pricey. Laser hair removal is not a one off treatment; most clients need to commit to around six sessions for best results. As with waxing, the price will vary depending on the area(s) being treated, but individual sessions can be between £30 and £170. At Woodlands, we have worked hard to ensure our best prices possible for our laser treatments and know that, when compared to other clinics, we are very well priced.
2. Of course, following on from this point, the other issue with laser is that it’s a much longer process. Several sessions are required and these sessions must be taken with a break of a few weeks in between each one, meaning that it’ll at least be a couple of months before your treatment is complete.
So which is best?
Ultimately, both treatments have their benefits and their downsides so it really comes down to personal preference and of course budget. Laser hair removal yields much better results long term, but requires both a financial and time commitment, unlike waxing, which is obviously cheaper and quicker. Even so, if you’re paying monthly for regular waxing sessions, you may wish to work out if laser hair removal would actually save you money in the long run, as once that hair is gone, it’s gone!
