How to Choose the Best Home Laser Hair Removal Machine

Contents

No More Hair Problems
We all grow hair but things can take a turn for the worse once we hit puberty. Whether you’re a man or a woman, you’ll eventually face hair issues over the course of your life. Nevertheless, we don’t always like most conventional hair removal methods because they are painful.

I try to avoid it as much as I can, but a hairy leg or armpits on a woman isn’t a pleasant sight. Most women shave and wax but these methods can be painful and hair grows back soon after. Today, both men and women alike want a more permanent and less painful solution. That’s when I stumbled onto laser hair removal treatments. Why opt for one? It is hard to keep up with hair growth. You’ll end up taking several trips to the clinic or salon to get any or all unwanted hair removed and spend lots of money in addition to your precious time. If you want to flaunt hair-free underarms and legs at your next event without spending hours in preparation like me, buying your own home laser hair removal machine is likely the solution to resolve this constant dilemma.

Since they don’t always come cheap, it pays to know how to choose the best one in the market today. You no longer have to leave the house to get your hair removed. Looking beautiful and hairless for months has never been easier with the help of your own home laser hair removal machine.

Things to Consider before Buying a Home Laser Hair Removal Machine

First, you need to know what laser hair removal is. It’s the process of removing unwanted body hair through laser pulses, thereby destroying the hair follicle. It’s a long-lasting way of keeping unwanted hair at bay so you remain flawless longer. If you want a more permanent solution, professional laser hair removal is your best bet, but it might not work for you if you have a darker skin tone.

Dr Braun Performing Laser Hair Removal

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Although quite unheard of some decades ago, professional hair removal or electrolysis was already in use mostly by professionals in salons and clinics. From 2006 onward, home laser hair removal machines became more affordable and grew in demand. You can now take care of unwanted body hair using a laser at home. There is no need to spend hundreds to thousands of dollars per hair removal session. It’s still a pricey machine which is why you need to do your research first before parting with your hard-earned money. The best thing about it is that it also makes the hair follicles smaller, makes the skin softer, and gets rid of ingrown hair issues. However, some machines may work for you while others may not depending on your skin and hair type. If you are interested in buying one, keep these things in mind:

  • Hair color
  • Skin tone and skin type
  • Health conditions, medications, and skin treatments
  • Tanning
  • Body part
  • Budget
  • Laser Hair Removal Method

Criteria

blonde girl

The following are important criteria when choosing the best home laser hair removal machine:

  • Hair color – Many people fail to include their hair color in the equation when buying a home laser hair removal device. In reality, your hair color can determine whether laser hair removal is an option for you or not for removing body hair, so you don’t spend a lot of money on a machine that won’t work for you or can even do you harm.Darker hair responds to home laser hair removal better than fair hair because it is rich in melanin. The light energy can target and heat to disable and remove the hair follicle. Fair hair, including light blonde, white, gray, and red manes, lack the melanin required to heat up and disable the hair root. Hair removal is still possible using a special technology that is effective on light hair, which you can avail using a select number of hair removal devices sold in the market today.
  • Skin tone and skin type – Lighter skin tones from light, pale skin to olive, mid-brown skin can choose from all types of home laser hair removal machines. The light energy from the laser heats the melanin in the hair follicle without harming the skin. Brown to dark-brown skin people have safe options while dark brown or black skin requires a special laser hair removal technology to safely remove hair without causing pain and skin damage.Use the Fitzpatrick skin tone scale to determine your skin tone:
      • Type 1 – Light, pale skin that never tans and always burns in the sun
      • Type 2 – White, fair skin that tans with difficulty and usually burns in the sun
      • Type 3 – Medium-white to olive skin gradually tans and burns mildly in the sun at times
      • Type 4 – Olive, mid-brown skin that tans to a moderate brown with ease and seldom burns in the sun
      • Type 5 – Brown to dark brown skin is easy to tan and very rarely burns in the sun
      • Type 6 – Very dark brown to black skin also tans with ease and never burns in the sun

    Take note of your skin type so you can choose the best home laser hair removal machine suitable for your skin tone.

  • Health conditions, medications and skin treatments – Skin peeling and treatments and health conditions that make you more sensitive to light like pregnancy and having implants are some considerations. Check the specific user manual of each machine and consult your doctor for proper assessment to ensure that you qualify for laser hair removal, especially if you have existing health issues or any known sensitivities.
  • Tanning – Individuals who love to sunbathe, use tanning lotions or tan regularly should know they can’t do so soon after doing a laser hair removal session. Tanning within the first few months after getting a home laser hair removal can increase the risk of having skin reactions and skin darkening because of increased melanin production. Once again, check the device’s user manual to check for specific instructions on tanning and sun exposure before and after treatment.Before Treatment: Avoid tanning or overexposure to the sun anywhere from 4 weeks to 7 days to 48 hours depending on what’s indicated on the device. Also, do a patch test to check for any skin sensitivities.After Treatment: Most manufacturers advise you to stay out of the sun for at least 7 days to 2 weeks maximum after a laser hair removal treatment.If possible, just avoid tanning and sunbathing altogether. To make it easier for you, get your treatments during fall and winter when the sun isn’t a major issue. If you are torn between the two, you need to decide which of the two is more important, tanning or getting unwanted body hair removed.
  • Body part – What is the size of the body area you want to treat? Some machines work best only for the body while some work for the face. There are a few that work on both. Choose a machine ideal for the body part where you want the hair to be removed, whether it’s for a large area, a small area, just the face, or full body and face treatments.Your gender is also a major concern when it comes to this since men and women grow hair on different parts of the body.Men usually opt for hair removal treatments on the neck, shoulders, chest, back, and torso while women get their hair removed on the upper lip, sideburns, chin, underarms, forearms, tummy, bikini area, legs, and the top of the feet to the toes. Laser facial hair removal is not advised for men because the thickness, depth, and density of the beard won’t produce favorable results.Smaller body areas like the armpits and bikini area do not need hundreds to thousands of flashes. Machines for the face or have a face-body combo should feature an ergonomic design and special precision attachments to target small and uneven areas. Larger body areas need a home laser hair removal machine with lots of flashes so you can use it for a long time despite covering a bigger body area.
  • Budget – Consider the price range you are willing to pay. The machine’s number of flashes, premium features, and design model are just some of the things that make a good or not so good home laser hair removal machine along with other personal criteria you need to consider.Most premium brands and models still cost the same as they did several years ago. The only difference is that these devices are now packed with more features and perform better than older models. Determine which features you need at a price you can afford.
  • Laser Hair Removal Method – There are different types to choose from depending on your hair color, skin type and skin tone, and hair thickness. If you are shopping for one, it helps if knowing the best laser hair removal method that suits you best:
          • Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) – This method is the most commonly used in the U.S. today. The truth is, IPL does not actually involve using a laser but emits controllable and short bursts of light at high speed.
          • Diode Lasers – This method focuses a beam of light and heat directly on hair follicles. In turn, the melanin’s pigment within absorbs it thereby inhibiting hair follicle growth.
          • Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) and Radio Frequency (RF) – If you have dark skin, this combination works best by targeting the hair follicle’s melanin, and is perfect for individuals with dark hair and light skin. With the help of radio frequency, the IPL can bypass the melanin in a dark skin and hit the hair follicles directly.

    Additional Tips

    Looking for the best home laser hair removal machine is a struggle. Although there are now more options to choose from at reasonable prices, looking for a specific device that will work best for you is no easy feat. Learn about the various do’s and don’ts of using a home laser hair removal machine so that you don’t get hurt in the process and your machine lasts for a long time too.

    The Do’s and Don’ts of Home Laser Hair Removal

    Do’s:

      • Shave before.
      • Exfoliate the skin to prevent ingrown hairs.
      • Apply topical cream before and after.
      • Clean the treatment area.
      • Wear the right clothing.
      • Wear protective eyewear.
      • Apply or wear sun protection.
      • Do a patch test 24 hours before treatment.
      • Only use on body areas indicated in the user manual.

    Don’ts:

      • No waxing or plucking.
      • Avoid tanning (fake or not) or overexposure to the sun (sunbathing).
      • No bleaching.

    Conclusion

    It’s true that hair removal is a constant struggle among both sexes, especially for women who need to maintain their flawless appearance. With the help of a home laser hair removal machine, this problem can be eliminated and you can do more with your time and money. Imagine no longer having to pay hundreds of bucks per session to get your hair removed by a professional using the same technology you can now have at home. Since these types of machine are quite expensive, keep the considerations mentioned in this guide in mind so you get your money’s worth on a product that can last you a lifetime. You don’t want to end up with a pricey gadget that isn’t suited for you, or worse, can cause you more harm than good.

    Other Sources
    https://www.wearebodybeautiful.com/
    http://hairfreelife.com/
    http://www.skincareqc.com/
    http://www.livebeautyhealth.com/
    http://www.laserhairremoval.me/
    http://www.knowhow.com/
    http://www.laserhairremoval.me

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