The phenomenon of ‘laser hair removal’ seems to have integrated so successfully into the beauty industry that it may be all too easy to forget the nightmares of yore rooted quite literally in dark follicles.
Indeed, laser hair removal has been commercially available to the public for around 24 years, a cosmetic practice known to treat unwanted hair by exposing it to intense light with a single frequency. The yearning for smooth, hairless legs, underarms, and perhaps places a little more private have been subtly addressed by clinicians for the over two decades.
However, as with any popular cosmetics procedure, the wait time of an appointment can be cause for those with an already packed schedule to be dismayed. Finding the time between the boardroom, social gatherings and time with the family, a trip to the clinic to get zapped with beams of light isn’t exactly the ideal Saturday morning bout.
Hearing the overloaded-overworked consumers are more than a dozen companies, who are now marketing at-home devices for a mere HK$600 (the usual price of one treatment at a registered clinic) to an impressive HK$6,000. However, it is important to examine what these DIY kits do and at what cost to your body.
While most home hair-removal devices may be safe, they pose a risk when placed in the wrong hands. Consumers have been known to skip the instruction manual more than once, often ignoring the recommended time periods between treatments or knowing which setting is right for their skin and hair type. In fact, those with medium dark to dark brown and black hair are often not the right candidates for laser treatment, and will require electrolysis instead.
Perhaps the convenience of waving goodbye to stubby prickles on your own time may be as attractive as the allure of smooth legs, but the possible risk of burning and / or permanently scaring your body (especially while trying to beautify it) is well worth considering. In an age where DIY is certainly on the rise, sometimes its important to ground ourselves and remember some things still do require appointments.
Text: Bailey Atkinson