Women have no qualms when it comes to public airings of favorite places for bikini or underarm maintenance but there is a stigma about facial hair that leaves many women in a quandary of how to deal with it.
A mustache or thick chin hairs can cause undo embarrassment at the most inconvenient times, and has many women plucking away to the tune of maybe half an hour every morning on the chin alone. The most extreme case I know of was a woman who shaved at 6:00 am daily and made all kinds of excuses as to why she couldn’t go out with her work buddies after the day ended. She rushed home just to handle the shadow of hair that would show up on her face. I had another client who I treated years ago who was so grateful that after her last treatment, she gave me a big hug and said how I had changed her life forever now that she can kiss her husband without the fear of him feeling the thick hairs on her chin and lip.
This hug greatly influenced my life and made me realize that sometimes removing hair isn’t just for smooth skin but can completely alter a person’s life for the better.
Though laser hair removal on the face is in many ways like any other body part, it also is very different in certain ways.
Here are the top 4 pros and cons of Facial Laser Hair Removal:
Pro: Even after the first treatment, you will see a huge difference in hair reduction and the necessity for constant maintenance.
Con: In order to get the best treatment possible you cannot pluck, wax or thread facial hair for a good four weeks before coming in for a treatment. The only thing you can do is shave or trim the hair, thus, there is a period that your face may feel rough to the touch.
Pro: A series of six sessions spaced approximately 5 to 6 weeks apart will greatly reduce and thin out those thick hairs.
Con: Because the face is an extremely hormonal area you may well have to upkeep (meaning touch ups every 10 weeks) after your initial sessions.
Pro: The ingrowns will disappear, the acne that forms around that area may clear up and the skin will become brighter and smoother.
Con: If the hair is too vellus (thin) and caused by a strong hormonal imbalance, it may actually stimulate more or thicker hair growth. It is important that the technician evaluate the area and makes sure that the hair is thick enough to respond correctly and not in an area that may stimulate greater production of hair.
Pro: Laser Hair Removal is way more gentle on the skin than waxing, lasts far longer than threading sessions, and eliminates the ingrowns and irritation of plucking as well as the time involved for maintenance.
Con: You will have to figure out other things to do with your time now that you no longer spend so much of it maintaining the hair on your face!
If you’re based in Murray Hill, Manhattan, or the greater New York City area, and struggle with unwanted facial hair, feel free to reach out to me with any questions about laser hair removal treatments.