Permanent Hair Removal

When trying to decide on a way to permanently remove unwanted hair, you have several choices.

But the first thing you need to know about permanent hair removal is that it isn't permanent. Your hair will grow back. The question is when.

There is no standard to define what permanent means, but a year without worrying about removing the offending hair again is considered a good result.

Just think of all the time saved not shaving, not waxing, not running out the door for a hot date in that sexy sleeveless dress - only to remember you have a workweek's worth of growth on display. Oops!

Permanent Hair Removal Methods

Electrolysis Hair Removal

With this method, a tiny electrified needle is inserted into the follicle to damage the cells that form hair. There are two types.

Galvanic electrolysis works by chemically destroying the hair follicle. Thermolytic electrolysis uses heat to destroy the hair follicle. Sometimes the two methods are combined.

Electrolysis can be used on any part of the body where you want to remove hair permanently. This method has a high rate of success, but the technique is tedious and time-consuming, and so perhaps better suited to facial hair removal, or smoothing out an unruly underarm. However, it is the only permanent method that works on very fine and light-colored hair.

It can also be painful, although the discomfort tends to be minor. It may take a year or two or more to achieve the results you desire.

Laser Hair Removal

Laser hair removal uses an intense, pulsating laser beam to remove hair. The beam passes through the skin, targeting the dark areas, which tend to be the hair follicles. When the heat of the beam hits a hair follicle, the cells that grow hair are destroyed. Because the laser beam targets dark areas, it's most effective on people with lighter skin and darker hair.

Laser treatment is good for handling large areas, such as for back hair removal or leg hair removal. As with electrolysis, several sessions are required because it's the cumulative effect of recurring damage to the follicle that makes it less likely to regrow hair. And when the hair grows back, it's often lighter in color and less coarse in texture.

Flashlamp Hair Removal

The flashlamp option, also called IPL hair removal for intense pulsed light, is similar to laser hair removal treatment. IPL also targets dark areas, so works best on people with lighter skin and darker hair. The hair can regrow lighter and thinner. And it's useful to remove hair in large areas such as the back or the legs.

It differs by removing unwanted hair by using full-spectrum light - laser removal uses a specific wavelength - and the beam of the flashlamp can cover a larger area than a laser. IPL has grown in popularity because it offers the same results as laser hair removal, but is faster and less expensive. Several sessions are needed for best results.

In all methods, discomfort or even pain during hair removal is not uncommon.

Although rare, the possibility exists of burns, skin discoloration - both dark and white spots - raised scarring, blistering and infection. 

Electrolysis is not ideal for removing a large amount of hair.

Cost will vary depending on the area being treated, the clinic and geographic location. Since multiple sessions are required, package deals for a set of treatments can reduce costs.

Electrolysis hair removal cost

Electrolysis fees typically range from $50 to $125 an hour, but can go higher. And since electrolysis is a long, tedious process, the costs can add up very quickly.

Laser hair removal cost

Pricing structures you will come across are flat fee, price per hour or price per pulse (with a minimum fee per area). A man's back, or full legs, range between $500 to $900 per session. Expect to pay between $350 to $500 per session for the bikini area.

Flashlamp / IPL hair removal cost

For the face, price can range from $150 to $500 a session. For the chest area, it can cost anywhere from $250 to $1,000 a session.