Considering Laser Hair Removal? Top 6 Things to Think About

So you’ve decided you want to do laser hair removal. Whatever your rationale, our bet is that you’ve thought it through. Why? Because burning the hair off your body can be painful. You wouldn’t risk it unless you’ve got an ongoing problem on your hands. (Or all the way down your back.) The good news is that the protocol of BSG’s laser hair removal protects your skin so that you’re not writhing in pain as your follicles get decimated. Still, think through this list of 6 potential issues to make sure everything goes, well, smoothly.

1. What’s Your Type?

Having so much hair that you’re self-conscious about taking your shirt off at the beach will ruin your summer, no question. Imagine that you hate the way hair whorls over your back and stands up on your shoulders. Or how your beard gets so matted that you could schedule a trim every day and still battle back 1 and 3 and 5 o’clock shadows. No wonder you want to schedule a laser facial as soon as possible. (At the same time, keep in mind that the scruffy look can go viral if you own it.)

But before you sign up for the procedure, keep in mind that laser removal technology was designed to be attracted to pigment. In other words, fair-skinned people with blond hair sometimes steel through the pain of the operation but miss out on the result. So no matter your hair type, consult with the person administering the laser treatment beforehand to make sure you’re not shelling out cash for a treatment that’s not even right for you. Mention all this when you talk to the pros over at BSG. Ask about their lasers, which can treat skin with discoloration and texture issues — freckles, wrinkles, sunspots, melanoma, or scarring from acne.

2. Timing

Figuring out when you get your laser hair removal is important, though your decision might come down to which part of the country you live in. If you’re in Miami, feel free to get laser hair removal or laser body contouring whenever you want, because it’s balmy year-round. If home is Milwaukee, consider doing it in the winter, for a few reasons. First, you’re not getting a tan anytime soon, so you won’t accidentally ignite that forest-fire-of-hair on your torso. Next, the treatment lasts a while, so there won’t be any complications when summer hits and you’ve been going to the gym on the sly during those long, cold months.

3. Just Do It…

Men are hairier than women. It’s just a fact, dude. So the decision to get laser hair removal is usually a choice that guys face. Having too much hair isn’t a health problem. But if you feel like it’s wrecking your confidence, seek out a BSG-caliber hair removal process, because it does work. At the same time, remember that male and female perceptions of hair can differ wildly. Guys anguish over going bald, whereas, for women, a buff male with a buzz could be a total catch. Similarly, plenty of women don’t like their men too well-groomed. They’re drawn to grizzled beards, hairy chests, hair spreading across those abdominal muscles that bulk like turtle shells. Thing is, the place where hair shouldn’t flourish is your back. Deal breaker? Probably not. But if you’re concerned about it, do something about it. The laser targets the follicle, so while the hair will sprout back following treatment, it’ll be way sparser.

4. …But Be Warned

Although laser treatment is generally effective, you should be aware of a number of precautions before going through with it. First, if you’ve gotten a tan, shave the hair that the laser will target as close to that tanned skin of yours as you can. You should try not to have a tan when you go in for laser hair removal because the laser is attracted to melanin. So if you’ve gone from pale to sun-kissed, it can be tough for the laser to distinguish between your skin and hair. Translation: You’re sorta lighting yourself on fire. Even if it may not hurt that much, it still won’t feel great. Point is, if you’re someone who’s lucky enough to tan, talk to your laser treatment specialist beforehand.

5. Warning (Redux)

When you’re getting laser hair removal, the laser roaming over your body feels like a small rubber band snapping you over and over. Be prepared for it to pulsate into nerves you never knew existed. Imagine the laser gliding over your calf. You might feel like you’re being stabbed with an ice pick. Then it moves across your shin – not a single pinprick. Where it’ll hit you hardest is just a crapshoot. If you’re a first-timer laser hair removee, you may leave with a newfound appreciation for the landscape of sensations that is your body.

With that said, if the pain of laser hair removal is too intense, let your specialist know. And while you’re at it, revisit the BSG blog and products pages for tips on medical grooming, barbershop grooming, and BSG essentials like HCO1 serum, shampoo, and pomade. BSG’s laser hair removal service keeps your skin cool to minimize pain. The advanced treatment is super-fast and can remove all the hair on your back in 10-15 minutes, while a single treatment is so thorough that people that notice the hair is not growing back as much as it used to. Still, BSG suggests that a patient schedule monthly treatments to neutralize the follicles and tame that bearskin under your clothes.

6. Do You Feel Pressured?

The pressure on people to look perfect has perhaps never been so intense. (Which is ironic, since the obesity rate in the U.S. has become a silent epidemic.) Your body image affects your mental health, which can impact all areas of your life — your job, your relationship, your financial decisions. Maybe the best thing you can do is take it easy on yourself. Check out body-positive Instagram accounts for men and women for a healthy reset on what real people really look like. (And that it’s okay to look like you.)

Your body doesn’t define you. Neither does your hair. You’re welcome to have as much or as little of it as you want. But if you want to try BSG laser hair removal, go for it. Besides your follicles, what could it hurt?