I’m so excited to share with you guys my favorite discovery EVER. Maybe that’s an exaggeration, but I don’t care. After shaving for 12+ years, finally trying out laser hair removal was a LIFE CHANGER. No exaggeration. I’ve always had thick dark hair, so shaving was always a constant nuisance. Leg hair and underarms were the worst; I’d shave at night, and by 4 hours after I’d woken up, I’d already have stubble. The follicles were so thick, you could always see little black dots on my body too. Shaving itself was also a pain in the ass – I’d get ingrown hairs, sometimes accidentally cut myself, and it also added like 15 minutes to my daily shower.
I also get pretty visible peach fuzz, and with black hair, it can easily look like a mustache. That was the first area that I was like, that’s gotta go!
When I first moved to LA, I had a friend who recommended me her laser place after I asked how her skin was so smooth. I figured I’d check it out, but I was pretty nervous about a few things. Is it safe? Does it hurt? Is it insanely expensive? So many questions! I ended up making an appointment to go with her, and the clinic I went to luckily was amazing at explaining everything to me and patiently answering all of my questions.
For my first time trying it out, I started with just a small area, my underarms (per recommendation of the nurses.) The pain was most definitely bearable, and I was out of there in just a few minutes. Since then, I’ve been back for 6 treatments, and I’ve been LOVING it. Pretty much most of my hair has stopped growing, and I just go back every few months for touch ups.
I stuck going to that place that was first recommended to me for over a year, but recently I switched over to a place (SEV Laser) that’s in my neighborhood. This cuts my commute for lasering to only a 5 minute walk, which I LOVE. The new clinic I found also has a special, newer laser that is even less painful than the first one I was used to. They have a bunch of locations, so if you’re looking to get LHR done, definitely see if they’re in your city.
Every time that I mention to someone that I get lasered, they always have so many questions about it, so I figured that it might be helpful to answer some FAQs from my experiences getting laser done. Keep in mind that I’m nowhere near a professional, and these are answered purely from my own experience!
Laser Hair Removal FAQ
Does it hurt?
I think the biggest reason more people don’t get lasered is because they’re worried about the pain, but y’all, it doesn’t hurt that bad. I honestly think it’s comparable to getting threaded. It feels like a little rubber band snap – not bad at all. There are definitely some areas that are much more sensitive than others, but overall, it’s bearable unless you have a really low pain tolerance.
What area hurts the worst?
Bikini, by FAR. To be honest, after getting my bikini done the first time, I was like nope I’m out. Every other area is super bearable, in my opinion. On a scale of 1-10, here’s what I rate each area that I’ve gotten done:
- Arms: 1/10
- Bikini: 6/10
- Face: 3/10
- Legs: 4/10
- Underarms: 3/10
How much does it cost?
There are some places that are really secretive with their pricing, which I personally don’t like (Laser Away is probably the most well known for doing this). I prefer businesses to have their pricing up front, so you can make a decision whether it’s for you or not. It can be really nerve-racking having to go into their salon and doing a consultation before knowing prices, especially since you might feel pressured or sold to buy packages. I’ve never been to a Laser Away, but because of this reason alone I prefer not to try it out.
Both places I’ve been to have had comparable pricing, but I’ve heard prices from friends that are anywhere from $500 to $2000 per area. It seems there’s not really a standard, it’s dependent on where you go, how they charge, etc.
My personal preference and recommendation is to find a place that has standard pricing per area, per treatment, rather than a full package. Depending on your skin and hair type, you could need less or more treatments than someone else whose genes are different than yours. If you’re curious how much I pay per session, here’s a link to SEV Laser’s pricing.
How do you find a good place?
I’ve had the best luck with Yelp for personal care needs, but I’d firstly recommend asking your friends to see if anyone gets laser hair removal done and if they have any referrals. This is how I’ve found both of the places I’ve been to, and they both turned out great.
Whew, that was a long one! I hope I covered everything for y’all. If you have any other questions, let me know and I’ll do my best to answer them!