Waxing vs. Laser Hair Removal: Which Is Better?
It’s the age-old question in beauty: when it comes to removing unwanted hairs, is it best to shave, wax, or laser them away? There are pros and cons to each option, and unfortunately, there isn’t a consensus superior choice among them. Everyone has different priorities, and depending on your own preferences, you will find one of the three to be the best suited method for you.
At Moran Laser & Salon in Nashville, we offer both laser hair removal and waxing services to help our clients rid themselves of unwanted hair so they can look and feel their best. In today’s blog, we’ll break down the pros and cons of each option so that you can get a better idea of which treatment is best for you!
Shaving
How It Works: Shaving removes unwanted hairs at the surface level of the skin by cutting it off with a razor. The hairs themselves are not removed, but merely cut away from the surface.
Best Used For: Shaving is best for removing unwanted hairs on your legs and underarms, as well as light, fine hairs that are less visible.
Pros: Shaving is the most inexpensive hair removal treatment, and since it’s performed at home, you can shave away unwanted hairs whenever you want! You can also use shaving creams and moisturizers after shaving to help keep your skin soft.
Cons: Shaving is the least effective method of hair removal, as it provides the most temporary results and doesn’t destroy the hair follicles themselves. It’s the equivalent of mowing away weeds instead of pulling them out at the root. Regularly shaving unwanted hair can cause it to appear thicker as it grows back, and although shaving is cheaper than other hair removal treatments, the low cost of supplies can add up over the course of your life. There’s also risks of razor burn, ingrown hairs, and cuts.
Tips: Using shaving cream can make it easier for the razor to glide over your skin, and some shaving creams have natural moisturizers added to soothe your skin while shaving. You can also try ‘growth reduction’ products that can slow the growth of unwanted hair if you don’t want to have to shave as frequently.
Waxing
How It Works: Hot (but not too hot) wax is applied to desired areas for treatment, and after it cools, it is swiftly removed in the opposite direction of your unwanted hair growth, ripping the hairs out at the root.
Best Used For: Waxing is best for unwanted hair on the legs, underarms, and in the bikini area. It’s also great for those with thicker, darker body hair.
Pros: The results of waxing can last for 2-6 weeks! It’s also a fairly quick treatment. Waxing unwanted hairs routinely can lead to them growing back more slowly and thinly over time.
Cons: Waxing requires some regrowth of the unwanted hairs in order to be effective, as the wax needs at least a quarter-inch of hair to stick to. Waxing can be mildly painful to some clients, though most get used to the sensation with repeated treatments. There’s also some risk of ingrown hairs.
Tips: Avoid drinking alcohol or coffee before waxing treatments. Some clients consume alcohol before waxing appointments thinking that the drink will ease their discomfort, but alcohol actually causes your pores to tighten, making the resultant waxing treatment more uncomfortable. Coffee, as a stimulant, can also increase your skin’s sensitivity before treatment. You should seek out a salon, such as Moran Laser & Salon, that uses good-quality wax in their treatments, as better-quality wax can help provide a more comfortable waxing experience. If you’re worried about the temperature of the wax, ask the specialist performing your waxing treatment to test it on their own skin first before applying it to yours.
Laser Hair Removal
How It Works: Lasers penetrate the surface layer of your skin to target unwanted hairs and destroy them at the root, preventing future hair regrowth in the area. Unwanted hairs treated by laser hair removal generally fall out within 2-3 weeks of treatment.
Best Used For: Laser hair removal is best suited for clients whose hair is darker than their skin. Lasers lock on to the dark pigments in hair to differentiate it from the surrounding skin (so it doesn’t destroy your skin cells, too), so laser hair removal is not suitable for clients with dark skin or light hair.
Pros: Laser hair removal is the only method among these three that can achieve permanent results. For eligible clients, it’s a great way to achieve long-term hair removal, and it works on even the most sensitive skin — as long as your hair is darker than your skin, laser hair removal will work well for you. While it is the most costly of the three methods of hair removal, it is the only one that can deliver long-lasting results.
Cons: Laser hair removal can be uncomfortable, as some clients have described feeling a ‘snapping’ sensation against the skin during treatment. It is the most costly of these three hair removal methods, and it may take multiple treatments to achieve permanent hair removal.
Tips: Laser hair removal treatments are based on the growth cycle of your unwanted hair, and are generally scheduled monthly. To achieve the quickest hair removal, don’t miss any of your appointments, as this can set back your progress significantly. It’s also a good idea to shave your unwanted hair the day before a laser hair removal treatment, as this helps the laser target the follicles of each hair more precisely, resulting in a quicker and more effective treatment.
So which of these hair removal methods are best for you? We generally recommend that our clients choose laser hair removal if their hair and skin are suited for it. It may not be the most comfortable treatment, but after a few sessions, you’ll be able to achieve long-lasting hair removal. And while a laser hair removal treatment costs more than waxing or shaving, you’ll save money in the long run by not having to pay for razors, or come in every month or so for waxing.
That being said, if you have dark skin or pale hair, waxing is also a great option for hair removal. It’s not quite as convenient as shaving at home whenever you want, but you won’t have to wax as often as you’ll have to shave to enjoy smooth, hairless skin. Sure, it may take years of waxing treatments before unwanted hairs stop growing back for good, but there’s less discomfort involved with waxing than with laser hair removal. Over time, waxing treatments should lead to those pesky hairs growing in more slowly, and in smaller numbers, until the day that you might not have anything to wax or shave away anymore.
Shaving may be a cheap option, but the results it achieves are short-lived, and the cost of razors and shaving cream will add up quickly over time. Not to mention that you risk cutting and nicking yourself, razor burn, and ingrown hairs when you shave unwanted hairs away. Shaving is also the only hair removal method that makes the issue worse over time — shaving hairs away is quick, but it also encourages the hair to grow back blunt and appear thicker over time! We don’t recommend it. Waxing and laser hair removal are both worth the investment.
Regardless of which option you choose to tackle those unwanted hairs, you’ll be in good hands when you get your treatment here at Moran Laser & Salon! Our specialists have years of experience helping people throughout Nashville remove unwanted hair and unlock the smooth, sexy skin they’ve been dreaming of. Call our salon to make an appointment today!