Laser Treatments

What is it?

FDA approved, laser treatment involves a laser beam basically killing the hair follicles. Results depend on your skin pigmentation and the color of your hair (dark hair absorbs the laser energy, making it easier to treat), so you will first need to find out if you are a good candidate for the procedure. The best results occur with men who have fair skin and black hair. Keep in mind that you cannot receive treatment if you are tanned, as a tan messes with your skin's pigmentation and can lead to blistering or permanent discoloration. This is why darker-skinned men might not make good candidates, so consult with a practitioner or dermatologist first.

While laser hair removal offers a permanent reduction in quality or quantity of hair, it's also the most expensive method, with each session possibly running you a few hundred dollars. The total cost depends on the size of the desired body part, as well as factors like hair density and number of treatments required.

Laser hair removal is one of the more popular methods out there, for both men and women. 2001, men represented 17.7% of the population that opted for laser treatments, especilly among the 35 to 50 age bracket -- and this percentage has surely only grown exponentially since.

Laser hair removal requires several sessions and although it's expensive, it can be considered an investment, as you will never need to worry about hair removal in the desired area again. Just ask your woman how many times she's had to go for a wax and you've likely got a pretty high grand total. Laser hair removal is especially popular for athletic men who feel that their body hair hinders their performance, and even men who want a tattoo on their back, for example.

Ideal parts to laser: Back, unibrow, nape of neck
Pain factor: 7/10 (it kind of feels like an elastic band flicking your skin)
Bottom line: This is the mother of all hair removal methods in terms of price and efficiency, so keep in mind that while your back might be a good place to eliminate hair for good, you might not want to say a permanent goodbye to other hairy parts (in which case waxing might be a better alternative).

By Karin Eldor