Women usually start removing unwanted hair from an early age - teenagers are doing it, young women are doing it, middle aged women are doing it, even those who have lived longer are doing it.  Women are removing facial hair, hair from their legs, their underarms and some are either removing totally or partially, their pubic hair. And this is now absolutely normal.  It has to do with how you see yourself and how you feel.

In general terms there are two types of hair removal methods - each with different options. One is removing hair at skin level and this is known as depilation.  The options here include shaving, cutting or even scraping. The second is removing hair from below the skin (epilation).  The expression "by the roots" best describes it.  This includes plucking, tweezing, waxing, and in our more modern age, electrolysis and laser hair removal. This last one, laser hair removal, is a recent invention and is increasingly popular.

Laser hair removal is a method that shoots a beam of light under the skin, hitting the hair follicles and eliminating them through heat.  As it targets the dark pigment of the hair, it is a very good alternative for people with light skin and dark hair.  This doesn't mean that others can't apply it; what it does mean is that those with these characteristics are the best subjects.

Typically it is applied to legs, under the arms, upper lips, chin and bikini lines - though obviously it can be applied over all the body. 

What is not recommended is near the eyes since a beam of light that generates heats is being used.

What can you Expect during a laser hair removal session?

1. That you are supplied with goggles to avoid accidental exposure.

2. You shouldn't be surprised to smell burnt hair.

3. Times will vary according to the area where you are applying the treatment. The larger the area the longer the sessions. Every individual hair has a growth cycle, but this cycle can and many times is different from adjoining hairs.  This explains why more than one session is usually required as it depends at what stage of the growth cycle the individual hair is and whether it may or not have been lasered.

Some after treatment recommendations are:

a. Avoid exercise as perspiration can cause skin irritation.

b. Be very careful to avoid direct sunlight for several weeks as the ultraviolet rays can darken and leave unsightly blotches.  This also includes avoiding tanning booths.  Use sun screens (the higher the better). 

c. Don't pick or scratch your skin and allow it to recover.

Hair removal as everyone knows has been practiced for centuries.  The different methods have different advantages and at the same time different disadvantages.  Shaving for example must be done continuously and can cause cuts and nicks, it can also cause ingrown hair and skin rashes for some people. And yet it is widely used as it has other advantages to many people.

Other methods, such as lasering, have much longer periods of hair free results. 

At the end of the day the choice is very personal and should be based on how each individual feels about the costs, the end results (including the period of hairlessness), our comfort and self image, the ease of use and potential after effects.