Medically Reviewed June 2023, by Charlotte Tundy, Regional Nurse Trainer, for sk:n. Next review due June 2024.

Women aren’t the only ones who benefit from laser hair removal. We’ve helped thousands of male clients get rid of unwanted hair at our clinics. Laser hair removal is an excellent option for men because it can treat most parts of the face and body without causing ingrown hairs or the irritation you get from shaving or the pain of waxing. It makes getting rid of hair easily, from a small patch to a full back, and it’s more or less permanent.

If you are concerned about some stray hairs or swamped by a nest of chest hair, laser hair removal can work for you. But what exactly is laser hair removal and can it be done everywhere on the male body? Read on to find out the facts about laser hair removal for men.

 

How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?

Body hair, although perfectly normal and natural, can be a pain point for a lot of people. Men are looking for efficient ways to remove hair, especially as other types of hair removal, like waxing, shaving and hair removal creams are time-consuming to carry out and don’t last very long. Regrowth after these can be itchy and prickly, creating a shadow under the skin, which gives an uneven skin tone. It’s also hard to reach many areas of the body yourself, adding extra stress to the process.

Laser hair removal is a procedure where a laser beam is aimed at the skin to remove hair and prevent it from growing back. A specific beam of light bypasses the epidermis (the surface of the skin) targeting the hair follicles and stopping the hair from reproducing. The laser’s light turns into heat as it targets the follicle.

This means that as the hair follicle is hit by the laser, the hair shaft is made weak. Over a period of treatments, the follicle dies and hair cannot grow back, resulting in effective and thorough prevention of hair growth. Afterwards, regrowth is minimal and the hair is reduced by up to 90%. If you do experience any hairs growing back, they will be softer, finer and lighter than before.

Here at sk:n our highly trained and experienced practitioners use medical-grade lasers for the process and create a personalised treatment plan to achieve the best results possible.

 

Where Can I Have Hair Removed With Laser?

You can have laser hair removal almost anywhere on the face and body, even sensitive areas, such as the pubic area.

The most common places men choose to have laser hair removal include:

• Back and shoulders: laser hair removal is a great choice for these hard to reach areas, especially as it creates minimal maintenance.
• Jawline, Beard Line and Neck: with shaving, these sensitive areas are often prone to razor burn and ingrown hairs. Laser hair removal can get rid of the need for razor use.
• Buttocks, peri-anal and public areas: even on these personal and delicate areas, laser hair removal works well and decreases the incidence of acne and ingrown hairs.
• Chest: laser hair removal works well on large areas of the body. It’s also popular with men who don’t want to get rid of their chest hair completely but want to thin it out, making it finer and sparser.

Laser hair treatments to the underarms and legs are also becoming increasingly popular, especially with sportsmen, like cyclists, swimmers or bodybuilders.

To ensure that you get the most effective laser hair removal treatment, always have a pre-treatment consultation with a professional practitioner as things like scars, keloids or medicine you are taking can affect the process.

 

Does Laser Hair Removal Hurt?

With the new laser technology now available, the treatment is far less painful than waxing. Most people say it isn’t painful but some report the feeling being like a pinprick or rubber band snap, alongside a feeling of warmth.

Our lasers are fitted with a special cooling device that aids comfort during treatment, especially when treating sensitive areas, like the face or pubic area.

 

How Long Does It Take To See Results?

The hair must be targeted at a specific stage in its growth cycle, to disrupt it. Individual hairs will be in different stages of this cycle as you begin your course of treatment. This means you’ll need multiple treatment sessions to target the hairs at the optimal stage of growth.

To get long term effects, we normally recommend 8 to 12 hair removal treatments, spaced 4 to 6 weeks apart, depending on the area of your body you’ve decided to target. During your free consultation with one of our highly trained practitioners, they will be able to build a customised treatment plan for you to help you achieve your desired results.

 

Key Learnings

• Laser hair removal is a common choice for men wanting to remove face and body hair.
• It’s a great choice for hair removal in hard to reach areas.
• A medical-grade laser is used to destroy hair at the follicle, preventing it from growing back.
• Any hairs that do grow back are softer and finer.
• Laser hair removal works well on all areas of the body, including face, neck, chest, back, buttocks, peri-anal and pubic areas.
• The treatment is much less painful than waxing and removes the problems of ingrown hairs and shaving irritation.

Find your nearest clinic and arrange a consultation with one of our dermatologists for advice on how laser hair removal can work for you.