Laser Hair Removal, IPL, And More: How To Get A Bikini-Ready Body Before The Summer Starts
How can you get smooth, hair-free skin before the summer swimsuit season starts? Even though pool and beach days are months away, take a look at what you need to know about laser hair removal and the top tips for getting a hairless physique.
Select the Right Option
There are more than a few hair removal options available. Whether you just want hair-free legs, you want to stop shaving your bikini zone, or you want to remove fuzz from your entire body, lasering, IPL (intense pulsed light), electrolysis, and waxing are popular options that won't involve a razor. This means many of these methods leave you with smooth, bump-free skin.
Which of these removal services is right for you? Before you can select the best option, you may need to learn more about each type of hair removal. Laser services vaporize the hair on your body. Instead of pulling the hair out, the laser uses light (that turns into heat) to damage the follicle and delay or stop growth.
IPL hair removal is similar to the laser process. But, as the name implies, it uses pulses of light. It also requires the use of a broad spectrum of light wavelengths—instead of the single band a laser uses.
Unlike laser and IPL removal, electrolysis and waxing don't use light. Electrolysis is hair removal via a thin wire that produces an electric current. This destroys the follicle and stops hair growth. Waxing tears hair out from the follicle and does not damage the follicle.
Choose the Right Provider
If a laser procedure or IPL removal are your top choices, you are ready to take the next step and schedule your appointment. But you shouldn't choose just anyone to remove your hair. These services are medical aesthetic removal procedures that only a qualified, trained practitioner should provide. Medi spas and similar medical settings often offer both laser and IPL hair removal.
Start Early On
Don't wait until the summer gets here to schedule your hair removal appointment. While shaving and waxing provide instant results, laser and IPL treatments take longer. You will see a reduction in hair growth or thickness right away. But it will take more than one treatment to achieve long-lasting, hair-free results.
You may need between two and six laser sessions to remove the hair for months or years, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). The AAD also notes that some people experience minor side effects such as discomfort, swelling, and redness for one to three days after a laser treatment. If you have a vacation planned, start your treatments a few months ahead of time. Avoid a final treatment immediately before you plan to reveal your swimsuit-ready body. Instead, give yourself time to heal in between the treatment and your hair-free reveal.