Good riddance, razors

Life is chock-full of difficult choices. Should tonight’s dinner be pizza or pasta? Which Kate Hudson rom-com demands an immediate rewatch? Is 7pm a reasonable time to head to bed or should you hold out for sundown? Tricky calls all round.

There’s one choice, however, that’s an absolute no-brainer, and it’s the one between laser hair removal and options such as shaving or waxing.

While whispers of high costs and heavy time commitment may have coloured your comparisons in the past, we’re here to set the laser hair removal record straight, proving that it is in fact the superior choice across the board. Allow us to count the reasons why…

#1: It’s pretty much pain-free

There’s a reason multiple movie scenes are set around the hilarious horrors of waxing. If you want to avoid said horrors at all costs (and leave razor burn in your rearview mirror too), laser hair removal is your answer. One of the benefits of laser hair removal is that the treatment is very tolerable with minimal pain experienced, especially compared to waxing. Each pulse lasts less than a second, producing a slight tingling sensation. In particularly sensitive areas, such as the upper lip, it may feel like a rubber band flicking the skin. We use an advanced cooling machine in conjunction with our laser device to reduce the heat sensation on the skin and minimize any discomfort. Music to the ears of anyone who’s ever endured a waxing appointment experienced an ingrown hair, or nicked themselves with a razor, we’re sure.

#2: It’s more affordable than you may think

Concerned about the cash factor? We’re here to bring you a healthy dose of perspective. Anything that calls for multiple appointments can seem like a real investment – but that’s exactly what laser hair removal is: an investment in long-term results. While a single pack of razors or a sole waxing kit/appointment may be less than an individual laser hair removal session, the total costs of waxing and shaving are going to add up to way more in the long run.

The costs vary depending on the area but let’s say you commit to an eight-treatment course of laser hair removal for Underarms & Brazilian, you’re locking in long-term, smooth skin for approximately $300. For males, an eight-treatment course targeting the Back & Shoulders will set you back $1,584 to be exact (pricing reflective of the time of publishing). 

To compare, full-body waxes can cost around $250 per session and need to be repeated every four weeks, with no long-term results (and thus a lot more costly appointments). Laser hair removal, on the other hand, only calls for a single maintenance appointment per year following your primary treatment. Now doesn’t that sound like a far more financially savvy choice?

#3: It’s a time saver

Here’s the hard truth: Women spend approximately 72 days shaving over their lifetime. Suddenly a 20-minute appointment every 4–6 weeks seems quite doable, doesn’t it? Now, of course, the time taken will vary per person, but as a general rule, if an appointment takes an hour and you’re committing to 8–12 treatments, that means you’re only committing a total of 8–12 hours for your primary course. We’re pretty sure you’d spend more time shaving or waxing over any given 4–6 week period. We rest our case (and our razors; it’s time to retire them).

#4: It’s low-maintenance

Nothing carries as much weight in a trusty pro-con list as the phrase “low-maintenance”. Anything able to offer long-term results is bound to minimise the need for maintenance, and that’s exactly what this treatment does. Even though we’ve already nixed any worries you had about the time and costs involved, the real wins of laser hair removal come through when you hit your maintenance era. Once you’re done with your initial course of treatments, you’ll typically only require 3–4 maintenance appointments per year for silky skin year round. That’s got to be the most powerful pro of all.

#5: It’s easier on the environment

Did you know that in Australia & New Zealand, an estimated 1000 million disposable razors end up in landfill? Scary stuff. Waxing supplies also create a huge amount of unnecessary waste – there’s not much room for “reusable” options due to the nature of the product, and so the environment pays the price. Luckily, laser hair removal is a far more environmentally responsible choice. Since laser uses light to target and remove hair, it actually doesn’t produce waste. The process doesn’t involve disposable materials (or even call for things like cans of shaving cream). Laser equipment also lasts for many years and is able to serve many people, making it a far more sustainable hair removal option.

#6: It’s safe for all skin tones and types

Laser hair removal may not have catered to everyone when it first emerged, but the technology has taken leaps and bounds since, now offering options for an array of different skin tones and types. In addition to being safe for all skin types including sensitive (which shaving and waxing certainly aren’t always), “We offer different laser machines, including Candela which is considered the best of the best, to achieve safe, effective results,” explains Dr. Hopkirk. “Our laser technicians use the Fitzpatrick classification scale to determine your skin tone at the consultation and select the most suitable machine for your laser hair removal treatment. The GentleLase Pro is suitable for fair to medium skin tones and the GentleYag is suitable for medium to darker skin tones.”

#7: It’s the secret to consistently smooth skin

Everyone’s experienced an “if only I’d had the forethought to shave/wax/insert stressful hair removal method here” moment. And on top of all the reasons we’ve already run through, this is the one that proves laser hair removal is truly in a league of its own. Smooth skin always is the entire idea – with longer-lasting hair reduction, you can enjoy all the delights of smooth-skinned life long-term and genuinely be ready for anything. No panic, no last-minute shaving, and all in all, an absolute no-brainer.

Click here for the latest pricing and promotions on Laser Hair Removal treatments at Laser Clinics New Zealand.