Rebecca Herzig's book, Plucked: A History of Hair Removal reveals a surprising set of statistics about hair removal practices in America:
While modern ideas about hair removal date back only a century, to the 1920's, this trend doesn't appear to be going anywhere. People remove hair for reasons including personal appearance, hygiene, and social norms.
The problem, of course, is that hair removal takes time and money, since hair not only continually grows back, but grows in more places over time. As men age, they notoriously lose hair on their heads and grow it everywhere else. As women age, they tend to experience facial hairs that they didn't have in youth. The reason for these body hair changes over time is testosterone. Hair follicles are sensitive to the male hormone, and it's tied to growth in body hair and reduction in hair on the head. As women's estrogen production decreases over time, their natural testosterone has more influence on hair growth, causing hair on the head to thin and facial hair to increase.
This means that, not only for young people, but for everyone who wants to maintain a youthful appearance, hair removal and becomes more costly and time-consuming over time. It may be time to look for a longer-term solution.
Laser hair removal is a simple way to stop this cycle and solve unwanted hair. Laser hair removal:
Works immediately. Not only does laser hair removal immediately destroy the hair at the root, but it can be used even on growing and ingrown hairs. It's not necessary for the hair to reach a certain length before it can be removed, unlike with some other methods.
Is safe and painless. Many hair removal methods are painful, particularly when used on sensitive areas. Laser hair removal is virtually painless. And it's safer than shaving or waxing; waxing can damage delicate skin tissues over time, and everyone who shaves has experienced the occasional nick with a razor.
Permanently reduces hair growth. Targeted lasers permanently damage the hair follicle, so that it can't regrow hair. Problem solved.
Works for everyone. While early laser technology only worked on certain skin tones, modern lasers are safe and effective for all skin tones and hair colors. And of course, men as well as women can benefit from laser hair removal.
Works on every part of the body. While it has become common to use different hair removal methods on different parts of the body, laser hair removal is effective on all unwanted hair, no matter where it is.
Unwanted hair can reduce your quality of life, whether it's a feeling of self-consciousness at a lover's touch, hesitation to join a spontaneous beach trip, or noticing stray hair just before a date or a job interview. When you consider the time and money invested in hair removal over the long term, it makes sense to find an effective, permanent solution and end these problems once and for all.