How laser hair removal on legs worked for me
For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a complicated relationship with my body hair. As someone with olive skin and dark brown hair, it doesn’t take long for a 5 o’clock shadow to reveal itself after a shave. In other words, my hair immediately starts showing through my skin.
I began shaving my legs when I was eight years old and was the first person in my class to do so. A little young—I know—but I’d told my mother that I felt embarrassed about my hairy legs. She soon purchased a made-for-teens electric razor (light pink and lavender!), which could be used in or out of the bath. My legs felt SO smooth, and I couldn’t believe it.
As I grew older, my hair became thicker, meaning shaving my legs was now more of a chore. I shaved and shaved, but the appearance of hair never seemed to really go away. I was constantly frustrated with the issue. That’s why, when I’d just graduated college in 2007, I begged my parents to let me try out this new treatment called laser hair removal, but for my underarms. The technology was fairly nascent at this time—AKA expensive—so my parents said they’d help me as long as I went to a proper doctor. They were very concerned about this being a safe procedure. So I went to a dermatologist, and the experience was not only expensive but painful, too. Why? Because the technology was new and doctors were just beginning to navigate this treatment. Over the past 15 or so years, laser technology has advanced enormously. Furthermore, there have been impressive advancements made with the goal of increasing comfort while decreasing the cost of these treatments. Laser hair removal is so much more affordable and practically painless these days.
Although I’ve tried laser hair removal on different parts of my body, I’ve never dealt with my legs. This is because I was worried about the cost and discomfort associated with such a large part of the body. When I was offered the chance to give LaserAway’s laser hair removal on my legs a try, I was eager. I immediately made an appointment at the brand-new location in Park Slope, Brooklyn, and showed up ready to go.
At present, LaserAway uses the Cynosure Apogee Elite machine for all its laser hair removal needs. This device is one of the most reliable and safest lasers on the market. As the laser hits your skin, it blasts cool air so that you feel less pain and the burning sensation is minimized. In case you’re wondering how laser hair removal works, it functions by emitting a light that is absorbed by the pigment of the hair. The laser then damages the hair follicles in the skin and keeps them from producing new hairs. It’s imperative that you treat the same region of your body at least 6-8 times because your body hair is growing in different phases and only the hairs in a specific phase of growth will be destroyed and kept from growing new hair.
But back to Park Slope. My laser hair removal appointment was with a lovely nurse named Mina. She asked the compulsory questions like whether I was pregnant or had much recent sun exposure. Next, she handed me a stress ball that I’d squeeze in case I felt pain (spoiler: I didn’t even need it!). After putting on my protective goggles, Mina drew chalk marks all over my legs, breaking them up into sections to make the procedure more exact. She then moved from my ankle all the way up my thigh. After about 15 minutes or so, she turned me over and spent another 15 minutes on the back of my legs.
I couldn’t believe it—the pain truly was nearly non-existent. This was a total 180 from my 2007 experience. I will say that I felt some level of discomfort when the laser went over my shin bones and ankles. Overall, I was impressed by how much more comfortable this procedure has become. Today’s technology has come so far from 2007—and the evidence is in how smooth my legs remain. While LaserAway recommends 6-8 treatments to achieve optimal results and complete the laser hair removal process, I started seeing results after just one treatment. Today, just one month following laser treatment, I’ve only shaved a few times. I cannot recommend this treatment enough. For women—particularly dark-haired ones like myself—it frees up so much time and energy formerly spent dealing with shaving. I will most certainly be back to LaserAway for a follow-up treatment.
Want to learn more about laser hair removal? Contact LaserAway, the nation’s leading aesthetic dermatological provider, where all treatments are performed by experienced and skilled registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician associates, so you know you’re in good hands!
Blair Smith is a lifestyle and beauty writer who currently resides (and will likely stay forever) in Brooklyn, New York.
