Laser Treatment for Hair Growth

If you've been itching to get rid of embarrassing body hair but can't afford professional laser treatment, there's good news. Laser treatment for hair growth, once only available through dermatologists and other specialty providers, is now approved for home use with a limited number of approved consumer devices. However, before you make the decision to splurge, know the frank truth about laser treatment for hair growth--and what you can expect from both types of treatment.

Is Laser Treatment for You?

• Getting rid of hair using laser treatment is a costly endeavor, regardless if you choose to pursue professional services or purchase a home laser treatment system. Consumers are often confused when it comes to laser hair removal and may assume that this is a permanent way to eliminate hair growth. Not so. While repeated laser treatments can lead to a stable reduction in hair growth with many sessions, this method is not considered a permanent way to get rid of body or facial hair. Because laser treatment is most effective on hair follicles in the active stage of growth, regrowth must be addressed in subsequent treatments. Individual results using laser hair reduction can vary dramatically.

Professional Laser Treatment

• Professional laser treatments performed by a dermatologist or other health care provider give consumers optimal results. A laser beam heats and destroys the follicles of several hairs at one time, making this an efficient and relatively quick way to reduce hair. According to the Laser Hair Journal, 80 to 90 percent of people who are good candidates for laser treatment can see an 80 percent reduction in hair growth after four to seven treatments. However, because laser treatment does not eliminate hair entirely, regrowth must continually be addressed even after optimal results are achieved, so maintenance laser treatments are required, usually at least one time a year.

Home Laser Treatment

• Toward the end of 2009, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration approved two home laser treatment devices for hair reduction, the Tria and the Silk'n. The Silk'n claims to be the device that dermatologist's prefer, while the Tria claims that the laser in its device is closest to those used in professional offices. Both purport to reduce hair by 50 to 70 percent after a number of treatments.

  The Silk'n and Tria are small hand-held devices that are applied to the skin, after which a laser beam is directed at the hair follicles. They don't cover as broad of a surface area as professional laser devices, so home laser treatment systems can be a time-consuming affair. According to the websites of both devices, consumers can expect warmth and tingling during the hair removal process, as well as some redness in the skin after treatment. Home laser treatment systems are not approved by the FDA for use on the face.

Laser Treatment: In Office vs. Home

• The most obvious difference between in-office and home laser treatment is cost. According to the Laser Hair Removal Journal, the average national cost of a single laser treatment performed by a doctor was $366.75 in the first week of September 2009, although the cost of treatments also depends on the region where you live, the season and the body part to be treated. Home devices require a one-time upfront cost, but they aren't inexpensive either. According to manufacturer websites, the Silk'n costs $499 and the Tria $795.

Are You the Best Candidate?

• Regardless if you schedule an appointment at a dermatologist's office or choose to buy your own home laser hair reduction device such as the Tria or the Silk'n, this particular method of hair removal gives preference to people with certain skin tones and hair color. The Mayo Clinic states that the best candidates for laser treatment are those who have pale skin and dark, coarse hair. People with darker skin and dark hair also get good results. But laser treatment doesn't work on people with fair, red or unpigmented (grey or white) body hair. Before you invest in laser treatment to get rid of body hair, make sure that this method will give you your desired results.