Photoepilation or laser hair removal: what is better and what is the difference - comments from experts

The principle of photoepilation

Photoepilation is a method of hair removal by exposing light waves to areas of the skin where hair needs to be removed. Photoepilation is carried out using crinoline lamps with filters that cut off light waves dangerous to the skin (ultraviolet). Light waves of different lengths affect the pigment contained in the hair and heat it. Some time after the procedure, the hairs fall off. To completely get rid of them, three or more procedures may be required.

Photoepilation is more effective on hairs with a large amount of pigment!

Electrolysis

This method is based on hair removal using small current discharges directed directly into the hair follicle. The electrical charge creates such a high temperature that the hair follicle simply melts.

Advantages of electrolysis:

• Hair removal of any thickness and color (including gray, red, blond), the main thing is that it is visible, and skin color does not matter at all.
• After the procedure, the hair follicle cannot be restored under any circumstances.
• The result is visible immediately, there is no need to wait for the hair to grow and fall off, it is removed immediately at the time of the procedure.

The disadvantages of electrolysis are alarming, so few people choose it:

• The procedure is very painful compared to previous ones.
• A long rehabilitation period is required: you should not visit the sauna, bathhouse, gym or swimming pool for several weeks, do not sunbathe or apply cosmetics, including self-tanners, for two to three weeks, you must treat the skin every day during the entire healing period ( at least two weeks).
• If the skin is sensitive and predisposed to slow tissue regeneration, then this method will not work - there is a risk of scarring.

Rating of the method according to consumer reviews on the iRecommend website: 4.4.

Expert opinion

— Electrolysis is the only officially recognized method of permanent hair removal. The procedure is effective for absolutely any hair type.

It is important to find a qualified craftsman, who must have a medical education, in order to properly handle the instruments and skin, correctly insert the needle into the hair follicle, and, if necessary, give an anesthetic injection. Also check if he has a certificate of training on the machine used for hair removal, since when inserting a needle you need to be able to control the flow of current to avoid burns.

To make the procedure less sensitive, you can pre-apply an anesthetic cream. And be sure to follow the rules for treating the skin after the procedure, then it will heal quickly and no marks will remain.

.

Anastasia Tarasova, certified specialist in electrolysis

How laser hair removal works

Laser hair removal works on the same principle as photo hair removal, but its effect is more local and selective. During laser hair removal, the target areas of the skin are affected under the influence of a narrow spectrum of radiation, and thus the laser affects the selected type of hair, even if its color matches the skin. The type of laser is selected individually and depends on the characteristics of the hairs and their color. This allows you to get rid of more hair in one session.

How does photothermolysis work?

To get rid of hair, you can shave it, dissolve it with depilatory cream, or pluck it out by the roots. But more and more women prefer other, more effective methods of removing unwanted hair, as a result of which the smoothness of the skin would remain longer, and there would be less pain and side effects. This is exactly what photoepilation and laser hair removal are. They are based on photothermolysis, a process of destruction under the influence of temperature.

Each hair has a root, which is located in a kind of sac called a follicle. It is from there that hair draws nutrients for its growth. If a hair is plucked from the follicle at the root, a new one will grow in its place. But if the follicle is destroyed, the hair loses its vitality and falls out. This is exactly what hair removal using a light wave is based on.

For this purpose, light flashes with high-frequency pulses are used. By releasing heat, they have a destructive effect on the follicle: when heated, the blood coagulates, causing the follicle to be deprived of blood supply and die.

The conductor is the hair shaft, which, due to the presence of melanin, absorbs heat. The hair must be heated to a temperature of 80°C, otherwise the follicle will not die, but only its atrophy. Of course, this temperature will cause a burn on the skin. Therefore, during the procedure, waves are selected so that they have the least impact on the skin. This method is called sampling (selective).

If the hairs contain little or no melanin, the light pulses will not destroy the follicle. Therefore, photoepilation cannot be used if you need to remove light or gray hairs. But the procedure will be more effective when removing dark hair. On the other hand, skin also contains melanin. Its level is higher in dark skin. Therefore, you should not use photoepilation to remove light hair from dark skin. That is why the procedure should not be carried out for those who like to sunbathe, and in the summer it is best not to epilate the skin.

Epilation is carried out without pain, like depilation, but it removes hair for a very long time and does not cause any harm to the body if carried out by a specialist using good equipment.

Fundamental differences between photoepilation and diode laser hair removal

The main difference between laser hair removal is that it can completely get rid of unwanted body hair in 1-2 procedures, while photoepilation sessions require 3-4, and sometimes more. This is due to the difference in the area of ​​​​exposure and the type of light radiation that is used during the procedure. A laser hair removal session lasts longer than a photo hair removal session because the laser action covers a smaller area.

Laser hair removal is more intense than photo hair removal, so many people choose it. This is especially true for those whose hair color cannot be treated qualitatively during photoepilation. The advantage of photoepilation is its lower price, but if you consider that to the salon for photoepilation several times, this difference will pay off if you decide to have laser hair removal.

© . When reprinting an article, indicate the source and a link to the site https://www.epilacia.ru

I choose photoepilation!

Well, great! It doesn’t matter what color your skin is or whether you have light hair. Due to the complex effect of rays of different spectrums during photoepilation, both dark hair and those where the presence of melanin is minimal are exposed to irradiation. The gray ones, alas, are not persuaded and remain in place. Due to the design features of the device, during the procedure one flash affects a fairly large area of ​​the body - so you will spend much less time on the session. For example, treating the area above the lip will take about 5-7 minutes. But due to the fact that the beam’s action is less targeted, the number of procedures should be greater. This is the difference between the two methods. But it’s difficult to say which is more painful. Everything is individual. During photoepilation, a local anesthetic is applied and some people do not experience any discomfort at all, while others feel a little “hot”.

Price for laser hair removal

Laser hair removal

In another type of hair removal, a light wave, which has high energy density and high directionality, is emitted by a laser. Therefore, deeper destruction of the follicle occurs.

Laser hair removal has several types, used in different cases. Depending on the type of laser, hair removal can be:

• diode;
• ruby;
• alexandrite;
• neodymium;
• neodymium with Q-switched.

Each of them has its pros and cons and is used in certain conditions. Diode, ruby ​​and alexandrite lasers give a good effect on dark hair and light skin. The procedure has minimal pain. But these lasers cannot be used to remove light hair. A neodymium laser is used for this. But there is an increased risk of burns, and the procedure is painful. The most universal is the Q-switched neodymium laser. This is a combination of laser radiation and sound wave. It removes light hair well from skin of any type and color. But this is a very expensive procedure. It must be said that laser hair removal is more expensive than photoepilation. However, complete hair removal requires fewer treatments. Therefore, in the end, the total cost of both courses may be equal.

There is another difference between these types of hair removal. The laser hair removal procedure takes longer because the laser action is targeted. Therefore, if the question arises about which procedure is better: laser or photoepilation, then it is better to give preference to the first if we are talking about small areas of the body: face, bikini area, armpits. If you need to remove hair from your legs or back, it is better to use photoepilation.

What is better to choose

Those with fair hair should definitely choose sugaring, because photoepilation is aimed only at hair with dark pigment. Tattoos on the body are a contraindication for light hair removal and sugar paste should be used.

Photoepilation during pregnancy is strictly prohibited. For women with sensitive and delicate skin, sugaring is not recommended due to the pain of this procedure.

Being a method of hardware cosmetology, photoepilation is a much more expensive method of hair removal than budget sugaring. Immediately before a vacation, it is better to prefer sugar hair removal, since after the photo method you should not expose the skin to prolonged sun exposure.

Beauty and fashionComment

Features of photoepilation

Photoepilation cannot be done at home. To carry it out, you definitely need to go to a beauty salon and look for good specialists. The cost of the procedure depends on the area of ​​the treated area. The larger the area, the more flashes will be required. For example, the price for treating the upper lip is about 1000 rubles. From time to time, salons offer discounts, so you can purchase the service at a lower price.

The hairs die and fall off due to the fact that they are exposed to high-pulse light. The pigment in the hair absorbs light, the hair root heats up and dies. Photoepilation is not used on gray and blond hair. The lighter the hair, the worse the effect of the procedure.

What is photoepilation

With photoepilation technology, hair follicles are heated and destroyed using a special apparatus. Destruction is achieved by light and thermal effects on the bulbs; it is absolutely harmless. The skin is not exposed to ultraviolet radiation. During the procedure, you can see a flash of light, the great heat of this energy destroys all the hair follicles and hair. When a flash occurs, there is a strong release of light energy which, turning into heat, warms up and destroys the hair. After completing a course of photoepilation, hair does not grow for very long.

It should be remembered that if you have completed a course of photoepilation, do not use other types of hair removal, do not use tweezers and creams that slow down hair growth. You can only use a razor. We have studied two methods of hair removal, let's talk about the disadvantages and advantages. First minus

Most popular: The best recipes for hair restoration with peeling

After the sugaring procedure, direct exposure to ultraviolet radiation is undesirable for your skin. The sugaring procedure is very painful. But it is reassuring that only the first two sessions will be painful. Subsequently, the hair becomes thin, and the hair follicles weaken, so over time the process will be completely painless. Painful sensations depend on how susceptible you are to them and how correctly the cosmetologist will carry out the procedure. If the skin is thin, pulling out hairs is more difficult and painful. The advantages are the use of only natural products and the absence of burns, since the sugar mass is applied warm. If you have very sensitive skin, you can apply a numbing ointment.

The sugaring procedure does not destroy the follicles; over time, the hair will grow back, it will become softer and thinner, but it must be removed again. Sugaring will need to be repeated in a few weeks. Some diseases are contraindications for sugaring. Do not use it under any circumstances if you have diabetes, reduced blood clotting, thrombophlebitis, as well as any skin diseases or injuries in the areas where you plan to epilate.

Cost of procedures

A significant difference between the described methods lies in the price of their implementation. Of course, the specific type of hair removal chosen by the patient will determine the final cost of the procedure. It should be remembered that a number of additional factors (anesthesia, localization of the problem area and its size, professionalism of the specialist, type of equipment used) can also influence the cost.

What is hair removal

An important stage in skin care, along with other cosmetic procedures. During hair removal, the hair is removed from the follicle and the follicular sac is damaged .
Follicles can only become stronger after a significant period of time. In some cases, hair growth may stop permanently. As a rule, several areas of the body need epilation - armpits, legs, bikini area and arms. Some women also need to treat the space above the upper lip.

It is advisable to entrust the hair removal procedure
to beauty salon specialists . Only experienced cosmetologists will perform it taking into account the characteristics of the client’s skin and minimize pain. Doing it on your own can cause damage to the skin, sometimes irreparable.