The era of tweezers and razors is finally coming to an end! Temporary hair removal options are being booted from bathroom cabinets nationwide as an increasing number of women choose to undergo laser hair removal treatments.According to recent statistics from the American Academy for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, laser hair removal is one of the world’s most popular non-surgical aesthetic procedures. It comes in third place after Botox and hyaluronic acid fillers, which we detailed in last week’s blog. An average of 1.2 million laser hair removal treatments are performed in North America each year.As this procedure’s popularity spreads, so have rumours and myths surrounding what laser hair removal is all about.Here are 5 common laser hair removal myths, debunked by some of today’s top aesthetic experts.

MYTH 1: LASER HAIR REMOVAL IS UNSAFE, CAUSING RADIOACTIVE BURNS/SKIN DAMAGE

Perhaps because zapping skin with lasers seems space-age to some, there has been a longstanding belief in false dangers that laser hair removal presents. Some believe that the lasers can badly burn and damage the skin, or even render a laser hair removal client’s body radioactive. Safe and simple, laser hair removal equipment is in actuality always approved by both Health Canada and the FDA before coming in contact with aesthetic career-hopefuls like you. As you’ll learn in our Laser Technician Diploma, this equipment involves using targeted heat wavelengths to destroy the dark pigment (melanin) in a client’s hair follicles, causing the hair growing from these follicles to shed for good.“That may sound painful, but apart from some discomfort and a few side effects, it is generally pain-free,” explains Toronto-based aesthetician Dr. Lisa Kellett.The side effects she’s referring to? Mild swelling and skin itching, not radioactivity. Though if it were radioactive, laser hair removal could make for an excellent superhero origin story.

MYTH 2: LASER HAIR REMOVAL IS INSTANT, ELIMINATING UNWANTED HAIR IMMEDIATELY

Because body hair is always growing in different stages, it takes time and multiple laser treatments to make a client fully fuzz-free.“During the course of treatments, the laser works to disable only actively growing hairs, which make up about 25 percent of the total area,” explains celebrity dermatologist Dr. Francesca Fusco. “It doesn’t work on the hairs that are in a resting phase, which is why it’s important to complete at least six treatments, so you treat all of the hair.”On average, it can take anywhere from three to eight treatments to fully remove a client’s unwanted hair. After laser training you may also find yourself performing occasional touch-up sessions for clients whose laser hair removal was completed previously, but have since noticed new or overlooked patches of growth.

MYTH 3: DIY OPTIONS PRODUCE SAME RESULTS AS PROFESSIONALS WITH LASER TRAINING

At-home treatments have emerged as a way for amateurs to perform laser hair removal treatments on themselves. Aside from being just plain dangerous household items, these DIY options are neither as thorough nor as effective as professional laser hair removal treatments. The laser physics, skin-typing, and tissue effect knowledge you’ll gain in your laser hair removal training can’t be learned from the side of an at-home laser hair removal kit.“A client may have moles that should not be treated with laser,” warns Kellett. She also says home antiseptic kits also can’t guarantee the professional hygienic quality of a certified clinic, spa, or salon.

MYTH 4: BIKINI AREA HAIR REMOVAL BY LASER TRAINING PROS CAN AFFECT FERTILITY

The myth that laser hair removal can affect a woman’s fertility is completely false. Throughout your training, you’ll develop an understanding of how laser technologies adhere to Ministry of Health, FDA, and Health Canada standards. Laser technologies are designed to help, not to harm. Because their lasers are built to target the hair follicle, it can’t penetrate further than just below the skin surface. When you perform laser hair removal treatments around a bikini area or across a woman’s pelvis, you will never be using laser wavelengths deep enough to affect her inner organs. With the expert knowledge and hands-on experience you’ll get from laser technician training, you’ll be able to help end these pesky myths – and do the truly important work of helping women feel comfortable in their own skin.

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