Photoepilation: zones, procedure, results, pros and cons

The struggle of women with unwanted body hair has continued from ancient times to the present day. Specialists in this field are coming up with and creating more and more new methods, but most of them require repeating the procedure after a few weeks. Although many people know the method of hair removal using a laser, few people decide to resort to it because of its complexity and high cost. Fortunately, there is another equally effective method - photoepilation, which supposedly can be done even at home. In this article we will tell you if this is actually true.

The essence of the photoepilation procedure

The first thing a woman who decides to give up the razor and do hair removal any other way faces is unbearable pain, which is very difficult to get used to. And advice on the type of procedure to be carried out in the middle of the monthly cycle or painkillers, although they provide some help, is clearly not enough for hair removal to become, if not your favorite, then at least a pleasant procedure.

One of the latest methods in the field of hair removal in any area has become absolutely painless photoepilation. For this reason alone it is worth paying attention to it. In addition, photoepilation stimulates collagen production, and you probably know that this is the main component for the elasticity and youthfulness of your skin.

The process of photoepilation is the effect of a powerful light beam on the melanin contained in the hair follicles, which are destroyed and, unable to recover, fall out after a few days, and eventually disappear completely with regular procedure. Melanin is responsible for hair pigmentation, so the darker the hair, the better the effect of photoepilation.

Photoepilation device

Unlike laser hair removal, the advantage of photoepilation is that it can be done at home. To do this, it is enough to purchase a special device that will save not only your time, but also money, because you will not have to pay for this expensive procedure again and again. A photoepilation device that is not purchased in specialized cosmetology stores is not much different from a professional device. The only difference is the power, which in principle does not determine the final result of the procedure.

When purchasing a photoepilator for your home, pay attention to the area of the flash: the higher it is, the better the epilation result will be, and it will be more convenient to work with such a device. As a rule, 6 square cm is enough for home use. Modern devices are equipped with a skin type sensor - devices with this function are safer to use and allow you to avoid burns.

But you should not pay attention to the number of flashes of the lamp: even if the manufacturer promises an incredible number of them, then after 5000 flashes the lamp will in any case be unsuitable for further use - the flashes, of course, will not go away, but the effect from them will be like that of a camera. Therefore, when choosing a device for home use, immediately ask your consultant whether you will be able to purchase new lamps in the same store in the future. It often happens that when buying a cheaper device, which seems to have no fundamental differences from something more expensive, the buyer loses without realizing it - replacement lamps for it turn out to be twice as expensive. The miser pays twice!

Photoepilation of face, armpits, arms, legs, bikini

If before other types of hair removal you have to grow a few mm of hair, which can be extremely inconvenient and does not look aesthetically pleasing, then before photoepilation you, on the contrary, will need to completely shave it off a day before. Thus, the entire power of the light beam will be directed specifically to the bulb, and not to the entire hair.

If there are moles and papillomas on the areas to be epilated, cover them with a band-aid.

Hair removal begins with a minimum power level to allow the skin to get used to it and not get burned. As a rule, photoepilation devices have 5 levels. Armpits, on the face and in the bikini area the skin is very delicate and for it the second level is already the maximum. 3 and subsequent ones are intended for rough skin of the feet.

After the flash, the area of the skin should turn red, this is normal, you need to navigate by these redness so that the flashes do not hit the same place twice - this is fraught with burns.

Never use a photoepilator on the skin of your armpits or face without special protective glasses! Usually they come complete with a photoepilation device. Flashes have a very negative impact on vision and the retina; your negligence can lead to sad, irreversible consequences.

Pros and cons of photoepilation

Like any other cosmetic procedure, photoepilation also has its pros and cons. After analyzing them, you can definitely decide for yourself whether you should carry out this “operation” on your skin, because both the procedure in the salon and the machine for home photoepilation require considerable financial investments.

The advantages certainly include:

• there is no risk of infection, because the device hardly comes into contact with your skin;
• hairs will absolutely not grow into the skin;
• very long and noticeable results after the first procedure;
• the likelihood of lifelong hair loss;
• saturating the skin with collagen;
• painlessness of the procedure, unlike other types of hair removal.

But there are also significant disadvantages of this procedure:

• the high cost of procedures that initially need to be repeated for several months in a row;
• the high cost of the device for home photoepilation, in addition, you will have to purchase lamps yourself if they fail;
• hair can begin to grow again when taking hormonal medications or hormonal imbalance in the body;
• photoepilation is suitable only for those with dark hair - red and fair-haired young ladies will not even notice the difference between “before” and “after”;
• If the device is used incorrectly, there is a risk of skin burns.

Is it possible to do photoepilation at home?

As we wrote above, photoepilation can be carried out at home by purchasing a special device - a photoepilator. It is very important to follow all instructions to avoid possible unpleasant consequences. It is recommended to carry out the procedure wearing protective glasses, especially if you plan to use the device on your face or armpits.

There are several important rules that you should not forget about:

• you cannot sunbathe in a solarium or in the sun for 2 weeks before and after the procedure;
• there should be no damage to the skin, allergic reactions, etc.;
• The darker your skin, the lower the power setting should be on the machine, otherwise you will suffer serious burns. Usually the device comes with a color scale;
• after turning on the light beam on an area, immediately move the device to the next area of ​​skin - try to ensure that the beam does not hit the same place twice;
• if before this, in the areas where you plan to carry out photoepilation, you did epilation with wax, epilator, etc., then at least 10 days must pass since the last such procedure;
• one week before and after photoepilation, you should not use antibiotics, tranquilizers, etc.;
• During the week after photoepilation, do not steam your skin: limit visits to the sauna, bathhouse, swimming pool, and relaxing baths.

After completing the procedure, lubricate the skin with moisturizers. For prevention, you can use anti-burn, skin-soothing creams and lotions.

By the way, very few men can be forced to undergo hair removal procedures from a cosmetologist, even if he himself does not like the hair on his back and chest. But having purchased such a device for your home, you can use it together with your man - isn’t this an argument for him?

Photoepilation during pregnancy

Photoepilation, despite all its advantages, still has a lot of contraindications. The most important are pregnancy, lactation, varicose veins, chronic, oncological, skin diseases, diabetes. It is not recommended to carry out photoepilation if there are many moles and papillomas on the body.  An experienced cosmetologist will not work on your skin if you are under 17 years old or your skin is very dark. Some doctors advise against photoepilation if close relatives have cancer, but this issue is still controversial.

If you recognize yourself in at least one item from this list, then do not risk your health or the health of your unborn baby. After all, you managed without photoepilation before?

What is the difference between photoepilation and laser hair removal?

Photoepilation and laser hair removal have much in common, although they are strikingly different from each other. Both are based on the same principle of removing the hair follicle with minimal contact with the skin. Both procedures will need to be repeated several times, because the light beam will not be able to touch dormant bulbs; only follicles that are in active growth are removed.

Both laser hair removal and photoepilation are practically painless, especially when compared with waxy, electrolysis and the like. Contraindications (pregnancy, chronic diseases, etc. - read above) and side effects are also the same - skin burns, decreased vision, etc.

The main difference between these procedures is the beam itself: laser hair removal uses a safe monochrome beam, which can be selected for both blond and red hair. And during photoepilation, special lamps with powerful light radiation are used, the intensity of which can be adjusted depending on the type and sensitivity of your skin, but, unfortunately, they are effective only on dark and black hairs.

Salon procedures for both laser hair removal and photoepilation are approximately equally expensive. But photoepilation has a significant advantage: although the devices for it are not cheap, they are still freely available and do not require any special skills, so you can easily carry out photoepilation at home, even for yourself.

Photoepilation: before and after photos

And finally, we invite you to look at photographs of people who have opted for photoepilation. Perhaps they and our article will help you make the right decision.

But in any case, even if you decide to carry out this procedure in a salon or purchase a photoepilation device for personal use, you should remember that a lot depends on the characteristics of your skin and the body as a whole, so even the same device can show completely different final results on you and on your close friend, who “won’t give bad advice.”