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Differences Of At-Home And Professional Laser Hair Removal. Which Is Better?

Many people turn to at-home beauty treatments when they’re looking to save time and money, compared to professional treatment options.

While at-home laser hair removal may seem straightforward enough, there can be some serious consequences if it’s not carried out properly by a trained professional. In this blog, we go over the key differences between at-home and professional laser hair removal, exploring the pros and cons of both.

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The Differences Between The Two
Pros & Cons At-Home Laser
Pros & Cons Professional Laser

What is at-home laser hair removal?

Laser hair removal is the process of destroying the hair follicle at its root. It's important to bear in mind, however, that if you carry out laser hair removal at home, the laser device will usually be much smaller and operate at a lower frequency than professional hair removal devices, meaning the device will need to be used more regularly as it will take more use/sessions to see results. So, you will have to carry out regular treatments to successfully stop the hair from regrowing.

At-home devices typically have a laser output of 20 J/cm2, compared to an output of 40 J/cm2 for professional devices (though this can vary depending on the device and treatment plan).

At home-tools are safer to use at home as they have less power and are more beginner-friendly so you’re less likely to burn or injure yourself when using these tools. However, this does mean they’re not as effective as the tools professionals would use at a clinic.

What is professional laser hair removal?

Professional laser hair removal is a lot safer and more effective than at-home treatments as it’s carried out by an expert who is trained and has official qualifications and certificates. The best way to achieve long-term results, professional laser hair removal also achieves a lot faster results than at-home treatments, with no downtime after appointments. Plus, results will last a lot longer, so you’ll be able to go for longer between treatments.
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THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO

There are many differences between the two types of treatment. These include:

Light energy intensity

Both treatments use a form of powerful light energy to remove the hair. This works by the light travelling to your skin using a laser hair removal tool where the melanin pigment in your hair absorbs the light energy. This then converts to heat and permanently damages the hair follicles. This stops the hair from growing and enters it into a resting phase.

  • PRO

    This means professional treatments can essentially stop hair growing after 1 session, with some top-ups needed after to get the rest of the hair when they start actively growing back. 

  • AT-HOME

    At-home treatments temporarily kill off the hair, meaning new growth cycles start a lot sooner after treatment and require more top-ups to get the rest of the hair.

Top up session frequency

The top-up sessions for both types of treatment do vary.

  • PRO
    Professional treatments usually require around 6-8 sessions spaced at 6-week intervals, so it usually takes up to 9 months to complete the full course. However, you’ll start to see results after 1-2 months.

  • AT-HOME

    At-home treatments require anything between 4-12 sessions for effective hair removal, with results visible after 4-6 sessions or after 1-2 months of treatment. The main issue with at-home treatments is that, for long-lasting results, you will require regular top-ups every 4-6 weeks, or even more frequently, for at least a year.

Skin types

  • PRO

    Only professional tools can be used on dark skin tones as they usually have a lower light intensity and are manufactured with up-to-date technology.

  • AT-HOME

    Depending on the type of skin you have, you might not be able to receive at-home treatment. Having the incorrect machinery or light configuration can cause pain or even damage darker-toned skin. You could also cause permanent skin darkening/lightening or even redness, blisters and burns.

    For example, at-home lasers can’t identify dark hair pigments against dark skin as effectively as professional devices, causing the laser to burn the skin rather that the hair follicle.

Safety standards

  • PRO

    Safety standards will be a lot better with professional treatments when compared to at-home treatments. The sessions are a lot quicker and the professionals will be specially qualified and certified to carry out treatments with clinical equipment. You will also get more post-treatment advice and support from a professional.

  • AT-HOME

    A lot more could go wrong with at-home treatments as they do not include professional application or after-care guidance. For example, many at-home kits do not include goggles, or safety glasses which are often worn as standard in professional clinics. Individuals treating themselves at-home may also be tempted to skip their patch test and as a result, seriously damage or irritate their skin.

Results

To achieve good results, both at-home treatments and professional treatments need a strict schedule of treatments to achieve the best results. It is important to note, that the number of sessions an individual may require to get the best results will depend on factors such as the amount of hair, hair colour and skin colour.

  • PRO

    Professional treatment usually sees around 10-25% hair reduction after each session.

  • AT-HOME
    At-home treatment requires top-up sessions every 1-2 months and a 40%-65% reduction only after 12 months of continuous treatment.

Pros and cons of at-home laser hair removal

There are a number of pros and cons of at-home laser hair removal, including:

 

Pros

✔️You undergo treatment from the comfort and convenience of your own home 

✔️You can have someone you know target the hard-to-reach areas

✔️You have more say regarding when and how often you do the treatment

Cons

✔️Carrying out regular at-home sessions can be a big commitment

✔️There’s more risk of something going wrong, such as skin burns

✔️It can be difficult to treat yourself

✔️It can be difficult to find the right tools for your skin

✔️You could end up paying more out-of-pocket to buy the tools yourself

Pros and cons of professional laser hair removal

There are many pros and cons to professional laser hair removal. Some of these include:

 

Pros

✔️You’re in the safe hands of a highly-experienced professional

✔️Professionals only use the best technology which must meet safety and regulatory standards

✔️You have more opportunities for post-treatment support

✔️Your clinic will offer you a patch test first, meaning you can try the treatment before you commit to it.

Cons

✔️Can end up being more expensive depending on how often you get your treatments

✔️You have to trust a professional with your intimate areas

✔️You have to travel to a clinic for the treatments regularly.

It’s important to remember that hair removal treatments should be tailored to an individual and no laser hair removal treatment can guarantee 100% reduction.

Other factors that affect results include:

  • Hair colour

  • Hormones

  • The growth cycles of your hair

Soprano Titanium Laser Prices

At Wimbledon Clinic Aesthetics, we offer expert laser hair removal treatments with award-winning Soprano Laser Technology. At our clinic, we use In-Motion technology for a comfortable and painless experience. We also offer a free patch test and consultation to meet your practitioner and try out the laser.

For more information on how our laser hair removal services can benefit you and your skin, get in contact with one of our clinicians today.

Get in touch today to find out more about laser hair removal or book a free test patch.