Laser Hair Removal at Home vs. Salon: Which Should You Choose?

Have you saved enough money to get a laser hair removal treatment at a professional salon to bade your unwanted hair goodbye and say hello to smooth skin without irritation, ingrown hair, or nicks and bumps? If yes, what if I tell you, you can do that for much less the price while maintaining your privacy?

Shocked, right? That is nothing to be amazed about if you have heard of at-home laser hair removal devices. But do you think the laser is something only professionals can use and it can get risky at home? Or do you feel like at-salon laser hair removal is more effective?

But that is not the case. Things are different with the latest hair removal at-home Laser devices like Ulike Sapphire Air3 hair removal device . Let’s compare both in different aspects and find out which is more suitable for you.

Laser Hair Removal at Home vs. Salon

1. How Does it Work and what Type of Light is Used

At-home and at-salon laser hair removal devices use light to act on unwanted hair. The light is absorbed by the pigment of the hair called melanin. Then this light travels all the way from the hair shaft to the hair root and is converted into heat energy.

Heat burns hair follicles and prevents hair from growing back. Additionally, the follicles take several months to regenerate. So, you stay hair-free during that time.

However, laser works the best when hair is in a growing phase and only a fraction of hair is in anaphase at any instant in time, it takes 6-12 sessions to destroy all hair follicles. So, both types of laser work precisely the same but the light used is different.

Professional laser hair removal devices use alexandrite, diode, or YAG and at-home laser hair removal devices use intense pulse light flashed by xenon flashlamps.

2. Schedule of the Sessions

This is one of the most distinguishing factors of at-home and at-salon laser hair removal. At-home devices work at an optimal level of intensity and use mechanisms that protect the skin while at-salon hair removal devices have higher energy and make skin sensitive.

So, professional hair removal sessions are spaced at 4-6 weeks as they let the skin relax and also allow the hair to phase from the phase of rest to the phase of active growth. However, at-home laser hair removal devices need to be used several times a week to act on the hair in whichever phase they are.

With Ulike sapphire Air3 IPL hair removal device, two sessions per week are more than enough during the first 3 weeks because of its high energy output of 20 J/cm2 to reduce hair regrowth significantly.

3. How Long Do the Results Last

The more time it takes to show results, the longer the results last. At-salon laser hair removal takes 6-9 sessions meaning 6-12 months for all hair to stop regrowing completely. And because all hair follicles are destroyed, the results last for a few months or years ranging from 6 months to 2 years.

At-home laser removal takes a minimum of 3 weeks with highly-efficient devices like Ulike Air3 and a maximum of 3 months with other devices. Additionally, a few touch-up sessions are needed to destroy the hair follicles that are left behind initially. Whether it is 3 weeks or 3 months, at-home laser hair removal lasts for up to 6 months.

4. Privacy Concerns

If you are someone who is very sensitive about who sees your skin, especially the skin with hair you hide, and do not want anyone to look at it, you must be prepared to go bare in front of the salon laser professional.

Additionally, if you are someone who hates people touching you and is afraid of going into awkward positions to have your thigh or intimate hair removed, at-salon hair removal can get on your nerves.

However, there are no such fears with at-home laser hair removal devices. You can do it all by yourself, in your bathroom, or even on your couch. Just shave your skin as you do normally, switch your device on, and enjoy zapping away your unwanted hair without sacrificing your privacy and mental health.

5. Convenience

Another thing that might make you think twice about at-salon laser hair removal is a commitment to the sessions, appointments, and commuting to the salon every month. Especially, if you take a taxi or the salon is far from your place, giving several hours of your day can be difficult for people with busy schedules.

Also, there are no such things as touch-up sessions in professional laser hair removal. On the other hand, at-home laser removal devices are always in your vicinity. You can use them however and whenever you like when going through scheduling and traveling.

Additionally, IPL devices like Ulike Sapphire Air3 are compact and create in a luxurious design. It also comes in a nice package. So, you can even carry it to your vacations giving laser hair removal a new level of convenience.

6. Total Cost of The Procedure

If we only talk about the cost of at-salon laser hair removal consultations and sessions, it costs $1000-2000 for one full-body hair removal session if you are choosing a well-reputed clinic. So, on average it costs $10000-$20000 for complete treatment. However, the price can vary depending on your location and the expertise of the laser expert.

Additionally, you have to add commuting costs to have an idea of the budget. Too much, right? Is 2 years of smooth hairless skin worth 2 years of savings?

In contrast, IPL laser hair removal devices cost a few hundred dollars. If we talk about the Ulike Sapphire Air3 IPL hair removal handset, it is only $379. For $379, you get the complete hair removal kit in addition to the at-home IPL device. It also comes with limitless flashes giving it more than 50 years of lifespan.

$379 and full life of hairless skin. Totally worth the investment, right?

7. Hair Removal Experience

At-salon laser hair removal can be painful in addition to the compromise on privacy which is a must. Many salons use anesthetic gels to reduce the pain. But right after the procedure, the skin is red, sensitive, and irritable. So, you have to take good care of it for 2 days after each session.

On the other hand, IPL devices are only as painful as snapping a rubber band against your skin. But the exclusive ice-cooling technology of Ulike is now more advanced and upgraded in the Ulike Sapphire Air3 IPL device. So, it saves you from even minor pain or such sensations. Also, the after-care is not as extreme as with professional laser hair removal.

8. Who can Get it Done

A major benefit of at-salon laser hair removal over at-home laser hair removal is having a wider range of skin tone compatibility. Depending upon the type and wavelength of laser use, it works for almost everyone from very fair skin tones to very dark skin colors.

However, at-home laser hair removal devices only have limited skin tone compatibility. So, only people with fair to medium skin tones can go for IPL hair removal.

The reason behind this difference is the fact that IPL laser is absorbed into the pigment, whether that is of hair or the skin while the at-salon laser is only absorbed into the pigment of the hair and it spares the skin.

Lastly, in both cases, there is a limitation of hair color because light is absorbed into the melanin of the hair.

9. Compatible Body Areas

Laser hair removal is for all parts of the body. Face, armpits, chest, back, legs, arms, and even intimate areas, at-home and in-salon laser hair removal works well on all such areas.

However, in-salons you have to get separate appointments for the face or individual areas of the body while at-home laser hair removal devices can be used anywhere anytime.

Also, the time duration to treat any area between professional and DIY laser differs. As professional laser only targets a few hairs at one time, it can take hours for the completion of one session. But the large light window of IPL devices like Ulike sapphire Air3 only takes 10-30 minutes for full body treatment.

Final Verdict: Which one Should you Choose

Laser hair removal is an excellent choice for people who want to get rid of their objectionable hair for a long time. However, the choice between at-home and at-salon laser can be confusing if you are not much aware of both.

So, we compared that for you. And at-home laser hair removal is the best choice for most people because of its affordable price, nearly painless experience, privacy maintenance, and efficient results. Also, if you choose a device like Ulike Sapphire Air3, it can make your experience luxurious.

However, if you have a dark skin tone, at-home laser hair removal might disappoint you and at-salon laser treatment is the one.