The Economics of Laser Hair Removal: Is It Worth the Investment?
When considering hair removal options, cost is often a significant factor. Many people wonder if Laser Hair Removal (LHR) is worth the investment compared to traditional methods like shaving or waxing. Let’s break it down and see how LHR stacks up in terms of cost, time, and long-term effectiveness.
Cost Comparison: Laser Hair Removal vs. Shaving and Waxing
Over the course of ten years, let’s look at the average cost of maintaining hair-free underarms:
Shaving: $1,800 ($15/month)
Waxing: $2,400 ($20/month)
Laser Hair Removal: $1,656 ($552 initial investment and $1,104 for touch-ups)
Laser Hair Removal may appear to have a higher upfront cost, but when you break it down over a decade, it turns out to be more cost effective than waxing and only slightly more expensive than shaving. LHR also offers long lasting results that drastically reduce the frequency of hair removal touch ups.
Time Investment: Laser Hair Removal Saves Hours in the Long Run
Hair removal isn’t just about the financial cost, your time is valuable too. Let’s compare how much time you’ll spend on each method over ten years:
Shaving: 60 hours (1 minute per day)
Waxing: 43 hours (30 minutes every six weeks)
Laser Hair Removal: 8.6 hours (20 minutes per session for 8 initial sessions and twice-yearly touch ups)
Laser Hair Removal saves you a significant amount of time. In the long run, you’ll spend just a fraction of the time maintaining your hair when compared to shaving or waxing. Even when accounting for a quick weekly shave, your total time spent on LHR maintenance is only 17.3 hours over ten years, much less than the time you’d invest in either shaving or waxing.
Is Laser Hair Removal Permanent?
It’s important to clarify that Laser Hair Removal is best described as permanent hair reduction, not complete removal. The laser works by targeting the hair follicle and slowing down future growth. While hair growth is a biological process that cannot be entirely stopped, LHR significantly reduces hair density and growth rate. After your initial treatment sessions, touch-ups every six months or so will help maintain your results. Even with the occasional shave to maintain smooth skin, you’ll be spending far less time on hair removal compared to traditional methods.
Why Laser Hair Removal Makes Sense
Cost-Effective: Over the long term, LHR is cheaper than waxing and comparable to shaving.
Time-Saving: The convenience of fewer touch-ups saves hours of your time that could be spent elsewhere.
Long-Lasting Results: LHR significantly reduces hair regrowth, meaning smoother skin with less hassle.
When you weigh the time and money invested in shaving and waxing against the long term benefits of Laser Hair Removal, the economics clearly favor LHR. While the upfront costs may seem high, the efficiency, reduced maintenance, and lasting results make it a sound investment.
If you’re ready to stop wasting time and money on temporary solutions, call and book your LHR consultation today!