After asking a bunch of people who got their laser hair removal procedure done, on how painful exactly laser hair removal is, they responded with something along the lines that it feels like someone snapping a sharp pinch or a snap of a rubber band across your skin. Now turn the notch up a couple of times more because the laser hair removal procedure in its essence includes being lasered a couple of times across an area, so it would be natural to assume that it hurts a lot. If you want to know more about how much it hurts and how to make laser hair removal less painful, your curiosity will be put to rest today.
Table of Contents:- Part 1: How Painful is Laser Hair Removal?
- Part 2: Use Nearly Painless Home Laser Hair Removal
- Part 3: Use Nearly Painless Home Laser Hair Removal
Part 1: How Painful is Laser Hair Removal?

After looking up surveys from reliable sites and questions on websites like Quora and Reddit, multiple people of various pain thresholds volunteered to contribute to answer the question “How bad does laser hair really hurt?”
Now obviously as observed with procedures like piercings, tattoos, waxing, etc that many people get done, the laser hair removal pain tolerance level varies from person to person. And one thing that is common among these procedures that resonates with laser hair removal as well is that the first session hurts the most. Almost unbearably painful for many to the point their Blood pressure drops.
There are certain pain management techniques you can employ but since prior to the procedure you are already expecting a certain level of pain, attributed to the unfamiliarity of the sensation and the heightened anticipation of discomfort, you will likely feel more pain in the first sessions. As observed through experiences by many other individuals who got laser hair removal procedures done, the pain does eventually reduce and the procedure becomes much easier to manage.
One thing to observe here is that laser hair removal works by emitting a laser towards the hair follicle and burning it. The burning sensation that you feel on the skin makes the procedure painful. And in theory the denser the hair is, the more effective the procedure is, which means the better the hair will be burned off. Naturally, the pain also depends on where you are getting the procedure done. Body areas like the armpits and groin have sensitive skin so they hurt more than say your legs or arms.
Part 2: How to Manage Pain for Laser Hair Removal?

One factor that needs to be talked about more when discussing the pain that comes with laser hair removal is the technology that comes with the laser hair equipment where we see that some laser hair removal devices have cooling systems integrated with the device.
As soon as the laser zaps the hair, a cooling agent is released instantly to give you relief from the burn instantly. You can do a little research on what laser hair salon to go for based on their technology if their equipment includes a cooling system and how effective it is. Other than that you can take the following measures tested and approved by multiple individuals who got laser hair removal procedures done.
- Avoid sun a month prior to getting the procedure done and almost a week prior to essential oils, medications, and skincare with active ingredients.
- Longer hair is not only ineffective to laser hair treatments but they hurt a lot more too, so the advised length for hair to be when you walk in for the procedure is to be 2mm.
- Properly hydrate yourself, where you are drinking a maximum of 2 litres of water almost every day and retaining the water enough so you and your skin are hydrated and so the pain becomes more tolerable.
- As far as hydration is concerned, it is best that medicines and active compounds like caffeine are avoided as they lead to dehydration in the body.
- We sweat a lot in summer and that alone can contribute to more pain during the procedure, so perhaps take a shower with cold water prior to the procedure to simply get the procedure done in winter.
- If you are a little too worried regarding the pain, you may apply a numbing cream an hour before your procedure, or take a painkiller as well.
- During the procedure, certain techniques such as breathing techniques, where you put all your focus into breathing steadily help distract from other external pains.
- If you made it through the procedure and you still feel the burn in your skin, you may ask your aesthetician to recommend healing ointments or creams to soothe the skin as soon as possible.
Part 3: Use Nearly Painless Home Laser Hair Removal

It’s tough to make through the pain of laser hair removal. So luckily there exists a better alternative that not only brings the laser hair removal service to your home but makes it more comfortable and easier to do. It's the IPL. Unlike laser hair removal that is performed in salons, Intense Pulsed Laser IPL technology uses a broad laser technology to target the hair follicle, since it is not as concentrated as Laser, it hurts a lot less to begin with.
Other than that, IPL may, at times, hurt too. But certain premium grade devices such as Ulike Air 10, deliver professional level results, where you can get up to 96% of hair reduction in just 2 weeks, it is also equipped with Sapphire Ice Cooling System which instantly relieves you of the pain you feel after a session. The consistent cooling effect minimises the risk of overheating, protecting your skin from burns. By keeping your skin at a safe, regulated temperature, the device ensures a gentle and irritation-free experience.
Conclusion
There are so many effective ways to figure out how to make laser hair removal less painful, if you are somebody who does not have a high threshold for pain, you may as well consider getting an IPL device. A good IPL device like Ulike Air 10 is not only overall more cost-effective than a laser hair treatment but delivers equally effective results for a long-lasting hair removal solution.