If you're fed up of constantly shaving or waxing to get rid of unwanted facial or body hair, then maybe you've already thought about laser hair removal. Laser hair removal is the most permanent of all treatments available today, and more effective than shaving, waxing. Electrolysis is still in use, but as each hair has to be treated individually, it can be a painful hair removal method, and on occasions can cause scarring.

If you haven't thought about laser hair removal yet, or thought that it sounded too daunting, these 10 tips will provide you with the information you need.

1) Laser hair removal isn't suitable for every skin and hair type. The best results can be found on people with light skin and dark coarse hair. This hair removal procedure targets pigmented tissue, and doesn't work well on red, white, blonde or grey hair.

2) The most common areas for laser hair removal are the lips, arms and underarms, legs, bikini line, legs, chest and back. Laser hair removal takes more time, and is more expensive for larger body areas than for smaller areas.

3) Depending on the area and skin and hair colour, it usually takes between 6 and 8 sessions of laser hair removal to fully get rid of the unwanted hair.

4) There are very few side effects to laser hair removal. The most common is that the treated area can be a bit sore and swollen for between a few minutes and a few hours. In some cases, darkening or lightening of the skin can occur. Effects such as blistering or scarring or changes in the texture of the skin due to laser hair removal are very rare. Side effects caused by incorrect technique or wrong settings can be reduced by ensuring that the clinic you use for your laser hair removal treatment is registered and approved by the Healthcare Commission.

5) Ensure that you do some research before you make an appointment. Find the best qualified and experienced laser hair removal practitioner and ensure that the clinic is regulated. The cheapest clinic may not provide the best results, or be regulated. Laser hair removal clinics often advertise in fashion and lifestyle magazines and so you may be able get an idea of what to expect before you visit one.

6) Expect a thorough consultation from the laser hair removal clinician which should last 30-45 minutes and will cover your medical history and a test patch may be treated to see how you respond to laser hair removal.

7) Before your laser hair removal treatment, you will need to ensure that you follow the advice of the clinician. This advice will suggest such things as to avoid sun beds, sunbathing and fake tan and not to bleach or wax the area to be treated for several weeks before treatment. Your laser hair clinician may also provide other advice and information to take into account before your laser hair removal treatment.

8) Laser hair removal works by passing a laser beam through the skin to the hair follicles where the hair growth starts. The heat from the laser damages the follicle and so stops hair growth. There is often a cooling device fitted to the laser handset to cool the skin down. It usually takes several treatments to get rid of all unwanted hair, because hair has several phases of growth. Laser hair removal treatment lasts from around 15 minutes to an hour, depending on the area being treated.

9) During laser hair removal, the area is thoroughly cleaned, and then the treatment begins. Most patients report very little discomfort or pain thanks to the cooling device fitted to the laser. Immediately after the treatment, additional cooling and moisturiser is applied to the skin.

10) Laser hair removal is quick and after the treatment, make up can be worn straight away, but perfumed products as well as steam rooms and saunas should not be used for a day as they may cause irritation. Exposure to the sun or sun beds should also be avoided for several weeks. You may see a hair growing several days after treatment; this is the dead hair coming out naturally. This may happen for several days depending on the size of the area that has had laser hair removal treatment.

As laser hair removal is so quick and has so few side effects, it is even possible to have the treatment in your lunch hour! Get rid of unwanted hair today!

Total Fitness Laser Hair Removal Clinics are registered and approved by the Healthcare Commission. Our highly trained team use the latest Alexandrite Laser Technology and will advise what sort of results to expect. Take advantage of a Free Consultation and test patch today, you don't even need to be a Total Fitness member.