Laser hair reduction vs waxing and threading

Key takeaways

• Waxing and threading remove hair at the root, and it returns within a few weeks. Laser reduces how much hair grows back, and most people need two to six sessions plus occasional top-ups.
• On brown skin, repeated waxing and threading can cause ingrown hairs, bumps and dark patches, and threading has been linked with spreading warts and molluscum on the eyebrows.
• Laser needs dark hair to work, so it suits black or dark brown hair and does little for blonde, red, white or grey hair.
• Over a few years, a laser course often costs about the same as regular parlour visits, but the real gain is skin that is not inflamed every month.
• You do not have to choose one method for your whole body. Many people laser the underarms or chin and keep threading the eyebrows.

How do waxing, threading and laser actually differ?

See, what happens is, waxing and threading both pull the hair out of the follicle. The follicle itself is untouched, so it grows a new hair in a few weeks. Laser works the other way round. The light is absorbed by the pigment in the hair and heats the root, and a damaged root grows back slower and finer, or stops. The American Academy of Dermatology says most people need two to six laser treatments, about four to six weeks apart, and that the first session typically reduces hair by about 10 to 25 percent.

The timings for threading and waxing above are typical ranges, not fixed. Hair grows at different speeds in different people.

What does repeated waxing and threading do to Indian skin?

Indian skin is quick to darken after any inflammation. That is very important to understand. Every time a follicle is torn out and gets inflamed, there is a chance of a small dark mark afterwards. Repeat that every three weeks for ten years on the underarms or bikini line and you get the patchy darkening many of my patients come in with. People often blame "dark underarms" on deodorant when the real cause is years of waxing, shaving bumps and friction.

Ingrown hairs are another problem, especially with curly or coarse hair. The hair breaks below the surface or curls back into the skin, and you get a tender bump that may become infected.

Threading carries its own risks. A review of reported complications in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research lists redness, folliculitis, flat warts, molluscum contagiosum, impetigo and hyperpigmentation after eyebrow threading. Indian dermatologists have published several reports of warts and molluscum spreading along the eyebrows after parlour threading. The thread can carry a virus from one tiny break in the skin to the next. If your threader uses a fresh thread and clean hands for every client, the risk is lower.

None of this means waxing and threading are bad. Very many women in India use them every month without trouble. It just means they are not free of cost to the skin.

Is laser better for the skin in the long run?

For dark hair on most body areas, I think so, with one condition: it has to be done carefully on Indian skin. The AAD notes that laser was once limited to light skin with dark hair, and is now an option for darker skin with extra precautions. Those precautions are about the settings, the wavelength, cooling and test patches, and a review of laser hair reduction in skin types IV to VI discusses them in detail.

The common side effects of laser are redness and swelling for one to three days. Less often, the AAD lists blistering, infection, scarring and lightening or darkening of the skin. In my experience, most of these are avoidable when we do not treat over a fresh tan and adjust settings for each skin type.

What patients notice after a laser course is often not just less hair. It is fewer bumps, fewer ingrown hairs and, over time, the dark marks from years of waxing starting to fade. I have written more on that in is laser hair reduction safe for Indian skin.

Which areas suit which method?

Basically, match the method to the hair, not to habit.

• Eyebrows: threading or tweezing. We do not laser eyebrow shaping close to the eye.
• Upper lip and chin: laser if the hair is dark and you are threading every two weeks. If there is PCOS, read facial hair and PCOS first.
• Underarms and bikini line: laser is usually a good fit, because these areas suffer most from ingrown hairs and darkening.
• Arms and legs: either. Waxing is quick and fine for many people. Laser makes sense if you get folliculitis or bumps.
• Men's beard line and neck: laser can help with ingrown hairs and shaving bumps along the jaw.
• Fine, light or grey hair anywhere: waxing, threading or electrolysis. Laser will not do much.

What about the cost over five years?

I like to think about it the way I think about chess: start from where you want to be and work backwards. Ask yourself what you will spend on parlour visits for the same area over the next five years, and add the time. Then compare it with a written laser quote that includes the expected number of sessions and any likely top-ups. For many people the totals come out in the same range. For others, especially with a single small area, threading stays cheaper. That is your call. I would only ask you to compare honestly, including the cost of treating the dark patches and bumps later.

How do I switch from waxing to laser?

• Stop waxing, threading and plucking the area for some weeks before your first session. Laser needs the root in place.
• Shave or trim in between. Shaving does not make hair grow back thicker.
• Avoid a fresh tan, including weekend sun at the beach.
• Keep sunscreen on any treated area that is exposed, such as the face and arms.
• Expect gradual change. Hair falls out over a couple of weeks after each session, and new growth gets sparser over the course.

For the full picture of sessions and timing, see how laser hair reduction works.

How we approach this at Dr Tvacha

At a Rs 499 skin consultation I check your hair colour, skin type, the areas that bother you and any bumps or patches from past waxing. If laser suits you, you get a written quote with the number of sessions and the fee before you pay. If it does not, I will tell you to carry on with threading. Laser hair reduction is done at our Thane, Andheri, Bandra and Dahisar centres, and the overall approach is on the Second Layer Skin Plan page.

Written by

Dr Amit KarkhanisAesthetic Physician · MBBS, Dip. Dermatology (UK) · Reg. No. 2001/02/1124

Founder of Dr Tvacha, practising in Thane since 2005. Leads the weight loss and hair programmes.