We often consider how difficult it is for women to groom their facial hair. But no one talks about the coarse thick beard men develop that they have to shave or shape every other day, right? Among the most popular hair removal methods, men often go for shaving the beard or threading the stray hair.
But recently the popularity of beard laser hair removal for men has been increasing. So, men are no longer behind women when it comes to grooming their faces semi-long-lastingly.
If you are here to find out if laser hair removal will work for your beard, we have you.
Table of Contents
- Part 1: Laser Hair Removal: How Does it Work?
- Part 2: Is Laser Hair Removal Safe for Beard?
- Part 3: The Laser Hair Removal Process for Beard
- Part 4: Beard Laser Hair Removal Before and After
- Part 5: Beard Laser Hair Removal Side Effects
- Part 6: Laser Hair Removal Vs. Electrolysis for Beard
- Part 7: How Many Sessions of Laser Hair Does it Take to Remove a Beard
- Part 8: Can I Grow My Beard After Laser Hair Removal
- Part 9: Removing Beard at Home with IPL Hair Removal Devices
Part 1: Laser Hair Removal: How Does it Work?
First things first, you need to know how laser hair removal works for you to decide if it is worth it.
Mechanism:
Laser hair removal machines give out a coherent mono-spectrum ray of light. The light is a form of energy which is attracted by the pigment in the hair. Through the pigment, it reaches the hair bulb which provides an active blood supply to the hair.
It converts into another form of energy, the heat, and annihilates the blood supply and hair follicle. Consequently, hair follicles shrink and are completely destroyed in subsequent sessions.
Compatibility:
At first, laser hair removal was only compatible with dark hair and light skin tones. It is true right now as well, but partially. The advanced lasers are now suitable for colored hair except for grey and dark skin tones. However, they are more effective on black or brown hair and fair to light brown skin tones.
Furthermore, you can find information on which type of laser will suit you more in types of laser hair removal machines.
Advantages:
Here is what laser hair removal beard for men can do for you.
- No nicks, cuts, or bleeding: You can avoid the nicks, cuts, and bleeding areas that make you extra cautious while shaving the face with a laser.
- No razor burns or bumps: Laser makes facial skin smooth after the process instead of giving you bumps and burns caused by dull blades.
- Reduced pain: Although a little painful, it is not as painful as threading or irritating as shaving.
- Customization of the results: If you prefer a particular style of beard, do not worry as your clinician can give you precisely that style.
- Long-lasting hairlessness: With laser hair removal, you can enjoy hairlessness and a well-groomed beard for a long time. So, this saves both money and time as well.
- Ability to regrow the hair: As men like to change their styles once in a while, the laser is semi-long-lasting allowing you to regrow the hair after a few months to some years.
Part 2: Is Laser Hair Removal Safe for Beard? 
Exploring the Safety
Laser hair removal is a safe procedure to be done on the body as well as the face as regarded by the FDA. Therefore, it is compatible and safe for facial hair as well. However, remember that the beard lies close to the eyes and the eyes might be affected badly by the radiation. So, be sure to wear safety goggles to protect the eyes.
Factors Affecting the Safety
Here are some factors that can affect the safety of laser hair removal.
- The laser provider: Laser in the right hands does a miracle and in the wrong hands destroys your skin causing burns and discoloration. So, be attentive while choosing a clinic to have your beard groomed.
- The condition of your skin: Although laser is safe for sensitive skin as well, it is important to have a healthy skin barrier.
- The chances of having an infection: If you have cold warts, skin infection, or any active pimple with pus, it is better to wait until it is resolved to get a laser.
- The pre and post-laser care: Follow the pre and post-treatment care of laser hair removal for the best results with transient side effects.
Part 3: The Laser Hair Removal Process for Beard
Here is what you should be prepared for laser hair removal sessions.
Step-by-Step Process
The step-by-step process of laser hair removal is given below.
- The laser hair removal process starts from the day you book a consultation with the doctor.
- After your consultation, you get a treatment plan and book your scheduled sessions.
- Start taking good care of your skin two weeks before the session as instructed by the doctor.
- Shave and cleanse the skin well before going to the clinic for your session. Also, take a painkiller if your pain sensitivity is low.
- After you reach the clinic, the doctor takes you to the laser hair removal setup machine and outlines the area where you want the laser.
- Then, he helps you wear UV-protective glasses and apply an anesthetic and cooling gel on the treatment area.
- After waiting for the gel to work, he initiates your laser hair removal session by precisely flashing the device on the outlined area. The settings of the laser are also adjusted along with it.
- After the session is complete, the doctor applies post-treatment gel on your skin and provides guidelines about the post-laser skincare.
Customer Experience
Well, the face is a sensitive part of the body, even in men. Therefore, laser hair removal can feel uncomfortable. During the session, you will experience a sudden burst of mild to moderate pain as the laser flashes against the skin. It just lasts for a few seconds and then you feel another burst.
So, the discomfort associated with a laser has been likened to the sensation of a rubber band snapping against the skin or stinging of a bee.
Part 4: Beard Laser Hair Removal Before and After
Below are some images to show the results of laser hair removal in real people.
In the image given above, a man got laser hair removal for the full beard to go clean-shave. Within 4 treatments, the results were clear as you can see above. Moreover, it includes sessions for both beards and mustaches. 
The image above represents the shaping of the beard precisely. As you can see the doctor marketed the area to be treated and targeted the stray hair on the cheeks. Such beard shaping is great for men who do not want to deal with hair other than a beard on the face. 
Lastly, chin and neck hair can be irritating to the skin in addition to looking unpleasant. So, the man in the image above had his hair removed from the lower part of the beard and the results are obvious.
Part 5: Beard Laser Hair Removal Side Effects
Just like any other procedure, laser hair removal for the beard has some cons as well.
Risk Factors:
Below are the factors that can make your skin more prone to the side effects of laser hair removal on your beard.
- A compromised skin barrier might be due to infection, use of harsh products, or scratching the beard too often. Also, if dandruff is causing your itching, check out how to get rid of beard dandruff.
- Artificial tanning of the skin might be due to the use of fake tanners or sun exposure.
- Skin is damaged by using hot water on the face or unprotected exposure to the UV rays of the sun.
Side Effects:
The side effects of laser hair removal are given as,
- Immediate skin redness, discomfort, and mild pain. These side effects resolve in an hour or two.
- Formation of inflammatory bumps on the beard area because of heating the thick hair follicles. It is temporary as well.
- The rare risk of development of folliculitis.
- Laser burns if the process is not done by a professional. It can lead to scarring, blisters, and cluster formation.
- Post-laser pigmentation in the skin. It is because of the overactivation of melanocytes and is temporary.
- Rarely, is overgrowth of the hair.
How to Reduce and Manage the Side Effects:
It is important to note that most of the side effects of laser hair removal are rare. They can resolve within a few hours to a few days. However, if you want to ensure that you face minimal side effects, below are some tips for you.
- Always do your research while choosing a laser hair removal provider. Pay attention to his qualifications, skills, and the customer feedback. This helps you establish trust, talk out your queries, and get the best services.
- Prepare yourself well for the treatment. Take all precautions and ensure that your skin is healthy and compatible with laser hair removal.
- Post-treatment care is as important as pre-treatment care.
- You can use painkillers, cold compresses, moisturizers, and sunscreen after your session to treat the side effects of laser quickly.
Part 6: Laser Hair Removal Vs. Electrolysis for Beard
Other than laser hair removal, electrolysis is one of the processes men look towards when considering long-lasting hair removal. Both procedures use energy. Laser uses light that converts into heat and electrolysis uses electricity that gives a current to the hair follicle.
The laser machine kills a few follicles in one go while the electrolysis needle is passed into individual hair roots. Therefore, the results of laser are semi-long-lasting while those of electrolysis are long-lasting.
If we talk about the client’s experience, laser hair removal is a preferred method to groom beard hair for the following reasons.
- It is less time-consuming and more cost-effective
- It only gives the skin discomfort while electrolysis is painful
- You can always go back on your decision of long-lasting clean shave in laser while hair once gone, is completely gone with electrolysis
- There is more research on laser for facial hair removal as compared to electrolysis
Part 7: How Many Sessions of Laser Hair Does it Take to Remove a Beard
Laser hair removal is a multiple-session treatment on the beard. As beard hair is coarse and thick, you need more sessions than other parts of the body to treat it. However, because this hair is darker as well, the laser is more effective and the results are more obvious.
On average, the minimum number of sessions required to notice results is 6. However, because of the greater growth and influence of hormones, a total of 12-15 sessions are required to achieve 95% above hair removal.
Factors Affecting Number of Sessions:
Several sessions of laser on the beard depend upon:
- The thickness, density, and texture of the hair
- The color of the beard hair
- The contrast between the hair color and skin tone
- Ethnicity and family history
- The effect of hormones and secondary sexual characteristics
- Age of the man as well
Laser Hair Removal Cost
1 session of laser hair removal for a beard on the face costs $150 to $300. This is determined by factors including
- Location and popularity of the clinic
- The treatment package, discount, or promotions
- Treatment area
- Number of sessions required
- Type of laser used
- Inclusion of pre and post-treatment care
- The cost of the consultations
As we discussed earlier a total of 12 to 15 sessions are required, and the cost of the whole treatment will be about $2000 to $3000 for the beard.
Part 8: Can I Grow My Beard After Laser Hair Removal
The simple answer is yes, you can and you will grow a beard after laser hair removal. The results of laser hair removal might be long-lasting but they are never long-lasting. With each session, the hair regrowth reduces but the hair grows back.
After the completion of the treatment, beard hair barely regrow after a month. However, after some months to a year, there will be clear regrowth of the hair. Also, the regrowth will not be symmetrical, rather it will be in patches requiring a few months to get a full beard.
Furthermore, it is important to understand each human responds differently to laser treatment and there are fluctuations in the hormonal status and the factors that determine hair growth as well. Therefore, you can expect individual variations in the longevity of the results of the laser and its effects on regrowth.
Part 9: Removing Beard at Home with IPL Hair Removal Devices
If you do not feel like spending over $2000 on grooming your beard in a clinic and want to take the process into your own hands, we have a DIY at-home laser hair removal solution for you.
It is a Ulike Air3 IPL Hair Removal handset. This device works great for facial hair and can be used to treat beards. You can give my laser hair removal experience to know what you can expect from this device.
Some of its benefits are given as,
- The cooling mechanism to reduce the discomfort in laser hair removal
- The treatment and comfort modes to customize the hair removal sessions
- An ergonomic rectangular window to precisely treat the unwanted hair on the beard
- A lightweight device with a super fast flashing mechanism helping you do the session quickly
- Results within a month instead of a year as with in-salon laser
- Affordable price and feasible follow-ups
Conclusion
Laser hair removal for men’s beards is the same process that women get for their faces or the body. With the customization of the treatment, laser hair enables men to get a long-lasting well-groomed beard.
However, it is important to consult with a laser surgeon before getting an appointment for this semi-long-lasting procedure so that you have no regrets after the completion of the treatment.
Lastly, it is safe to say that laser hair removal can bring a positive change in your life by saving the time, energy, and cost you spend on beard grooming. It also boosts confidence as well.
