A home laser show could mean an end to waxing and shaving

Published on Wednesday 24 June 2009 14:58

Hair removal is the bane of my life. It's a never-ending pursuit of the ultimate solution. Waxing is painful and involves an unpleasant regrowth process, shaving requires constant upkeep and ingrown hairs can be painful, and laser-hair removal is just painfully expensive.

At least, it is if you're getting it done in a salon, where the bill for the required number of sessions can easily run into four figures. Boots, however, is aiming to come to the rescue with Smooth Skin, an at-home laser system that promises permanent hair removal at a fraction of the price.

Too good to be true? It is for anyone with dark skin or fair hair. This is a product which really only works for people with fair skin and dark hair, so it's perfect for pasty Scots. The list of "do not use if" warnings is extensive and the instruction booklet is hefty, but after trawling through it and completing a patch test, I'm ready to go.

As much as I'd love never to have to shave my legs again, I soon accept that I'm not going to take the time to attack such a sizeable surface area, so I settle instead on tackling my armpits in weekly sessions (I'm told it should take six to ten sessions to start working).

I begin by applying an "activator" gel to my skin. The instructions suggest shaving beforehand, which is convenient since I don't have to cope with growing out my armpit hair in between sessions. Next, I take the hand-held device, place the rec-

tangular glass panel against my skin, hold my breath and press the button.

The sensation is akin to having hot wax dripped onto your skin: burning without being unbearable. In fact it's surprisingly comfortable and very quick. The device emits an intense pulse of light that I'm sure is bright enough to have my neighbours thinking there's a close encounter happening down the hall. I simply repeat the process, being careful not to cover ground that's already been "zapped", and when I've mastered the technique, it takes me all of five minutes, once a week.

So far, so surprisingly low-maintenance. But does it work? After about eight sessions I notice hair growth thinning and not returning, which has encouraged me to keep going, and I'm even considering tackling my legs. Could I ditch the razor? Not yet, but it looks like my never-ending quest to be hair-free might be about to, well, end.

n Smooth Skin costs 299.99 and is available from electrical departments of Boots stores and online at www.boots.com