Let’s face it – hairy legs are not exactly a woman’s best friend, and if over the years you’ve tried everything from shaving to sugaring in a bid to achieve the smoothest of pins with little joy to report, then chances are, the sight of new stubble beginning to peep through after your latest lengthy salon wax fills you with sheer dread.
But gone are the days when bearing all to your beauty therapist is the only solution, and with a flurry of handy new devices battling it out for their slice of the depilation market, we’re spoilt for choice.
Pricey though they are, the latest generation of the afore-mentioned promise to be a worthwhile investment, with many offering hair free limbs for up to eight weeks; that’s double what you can expect from a traditional wax, and if the removal ritual is maintained then you can remain permanently smooth. But while the likes of the Philips Lumia and Braun IPL may have cornered the market when it comes to large areas like legs, where do you turn if your problem area is a little smaller?
From bikini line to underarm, and upper lip to chin, the lesser talked about regions prone to excess hair growth are often the ones that fill us with the most dread of all, and larger devices simply don’t cut the mustard when it comes to precision removal. Enter, the Tria Hair Removal Laser Precision.
The Lowdown
The biggest breakthrough in the smallest packaging, the Tria Laser Precision is a slim and ergonomic wonder designed for smaller, more sensitive areas like the bikini line or underarms. Its portable, lightweight flexibility allows you to easily remove unwanted hair, and again, results can be permanent if you keep up the routine.
As well as being fit to tackle those trickier areas, the Tria Hair Removal Lasers have three times more hair eliminating energy than any other at-home hair removal device, offering a reduction of up to 70% of unwanted hair in as little as 3 weeks. But what really sets the Tria apart from the crowd is its unique laser removal method – which unlike popular IPL systems, offers permanent hair removal as opposed to reduction, thanks to its unique diode laser technology.
The Science
IPL devices have, up until now, been a hot topic in the beauty world – but the promise of longer term results is proving enticing to those in search of the very best hair removal solution. IPLs provide a broad spectrum of colours and wavelengths, and it is not possible to focus the light energy to a concentrated beam, and as these are dispersed at various levels of depth, the diffused energy does not only target the melanin in your hair follicle, but also the surrounding skin.
The diode laser, on the other hand, precisely targets the dark pigment (melanin) in your hair follicle, heating it in order to disable its ability to regrow hair without heating the surrounding skin. The laser beam is said to allow for very deep, more powerful and precise penetration as the energy is targeted directly to the hair follicle, achieving accurate results. And because Diode Laser technology is proven to permanently remove hair, users may find they can stop regular treatments altogether after three to six months, with just the occasional top-up if required.
The Review
Some bold claims then, and ever the sceptic, I was eager to put this revolutionary new device to the test.
So, first things first. How exactly do you use this fancy device? In order for the laser to easily penetrate the skin, cleansing and removing all traces of makeup, lotions, and cream is recommended. You’ll also need to shave the area thoroughly before you begin each treatment. Remember not to wax or tweeze, as the laser works on the hair that’s inside the follicle, under the skin’s surface.
The Tria Laser Precision itself, it has to be said, is pretty user friendly, and it’s quick and easy to treat each area. Simply unlock it, select your setting (from 1 – 3, where 3 is the most powerful setting), — and hold the “window” against the skin until your hear a beep. After each beep, lift the Tria and move it over to a new patch, overlapping each time to ensure that each is thoroughly treated. Completely cover the entire area once, and the treatment is done, repeating fortnightly until desired results are achieved.
The Verdict
8 weeks in, the difference is noticeable, and no longer is hair removal such a chore. Rather than gaping in horror at the appearance of new hairs just a couple of days after tweezing or shaving, it has become less of an issue overall – and one that can be dealt with after a couple of weeks, instead.
Are the results truly permanent? Only time will tell. I’ll be back in a couple of months to give you the final verdict.
The Tria Hair Removal Precision Laser is available online at Tria Beauty, priced at £235.
