While body hair trends come and go, they typically err on the side of less is more. Body hair removal is one of the biggest sectors of the beauty industry. By the end of 2022, the global hair removal market is projected to reach $1.35 billion.
Everyone has an opinion about it, from Hugh Hefner to the ironically named Buzz from Home Alone who wondered if French women “shave their pits.”
It can be a touchy subject.
The association of hairless skin with attractiveness is so ingrained in our culture that 93-99% of American women get rid of body hair as part of their regular beauty routine. Most women try a range of methods before settling on their go-to.
Since the 1990s, laser hair removal has been gaining momentum as a permanent hair removal alternative to electrolysis. Celebrities, as paragons of attractiveness and hairlessness, have jumped on board.
Here are 11 celebrities who have enjoyed the benefits of laser hair removal.
Contents
- 1 1. Victoria Beckham
- 2 2. Eva Longoria
- 3 3. Kim Kardashian
- 4 4. Khloe Kardashian
- 5 5. Alyssa Milano
- 6 6. Hoda Kotb
- 7 7. Real Housewife Brandi Glanville
- 8 8. Botched Doctor Paul Nassif
- 9 9. Patrick Starr
- 10 10. Gabbie Hanna
- 11 11. KPop Star Rain
- 12 Old Hollywood Stars Who Would Have Had Laser Hair Removal
- 13 How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?
- 14 Does Stubble Have You Stumped?
1. Victoria Beckham
When the poshest of the spices revealed that she no longer shaved her legs, the world was aghast. The feeling was short-lived when her follow-up explanation clarified that she instead had them lasered.
For Victoria, a pop star turned fashion mogul, the results have been pleasant and permanent. She’s even been fortunate enough not to need any touch-up treatments.
2. Eva Longoria
Victoria Beckham owes some of that prickle-free peace of mind to her friend Eva Longoria, who introduced her to the practice. Desperate to find an alternative to the Brazilian wax, Eva turned to laser hair removal.
She once found Brazilian waxing so painful that she tried to quit halfway through her first session. The technician had to convince Eva that it wasn’t the look she was going for. From then on, it became a ritual she’d recommend to every woman.
3. Kim Kardashian
The often scandalous Kim Kardashian is the first person who comes to mind when you think of someone willing to try anything for beauty or ratings. On Keeping Up with the Kardashians, she famously got a vampire facial. During the facial, a specialist stabbed Kim’s face over and over with a DermaPen microscopic needle full of her own blood.
It’s not surprising that Kim is well acquainted with body hair removal techniques. In an interview with Allure Magazine, she detailed her full body laser hair removal, admitting that she’s obsessed with keeping her legs, arms, bikini line, and more completely hairless.
She considers it part of her job.
Years ago, Kim even had her hairline touched up with lasers. Though it gave her forehead a cleaner look and reduced breakouts, it’s the one treatment she sometimes regrets.
Seeing her younger sister Kylie wear a top knot with baby hairs on her forehead made Kim jealous, wishing she could take part in the “cute” hair trend.
4. Khloe Kardashian
While the Kardashian sisters now talk about laser hair removal like it’s part of their vernacular, Khloe wasn’t always so sure. Though no one would quite call Khloe demure, she can be more reserved than her older sister.
In season 5 of their show, Kim convinced Khloe to have her first treatment.
The girls booked an appointment together so Khloe could see what it’s like. She took very quickly to the process, starting with her arms and going all the way down to her toes. She even went on to tweet about how clean it made her feel to have no unwanted body hair.
5. Alyssa Milano
The real boss of Who’s the Boss is all grown up now. Growing up in Hollywood means being open to cosmetic procedures. Alyssa has had pregnancy scars and acne scars touched up, and she’s also dabbled in laser hair removal.
Though the pain of laser hair removal wanes each time, after the first two treatments, Alyssa joked that she’d rather get her whole body tattooed.
6. Hoda Kotb
On the other hand, Hoda Kotb, former Dateline correspondent and co-anchor of the Today show, likened the feeling to a “cold blast.” On what was likely a Winesday Wednesday, Hoda along with co-host Kathie Lee Gifford spent an hour in hospital gowns as they received laser treatments on live TV. While Kathie Lee got an eye lift, Hoda had the hair removed from one of her arms.
With time running out to finish the job on air, Hoda joked about the disparity between her arms. One arm was as smooth as baby’s skin and the other like a gorilla’s.
7. Real Housewife Brandi Glanville
During her short tenure on the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Brandi Glanville was the show’s resident pot-stirrer. She accused people of being on drugs, slapped Lisa Vanderpump, and threw wine in people’s faces. Brandi went on to further her reality TV career with a celebrity cooking show and by becoming a fixture on the Celebrity Big Brother franchise.
She has been vocal about her use of lasers to remove the hair from her upper lip. Brandi alleges that the procedure gave her a third-degree burn and led to permanent facial paralysis.
The risk of burns from laser hair removal is small, but any cosmetic procedure performed by an unqualified technician can lead to injury. It’s important to find a practice you can trust.
8. Botched Doctor Paul Nassif
Speaking of plastic surgery gone wrong, Botched Dr. Paul Nassif makes his name and his living fixing plastic surgery disasters. Before he was known for reshaping caved-in noses and lining up mismatched butt implants, Paul was Adrienne Maloof’s goofy husband on the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
On one episode of the show, the plastic surgeon got to see what it’s like for his patients when Adrienne took Paul to have laser hair removal. Apparently, his back was a little too hairy for her liking.
9. Patrick Starr
Patrick Starr is a YouTube beauty guru. After finding his calling as a makeup consultant at MAC, he uploaded his daily glam routine to a channel that now has over four million subscribers.
Because he spends so much time in heavy makeup for photo shoots and videos, it’s important for the texture of his skin to be even and smooth. Patrick has gone through several rounds of laser facial hair removal, starting with the hair on his neck.
He vlogged his third session for his YouTube channel. While he admitted that it’s painful at first, like a putting out a match on your skin, he didn’t appear to be in much pain during the video.
10. Gabbie Hanna
Another Internet star, Gabbie Hanna got her start on the now-defunct platform Vine. As a lifestyle vlogger and aspiring singer, Gabbie’s videos range from Uber rants to reviews of facials.
She takes viewers along for her first of six laser sessions on her bikini line and underarms. The video has almost 3.5 million views.
11. KPop Star Rain
The Korean entertainment industry has strict beauty standards. Many of its pop stars undergo extensive plastic surgery, all of it hush-hush. Jung Ji-hoon, or Rain, is a veteran male KPop idol who has since started his own company and debuted the boy group MBLAQ.
When MBLAQ star G.O. was contemplating a permanent solution to his fast-growing facial hair, Rain revealed to him that he’d had his facial hair lasered.
Old Hollywood Stars Who Would Have Had Laser Hair Removal
In Hollywood’s glory days, film studios often subjected women to rigorous makeover techniques. Some procedures were extreme and involved dental work and jaw shaping. Some, like hairline adjustments, were much tamer.
Rita Hayworth, a 1940s actress of Spanish heritage, went through a year of electrolysis to raise her hairline. This alteration gave her the all-American look that launched her into stardom.
Marilyn Monroe, the pin-up girl for the ages, had her widow’s peak more well-defined through electrolysis. She continues to be idolized for her fine-tuned beauty.
How Does Laser Hair Removal Work?
The laser hair removal practitioner uses a pen-like device to aim a beam of light at the skin. The light targets pigmented areas which absorb the heat energy that damages the hair follicle. This slows the growth of the hair.
Before your appointment, you’ll have to let yourself get a little hairy. Because the laser relies on the contrast between hair and skin to be effective, you have to avoid shaving before you go in. Likewise, waxing and plucking remove the root of the hair, which is necessary to the process.
Most hair removal areas will require six to ten sessions, with the intensity of pain decreasing as hair becomes finer. Removal of facial hair can take mere minutes while achieving smooth legs can take an hour.
Does Stubble Have You Stumped?
Does laser hair removal sound good to you? For women with the constant maintenance of shaved legs and men who prefer a smoother look, the idea of permanent hair removal is enticing.
For celebrities and movie stars, laser hair removal is all but a necessity.
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