For as long as humans have been around, there has been a history of humans trying to get rid of their hair. For example, beauty rituals were a normal part of everyday routine for upper class woman in ancient Egypt. Many ancient Egyptian women used tweezers made from seashells or stones to remove hair. They were also known to use beeswax and sugar as a form of wax. In ancient Roman culture, less body hair represented a higher social standing. The Romans used razors made from flint or stone in order to rid of their hair. Even pubic hair was considered barbaric, which is why Roman statues of women don’t have any.
Modern day laser hair removal has become popular because of its efficiency and speed. However, that was not always the case. The first laser used to damage hair follicles was developed by Theodore H. Maiman in the 1960s. His first laser was able to reduce hair growth, but it critically damaged the skin and caused burns. The ruby laser that he used was absorbed by only a couple of hair follicles at a time, which severely slowed down the process.
In the 1970s the alexandrite laser was developed. These lasers did not cause burns, but they were still not strong enough to damage the hair follicles. It wasn’t until the 1980s that scientists were able to fully develop a laser that was able to damage the hair follicle, while not damaging the skin. The lasers we use today were first developed in 1997 and have successfully been approved by the United States FDA as a form of permanent hair reduction.
From ancient Egyptians to modern day laser hair removal treatments, hair removal methods have gone through a series of developments. Today, the most common forms of hair removal are waxing, shaving, threading, and laser hair removal. However, to this day, the easiest and most efficient way to remove hair is by laser hair removal.