How Much Does Laser Hair Removal Cost?
Laser hair removal via a clinic or salon can cost from around £40-£70 for a single treatment on a small area such as your upper lip, to over £1200 for a course of six treatments on a larger body area such as your full legs.
The cost of a clinical laser hair removal or IPL treatment can be significantly reduced by deals and discounts. It's very common to see salons offering reduced prices if you book a course of treatments. And, services such as GroupOn have regular deals and discounts that you can check for. There are also huge savings from deals sites such as LivingSocial.
It can be far cheaper, still, to purchase a home laser hair removal or IPL machine – these can cost from under £50 for unbranded models off Ebay or Amazon (we do NOT recommend purchasing these) to around £150-£350 for a model from brands such as Braun, Philips or Silk'n. But, home devices may not be as effective as salon treatments, or may be trickier to use on hard-to-reach areas.
In this article, we'll talk you through what you can expect to pay for laser hair removal, whether you're seeking a clinical treatment or interested in purchasing a use-at-home device.
In this Guide:
Laser Hair Removal Pricing Guide
How much you'll spend on clinical laser hair removal largely comes down to three things:
the size of the body area you are treating
the number of sessions required (six is typical)
whether the salon or clinic is offering discounts
A further factor which can come into play is where in the country you are booking a course of treatments. As with many things, there can be a bit of a "London premium" on laser hair removal, particularly if you seek treatment from central London premises such as those on Harley Street.
However, the rapid spread of laser hair removal and IPL treatments – they're commonly offered in salons on high streets across the entire UK – means there's been a relative stabilisation of prices.
Laser Hair Removal Average Pricing
For some indicative costs, we've averaged the prices from several laser hair removal clinics from across the UK, including SK:N Clinics and Colaz (both nationwide) and central London pricing from Pulse Light Clinic and the Harley Medical Group.
See our table below for an indication of the average costs you might expect to pay for laser hair removal:
Area | Average Cost for One Treatment | Average Cost for Six Treatments | Average Cost for Eight Treatments |
Upper Lip | £69 | £388 | £511 |
Chin | £74 | £432 | £569 |
Half Face | £139 | £775 | £1,022 |
Full Face | £181 | £1,069 | £1,409 |
Underarms | £91 | £502 | £662 |
Full Arms | £217 | £1,230 | £1,622 |
Bikini Line | £106 | £593 | £782 |
Half Legs | £187 | £1,081 | £1,410 |
Full Legs | £280 | £1,456 | £1,920 |
Clearly, there's a huge spread of prices. The cheapest costs are for a single treatment on a small area such as the upper lip or chin, which could cost you around £70 or less. A single laser hair removal session on your legs will cost around £200 or more.
When it comes to laser hair removal, a single session isn't likely to have the results you're after
But, when it comes to laser hair removal, a single session isn't likely to have the results you're after. Instead, you're likely to need at least six treatments.
Costs for Multiple Laser Hair Removal Treatments
Because of the nature of how laser hair removal works, a single treatment isn't going to get you permanent hair reduction. Hair has growth cycles with various stages, and the hair follicles in the area you're treating won't always be at a stage that makes them receptive to laser hair removal.
Translation? You'l need follow-up sessions. It's typical that you may need at least six laser hair removal sessions to treat the areas you are targeting. These are typically spread out over three to four months.
The bad news? This will increase your costs. For example, treating your full or even just the lower half of your legs over a course of six sessions will typically cost you over £1,000.
Treating your full or even just the lower half of your legs over a course of six sessions will typically cost you over £1,000.
The good news? Most treatment centres offer discounts and incentives to book in a course of treatments. The average cost per treatment will go down significantly if you book in six to eight sessions.
Are Laser Hair Removal Discounts Good Value?
If you're considering laser hair removal, one of the best value ways to do it is by taking advantage of the regular deals and discounts on offer. These are split into three main groups:
Discounts offered by deals sites such as Groupon (best value)
Package deals offered by the salon or clinic (discounted but not exceptional)
Seasonal offers from the salon or clinic (can be good value)
Let's take a quick look at each in turn.
Laser Hair Removal Discounts from Deals Sites
Deal sites such as LivingSocial and GroupOn have some of the most eye-catching discounts on laser hair removal treatments, all searchable by distance to your own location.
Odd as it may sound, deal sites can beat the package deals offered directly by salons or clinics
Odd as it may sound, these can sometimes even beat the package deals offered directly by the salons or clinics themselves. How is that possible? Let's explain.
Clinics and salons pretty much always have package deals running – there's nothing uncommon about a course of six or eight treatments having a cheaper "per treatment" cost, versus paying for a one-off treatment. But, these packages can sometimes be presented as a time-limited deal, rather than the year-round cost they usually are.
When salons and clinics advertise on deals sites, they may be promoting a time-limited deal. Even if not, they're having to compete in a crowded marketplace, with their ad now sitting alongside dozens of rival ones – the competition is fiercer, prices push lower, and it's the consumer that wins.
Verdict: Always check deal sites such as LivingSocial (click to see their hair removal deals) and GroupOn (see their laser hair removal discounts) – you may find better prices than by going directly to the salon.
Package Deals on Laser Hair Removal
It's very common for salons and clinics to offer package deals if you book a series of treatments, rather than a one-off laser hair removal session. The motive to them is pretty clear – there's a lot more money to be made from a customer who's booked in six sessions than one, even if the cost-per-session goes down due to the package.
For you, the customer, this is usually the right treatment – that is to say, you'll need multiple sessions to get results – and the price can be fairly convincing. But, we would urge you to shop around before signing up for a lengthy course of treatments. The costs can run into the thousands of pounds, and you may be able to find a better deal elsewhere.
Shop around before signing up for any lengthy course of treatments
Verdict: Package deals can seem like good value, versus the one-off cost of a single treatment. But they can still be expensive, and we'd recommend checking for other deals before committing.
Seasonal offers from Salons or Clinics
You may find that the salons or clinics you're looking at offer time-limited deals. These may include discount packages times in the months building up to the summer holidays, or a "post covid lockdown" special deal as treatment centres reopen.
These can indeed offer good value, but our advice is to check you are indeed getting a unique discount.
It's not uncommon to find that seasonal or time-limited deals are nothing of the sort, and are actually costs offered close to near-round. It's not dissimilar to the old "DFS sofa sale" trick, wherein the stated discount doesn't reflect the year-round price – the Advertising Standards Authority has come down on DFS for such practices, though it's not yet turned its attention to laser hair removal treatment clinics.
Verdict: There are savings to be had, but check you're getting the best price by comparing to GroupOn deals or LivingSocial deals first. If an offer claims to be seasonal, try to find out if the time-limited nature is genuine or reflects a year-round price.
Laser Hair Removal Costs for Men
Laser hair removal for men typically costs a little more than it does for women, with most clinics justifying slightly higher fees based on the larger body areas that need treating.
Clinics and salons offering laser hair removal will usually have packages tailored for men. Here are just a few examples, below:
Colaz (nationwide)
Full back, shoulders, chest, stomach and 3/4 upper arms - £999 for a course of six treatments
Full body excluding face - £1300 for a course of six treatments
SK:N Clinics (nationwide)
Men's full body - £4,592 for a course of eight treatments
Pulse Light Clinics (London)
Men's chest and abdomen - £542 for a course of eight treatments
Men's Full Back, Shoulders, Half Arms & Neck - £1219 for a course of eight treatments
As we mentioned earlier, the best way of ensuring you get the cheapest price is to check for deals and discounts. GroupOn deals and LivingSocial deals on men's laser hair removal are a great place to start.
Home Laser Hair Removal Costs
Home laser hair removal machines can seem, on the surface, to be far cheaper than clinical treatments. You can buy a good quality home IPL hair removal machine for around £200, with more fully-featured machines costing upwards of £300.
Here's a breakdown of what you might expect to pay for various home laser/IPL hair removal devices:
£40-£100: Cheap, unbranded laser machines sold on Amazon or Ebay (avoid these)
£150 and up: Small laser device such as the Tria Precision
£200 and up: Good value IPL models like the Braun Silk-Expert Pro 3
£300 and up: Advanced home devices such as the cordless Philips Lumea Prestige
See our guide to the Best Home Laser Hair Removal Devices to see which we recommend
As a quick aside, most home "laser" hair removal machines aren't actually laser at all – they are IPL (intense pulsed light) machines. This is an alternative type of hair removal technology – it can work effectively, and covers a larger treatment area with each flash, compared to a laser device. However, home IPL machines do not have the same power as a professional machine (laser or IPL) used in a clinic, so may require more treatments to take effect.
Compared to the cost of six or more clinical treatments on a large body area, this can seem much better value. You'll also have the benefit of being able to treat yourself privately, rather than deal with anyone else. That said, it's essential to understand the safety implications of home laser hair removal devices. A good start is our guide, Is Laser Hair Removal Safe?, which has a full section on home device safety.
Is Laser Hair Removal Worth the Cost?
By now, you should have a better understanding of the likely costs you'll encounter if you embark on a course of clinical laser hair removal treatments, or purchase a home laser/IPL device. So, the question remains, is either a good value investment for you?
Laser hair removal can give permanent hair reduction, provided your skin and hair type are considered suitable for the treatments. Compared to the stress, time and expense of regular waxing, shaving or epilating, laser hair removal can be a great investment.
But, the costs are still considerable. We have two remaining pieces of advice:
Look for deals
As we've mentioned throughout this guide, the kind of deals and discounts you'll find on sites such as GroupOn deals and LivingSocial can make a huge difference to what you'll end up spending. Clinics and salons also have their own deals on offer, but don't feel rushed on the spot into signing up to anything. Take your time comparing costs across various treatment locations and make sure you get the best deal.
Take a free consultation
Most clinics and salons offer a free, no-obligation consultation if you're considering laser hair removal. This is crucial, as it's an opportunity for you to ask questions and fully understand the course of treatment, your suitability for it, the results you may get, and the safety implications. Many clinics also offer a free patch test on a small area of skin, to ensure you have no adverse reactions.
We hope this guide has helped you to understand your costs and options.
FAQs
Still unsure? No problem – we answer common questions about laser hair removal pricing, below:
Is laser hair removal expensive?
The costs of laser hair removal depend on the size of the area being treated, and how many sessions you're having. You may spend as little as £40-£70 for a single treatment of the upper lip, but over £1200 for a course of six treatments on your legs.
Does laser remove hair permanently?
No – laser treatments don't give permanent hair removal, but rather, permanent hair reduction. This means you'll have sparser, lighter or thinner hair that grows back more slowly and requires less ongoing maintenance.
Is it worth getting laser hair removal?
This is a highly personal question that really comes down to the suitability of your hair and skin tone, plus your comfortable budget for the process. Remember that for effective treatment, you'll typically need around six sessions over the course of three months. Laser can give permanent hair reduction that leads to sparser, finer hairs that are slower to grow back. If you're able to meet the costs, then laser hair removal can be a worthwhile investment.
What is the cost of facial laser hair removal?
A single treatment around the upper lip can cost around £40, while a treatment of the jawline or chin can be around £50-£70, and the same again for treating the cheeks. To effectively treat your hairs, you'll need a course of six sessions or more – for the facial area, this can mean costs of £250-£360.
How long do laser hair removal results last?
After you've completed a full course of laser hair removal (typically, not fewer than six treatments), you should find that results last for anything from one to two years, with little hair growing back. However, laser gives permanent reduction, not permanent removal – hairs can still return, thought they may be sparser, finer and lighter. Top-up treatments of laser hair removal may be recommended as they return.
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