Choosing Beauty Treatments? Balance Costs with Long-Term Results

Search around the internet and you’ll find a whole range of beauty treatments. Each of them may claim to reverse the signs of aging, shave off inches from your body, or give you silky smooth skin.

But, one of the first questions you’ll likely have is - how long will the effects last?

Given that most beauty therapies don’t come cheap, you’ll want to choose options that are likely to give you lasting results. Let’s explore the life of some of the most common beauty treatments and whether they make sense to your pocket.

Laser Hair Removal for Smooth Skin

The costs of laser hair removal treatments typically depend on the size of the area you’re getting treated. The sessions can range from $235 for smaller patches like the underarms or bikini area to $900 for larger sections like the back. You’ll probably need sessions every 4 to 6 weeks to remove the hair as it appears in its growth cycle. And, since you can get only a small section treated in a single session, you're going to need quite a few to get hair removal all over your body.

As for how long the effects last, WebMD estimates the growth to thin considerably beginning at 3 months after the treatments. However, you may need follow-up sessions in the next 6 to 12 months until your skin is completely hair free. Do keep in mind that various factors affect how this beauty treatment works on you. For instance, your hair color, density of growth, and hair growth rate.

Ultherapy for Erasing Signs of Aging

You can get Ultherapy sessions for the crow’s feet at the corners of your eyes, the frown lines on your forehead, and laugh lines at the corner of your mouth. If you have the dreaded turkey wattle effect or loose folds of skin on your neck and decolletage, you can get Ultherapy to erase them. As a feature on Today explains, this beauty treatment works to restore the layer of collagen under your skin so that it plumps up and looks smooth.

Depending on the area that you’re getting treated, each session takes anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes. And, you can expect to see positive results starting at 2 weeks or sooner. Over the next four to six months, you’ll notice steady improvement as your skin rejuvenates and looks younger. As for how long does Ultherapy last, the effects are likely to last you at least 12 months. After that, you’ll need a follow-up session.

The cost of Ultherapy will depend on the size of the area you need treatment for and the location where you live. So, expect to pay anywhere from $750 to $5,000 for the entire face and neck. Most sessions average at $2,500.

Body Contouring Solutions to Lose Excess Inches

Inch loss beauty treatments are somewhat tricky. While they’re definitely effective in helping you lose the unwanted inches and regain smooth curves, they come with a caveat. To maintain the effects, you must follow a long-term healthy diet and exercise regimen. Also, keep in mind that these procedures are not weight loss solutions, they merely help you get rid of the last stubborn excess inches that won’t respond to other efforts.

You can choose from different therapies that use light, sound, radio frequency waves, and cold treatments to destroy the fat cells so they cannot come back. However, if you have any major lifestyle changes or a medical condition that causes you to gain weight, you might lose the effects of these procedures.

Ultrasound Sculpting

Groupon reveals that you can expect to pay between $250 and $350 per session of Ultrasound Cavitation. Depending on the inch loss you’re looking for, you may need 10 to 12 sessions. Positive results include lowered circumference of the abdomen and flanks. You’ll also notice smoother skin because the Ultrasound stimulates the growth of collagen and elastin in the skin. The effects of this beauty treatment start to appear at 1 week to 10 days and continue to improve over the next few weeks.

Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT)

As Women’s Health Magazine reports, each session of low level laser therapy takes around 40 minutes, 20 minutes each for the back and front. The sessions target the layer of fat on your belly, flanks, thighs, and hips. You’ll need to sign up for a complete package for around $1,500. This package includes 6 sessions spaced at intervals of 72 hours. On an average, you’ll take three treatments per week. You should be able to see results in the next 10 days or so and the improvements continue for the next few weeks. Doctors have talked about clients that lost up to a total of 15 inches in the targeted areas.

Cryolipolysis or CoolSculpting®

For the uninitiated, CoolSculpting® is a technique that freezes and kills fat cells so the body eliminates them and you see inch loss. On an average, you can expect to see 25% reduction in the fat cells of the targeted areas of your body. It takes about 4 weeks for the results to become visible and the full effects of this beauty treatment appear at 12 weeks. Each session of Cryolipolysis can take up to an hour and you may need up to 2 sessions. As for the cost? Expect to pay around $700 for a single session.

Choosing the Right Beauty Solutions

When choosing the right beauty treatment, do keep in mind that the costs may vary according to the location where you live and the particular practitioner you’re working with. Of course, it is advisable that you look for a certified, experienced practitioner. A good move is to look for reviews from past clients who have tried the treatment. Most beauty procedures do have lasting results if you can put in a little effort towards maintaining them. Balance the expected costs with the results you’re looking for and make your choice accordingly.