Most people describe it as a warm rubber-band snap, worst on the upper lip and bikini line and barely noticeable on arms and legs. The handpiece cools the skin as it fires, and a small area like an underarm is over in a few minutes. Ask about numbing cream if you are nervous.

The Spectrum platform is adjusted per skin type and we patch test before treating. What matters most is contrast: the laser targets pigment in the hair, so dark hair on any skin tone responds well. Grey, white and very light blonde hair does not respond.

Full clearance usually takes six to eight sessions on most areas because hair grows in cycles. Three sessions, which is what this special covers, is enough to see real thinning and know whether it is worth continuing.

Yes. Consult, patch test and three sessions on each area you pick. No membership, no consult fee, no per-session surcharge.

That is one of the most-booked pairs here. Hormonal changes around perimenopause commonly bring coarse dark hair to the chin, upper lip and jawline, and coarse dark hair is what the laser handles best. Two small areas, well inside this special.

The clinical term is permanent hair reduction. Treated follicles stop producing and what returns is finer and sparser. Most people come back for a touch-up once or twice a year.

Yes, there is no downtime. The area looks warm and slightly pink, like a mild sunburn, for a few hours. Skip saunas and hot tubs for a day.

Shave the areas 12 to 24 hours before, because the laser needs the follicle rather than the hair above the skin. Do not wax, pluck or thread for four weeks beforehand.

Not over time. Waxing one small area every four weeks runs a few hundred dollars a year, every year. Three areas of laser is a one-time number against a bill that never stops.