Smooth, stubble-free skin is something many of us aspire to, but for Roza Gilles, it’s all but a job requirement. The model-turned-personal trainer puts her body front and center on the regular—on social media, at the gym, and during fitness competitions. Maintaining a smooth physique is not only important for boosting her confidence and highlighting her muscle definition, but it also helps her prevent skin issues like ingrown hairs.
To avoid spending her precious free time shaving, Roza turned to Milan Laser Hair Removal for treatments. “They understand that everyone has different hair growth cycles and were able to tailor the sessions to me,” she says. She loved the results so much she decided to convince her husband, Pat Gilles, a trainer, gym owner, and fitness influencer, to try it too.
It was no easy feat. “He thought laser hair removal was just for women,” she says. But here’s why Pat eventually got on board. And spoiler alert: He loves the results too.
1. It’s less painful than waxing.
As a fitness model, Pat had been enduring chest waxing for photo shoots. “He liked the way he looked without hair, but he didn’t want to put in the work of shaving or go through the pain of waxing,” Roza says. When Pat finally started going for laser treatments (thanks to a package Roza bought him for Christmas), he was surprised to discover how painless it was.
“Most clients describe the sensation similar to the feeling of being snapped with a rubber band,” says Shikhar Saxena, M.D., CEO of Milan Laser, which has more than 200 locations across the U.S. and performs over 50,000 treatments a month. “With each laser pulse, our laser uses a cooling spray to safely cool the skin and decrease discomfort,” Dr. Saxena says.
2. It’s ideal for sensitive skin.
Because sweat was getting trapped in his chest hair, Pat started to develop ingrown hairs and fungal infections that caused little white patches to appear on his body. “Imagine you’re sweating under your shirt all day long, and it rubs against your skin, breaking the hair and forming ingrowns,” Roza says. Pat also has sensitive skin, and after waxing, more acne-like bumps would form all over his chest. Once Pat started laser treatments at Milan Laser, his ingrowns—along with his chest hair—started to disappear.
“Laser hair removal is successful in decreasing those issues because it’s precise enough to target the hair follicle and eliminate hair at the root without damaging your skin,” Dr. Saxena explains.
At Milan Laser, guys can feel comfortable knowing that they’re being treated by pros. “We have highly trained medical professionals providing the services that are overseen by a large team of MDs,” Dr. Saxena says. “We provide eye protection and take all necessary precautions, so your treatments are effective yet safe.”
3. It works just about everywhere.
Few areas are off limits. The laser can remove hair from the legs, arms, and underarms to the lip/chin, back, chest, and bikini area—basically anywhere except the scalp and right around your eyes. According to Dr. Saxena, the most common areas men have treatments done are the shoulders, back, chest, abdomen, and buttocks.
It also works on all skin tones as well as most hair hues and types. “There are a few hair colors you can’t treat including, grays and white, and it doesn’t work on peach fuzz,” he says. “But as long as there’s some degree of pigment to your hair, the laser can pick up on that treatment.”
4. It’s quick and requires zero maintenance.
The beauty of laser hair removal is that treatments are fast—like lunch break doable. Smaller areas, such as the upper lip and underarms, can be done in less than 10 minutes. And there’s almost no recovery time, so you can return to work or be active right after treatment. The only thing required: applying sunscreen regularly to protect the treated area.
Unlike other types of hair removal, such as waxing, shaving, or depilatories, laser treatments are permanent—the hair is gone for good. “Our average customer experiences a 95% hair reduction in seven to ten treatments,” Dr. Saxena says. “But because not everyone is the same, if you buy any treatment from Milan Laser, it covers unlimited treatments—so you get as many sessions as you need.”
Pat appreciated how convenient it was. Laser treatments are a permanent solution for unwanted hair—the hair is gone for good. “I’ve never met a guy, including my husband, who did laser hair removal and was like, ‘I wish I had my hair back’,” Roza says.
5. It’s a form of self-care.
Just as Pat was, many men are clueless about this hair removal option. “Guys don’t even know the service exists, and they might be nervous that other men are not getting it done,” Dr. Saxena says. “I can assure you, we treat thousands of men every single month. Investing in yourself and feeling good about yourself is not just limited to the female population.”
As Roza notes, guys sometimes need to be tipped off to all the amazing options in self-care. “Women like giving ourselves TLC—there’s a lot of joy in that,” she says. “It’s something I wanted to give to my husband.”
Click here to learn more about Milan Laser Hair Removal