Body Care Calculators
Hair removal cost comparison.
Put your own prices for razors, waxing, a laser course and a home device side by side to see what each costs over the years and when laser pays for itself against waxing. Arithmetic only; results vary person to person. Runs in your browser.
Your prices
Cost over time
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Worked example
Razors $60 a year; waxing $50 × 9 visits = $450 a year; laser course $900 then 2 touch-ups at $100 = $200 a year from year 2; device $250 plus $20 a year. Over 5 years: razors $300, waxing $2,250, laser $1,700 ($900 + 4 × $200), device $350. Laser overtakes waxing in year 3 ($1,300 against $1,350). Razors are the cheapest on these numbers.
How it works
Cumulative cost after y years: razor = yearly × y; waxing = price × visits × y; laser = course + touch-up price × touch-ups × (y − 1), so the course covers year 1; device = price + extras × y. Break-even is the first year laser costs less than waxing in total.
This compares prices, not results. Cleveland Clinic says laser hair removal is not permanent and that most people see about a 10% to 25% reduction in hair growth after the first treatment, with several months or years without new growth after a full course; so how many touch-ups you will need is your estimate, not something this page can predict. Home devices and razors have their own results and risks. Pricing, time and pain are only part of the choice.
Sources and basis (opened 2026-10-08): Cleveland Clinic, Laser Hair Removal: How it Works & What to Expect.
FAQ
Is laser hair removal cheaper than waxing?
Over enough years it can be, on your numbers. With waxing at $450 a year and a $900 laser course plus $200 a year of touch-ups, laser is cheaper from year 3. With few waxes a year it may never catch up.
Is laser hair removal permanent?
Cleveland Clinic says it is not permanent. Most people see about a 10% to 25% reduction in hair growth after the first treatment, and you may have no new growth for several months or years after the full course.
How do I count the first year of laser?
The course price is counted in year 1 and touch-ups start in year 2. If your course runs longer than a year, adjust the numbers.
Do the results include the time or the pain?
No. Only the money you enter. Time, comfort, skin type and results vary.
Which method is cheapest?
On the default numbers razors cost least over 5 years ($300), then a home device ($350), laser ($1,700) and waxing ($2,250). Replace the defaults with your own prices.
Disclaimer
A cost comparison from numbers you enter, not a recommendation of a method and not medical advice. Talk to a healthcare provider about laser or devices for your skin and hair.