When we look at the difference between hair removal for men and women, there are two main areas that we need to keep in mind. The first is the hormonal differences between the two and secondly, the psychology.
Hormones is the number one factor that determine hair growth and hair distribution patterns. Therefore, it is not surprising that there are some significant differences. When we have a testosterone dominant system such as that of a man the hair distribution pattern is wider spread, meaning that more of the body is covered in hair. Next to that we also find that we deal with thicker hair as the scales tip more towards testosterone.
Given that the hormonal homeostasis is influenced by so many factors ranging from genes to lifestyle it is no surprise that there are a lot of variations from the average.
In general a male treatment will be for a larger area than a female treatment. This means that you will pulse more times during the treatment session and the treatment will be more taxing on men than on women. It also means that if a treatment is done correctly the average treatment time will be longer for men than for women. When you use a topical anesthetic like Emla, you will have to factor in that the anesthetic must remain active for a longer time. On a small treatment this does not differ between men and women, but if you do a larger area like legs you need to plan for this.
Because hair are thicker and darker on men, men will also experience more sensation during the treatment than women. The thicker, darker hair has more melanin available to convert the light energy to heat. Therefore, you create more heat in the skin of an average male client than a female client. Especially when you deal with facial hair, and have to decrease the energy to prevent possible side effects.
Because of the thicker hair, men usually see more results after the first or second treatment than women. But thereafter it tends to equal out.
The last point we will touch on is the difference in psychology between male and female clients. Men are more outcome driven, where women are more process orientated. In general, men will endure an unpleasant process if they know it will deliver the desired results. Whereas, women need to derive benefit from the process and will then be more willing to accept an outcome that differ from the original expectation.
Therefore, the therapist needs to be aware that a certain type of interaction that is welcomed by female client may cause a level of irritation with male clients. It can also be said that female clients may experience a certain type of interaction that works with male clients, as cold and distant.