Halloween at Laser Me Out: 9 scary stories we hear every week

Werewolf stubble, radioactive lasers and hair that comes back from the dead. Happy Halloween from Laser Me Out.

Every October, the same things come out of the cupboard. Pumpkins. Fake cobwebs. That one witch's hat that has survived six parties and will absolutely survive a seventh.

And at our clinics, the same stories come out too.

“My aunty said laser burns.”

“My friend said it doesn't work on brown skin.”

“I read somewhere it gives you cancer.”

We hear them across the reception desk in Marylebone, Monument and Birmingham every single week. Usually whispered. Often from someone who has been shaving every morning for ten years because of one thing they heard once.

So this Halloween, we asked the team for the spookiest stories they hear. Here are our top nine, the short truth behind each one, and where to read the full answer if you're brave enough. Grab a torch.

The quick version (for the skimmers)

• Shaving doesn't make hair thicker. It just leaves a blunt tip.
• There's no evidence laser causes cancer.
• Laser works on dark skin, as long as it's the right laser.
• Most people describe it as a light snap, not agony.
• You'll need a course, not one session.
• Hormonal hair can be reduced, sometimes with top-ups.
• Laser is for everyone, at the same price.
• You can start any time. Now happens to be a very good time.
• Home kits are weaker, and bargain-bin deals can cost you twice.

1. The werewolf

The story: “Shave it and it comes back thicker, darker and hairier.”

You shave on Sunday. By Wednesday, something has moved in. Full moon behaviour. But a razor only cuts the hair at the surface. It never touches the follicle, which is where thickness and colour are decided. Stubble just feels coarser because the tip is blunt. It's an illusion, not a transformation. In fact, shaving is the right prep for laser, which is why we sell our own razor.

Full answer: Hair Removal Myths, Busted

2. The radioactive monster

The story: “Laser is radiation. It'll give you cancer.”

“Radiation” is a scary word, but not all radiation is the same. X-rays and the sun's UV rays are the kinds that can damage DNA. Hair removal lasers use non-ionising light that turns into heat at the hair follicle, and there's no evidence it causes skin cancer. The real villain here is the sun, so keep wearing your SPF.

Full answer: Laser Hair Removal Side Effects, Debunked

3. The old curse

The story: “Laser doesn't work on brown skin.”

This one had some truth to it once. Older lasers struggled to tell hair pigment from skin pigment, and a lot of people with brown and Black skin were turned away or treated badly. The technology has moved on. Our Soprano Titanium includes the 1064nm wavelength, suited to tanned and melanin-rich skin, and every new client has a consultation and patch test first. South Asian, Southeast Asian and Black skin isn't an exception at LMO. It's our everyday.

Full answer: Laser hair removal for darker skin

4. The horror film

The story: “It hurts. Like, really hurts.”

People picture a slasher film. The reality is a lot more boring, in the best way. Most clients describe a light snap, like a rubber band on the skin, and the Soprano Titanium has built-in contact cooling. Honestly, the scariest part is usually the nerves in the waiting room.

Full answer: Where Is the Most Painful Area for Laser Hair Removal?

5. The magic spell

The story: “One session and you're smooth forever.”

We wish we had a wand. Laser only treats hairs in their active growth phase, and only some of your hairs are in that phase at any one time. That's why a course works and one session doesn't. Many clients notice a difference after the first session, with hair coming back finer and patchier as the course goes on. See it for yourself on our before and after page.

Full answer: Laser Hair Removal Myths That Stop People from Booking

6. The hormone phantom

The story: “Nothing works on hormonal hair.”

PMOS, the new name for PCOS since May 2026, often drives coarse, stubborn hair on the chin, jaw, chest and tummy. Laser can reduce it. The honest part is that hormones can wake up new follicles over time, so some people need occasional top-ups. This one is personal for us: our founder, Shireen, has PMOS and built Laser Me Out because she knows exactly how that hair feels.

Full answer: Laser hair removal for PCOS and PMOS

7. The locked door

The story: “Laser is a women-only thing.”

Nobody told the men who book with us every day. Laser is for him, her and them: backs, chests, bacne-prone skin and razor-sharp beard lines. We also offer gender-affirming laser care. And everyone pays the same. No gender surcharges, ever.

Full answer: Beard Sculpting with Laser Hair Removal

8. The full moon rule

The story: “You can only start laser at a certain time of year.”

There's no magic month. What matters is avoiding fresh tans and strong sun around your sessions. That said, right now is a brilliant time to start: less sun while you're mid-course, and you'll be well into your sessions by summer.

Full answer: Start Laser Hair Removal in September

9. The cheap potion

The story: “A home kit or a bargain voucher does the same job.”

Home devices are weaker by design, so results are slower and harder to see. Rock-bottom deals carry their own risks: rushed appointments, no patch test, or a machine that isn't right for your skin. Then you pay again somewhere else to do it properly. Every LMO appointment includes dry brushing to prep the skin, because the small details make the biggest difference.

And one truth that isn't a myth

Laser targets the pigment in your hair, so it works best on dark, coarse hair. Blonde, red and light brown hair is less suitable, and grey or white hair has too little pigment for laser to work. If that's you, we'll tell you straight at your consultation rather than take your money. That's not scary. That's just how we do things.

Still nervous? Read these next

• What Really Happens at Your First Laser Hair Removal Consultation
• Your First Laser Hair Removal Session: Everything You're Wondering
• Meet the Laser Me Out Therapists
• 1,000+ Google Reviews: What Our Clients Really Think

Trick or treat yourself?

Your razor has haunted you long enough. Leave the myths in the graveyard and come and see us for a consultation and patch test. No pressure, no tricks, no laser chop shop.

All three clinics are open 9am to 9pm, seven days a week. See every package on our pricing page and spread the cost with Klarna or Clearpay.

• Marylebone (Baker Street): 146 Marylebone Rd, London NW1 5PH. Book at Marylebone
• Monument: 36 St Mary at Hill, London EC3R 8DU. Book at Monument
• Birmingham: 271 Hagley Rd, Birmingham B16 9NB. Book at Birmingham

Got a story we didn't cover? Message us on WhatsApp or call 020 7788 4712. No question is too spooky, and we actually reply.

Happy Halloween from all of us at Laser Me Out. 🎃