If you’re fed up with razoring, waxing, and other painful and temporary forms of hair removal methods such as laser hair removal, this could be your answer. But before scheduling your appointment there are a few things you should keep in mind first.
Avoid exposure to UV radiation (including tanning beds and self-tanners ) two weeks before laser treatments to minimize discoloration from laser light as well as blisters or excessive pain from treatments. This will ensure maximum results from lasers.
1. Remove All Makeup
Before arriving for your laser hair removal appointment, remove all makeup from the area. Makeup contains ingredients which could interfere with treatment results; these may include sunless tanning products and skin bleaching creams, heavy coverage foundation, perfumed deodorant sprays or perfumed perfume.
Keep any other skincare products, such as moisturizers, away from your Ideal Image Professional until advised by them to use. As they may cause skin irritation and compromise results. Likewise, inform your patient consultant of any medications you are currently taking that could alter how the laser light reacts with your skin.
Plucking or waxing the area should also be avoided as this can damage hair follicles. Instead, shave the area the day of or day before your appointment in order to induce hair follicles into an active growth phase, ideal for laser targeting.
Before your treatment, it is advisable to avoid direct sunlight for at least several weeks, as exposure to its ultraviolet rays could cause your skin to become pigmented and affect its results. If you must go outdoors, always wear an SPF-15+ sunscreen – this will protect both you and your skin from the effects of laser light exposure while still enjoying warm weather activities.
2. Wash Your Face
Laser hair removal works by targeting pigment found within your hair follicles to destroy them, so it’s crucial that any remaining pigment be cleansed away in advance of treatment with mild soap. Therefore, prior to an appointment it’s a good idea to use mild cleanser and avoid tanning both naturally as well as with self-tanners.
Before attending your appointment, shaving the area 24 to 48 hours beforehand can help minimize burn risks during laser sessions. Even though hair follicles are invisibly located beneath pigment, lasers can use pinpoint precision to target them and eliminate them; plucking and waxing both disrupt follicles making it harder for lasers to target unwanted hair beneath.
As well, other hair removal methods that pull from the root, such as waxing, epilating or tweezing should also be avoided, since these disrupt the follicle and prevent it from receiving the laser’s energy, potentially impeding its ability to regrow faster or slowing its pace of growth.
3. Shave the Area
As part of your laser treatment process, it is vital that the area you will be treating be shaved beforehand to reduce risk of burns during treatment and provide your technician with a better view of your skin – but be careful to use only sharp razor blades without creating cuts or nicks!
Plumping and waxing should also be avoided to increase the effectiveness of laser therapy treatments, since lasers work by targeting pigment in your hair’s root; bleaching can alter this target and make laser therapy harder to achieve its goal.
As this treatment involves your pores, it’s wise to avoid using any creams or ointments on the area you will be treating as they can clog them and diminish results. Make sure you gently exfoliate three to four days before your appointment in order to clear away dead skin cells and ensure you take any medications that increase photosensitivity such as antibiotics, Retin-A or aspirin that could increase photosensitivity; alternatively you could try staying out of direct sunlight entirely for two weeks prior to applying sunscreen of at least SPF 30 before starting laser hair removal treatments – and generously apply SPF 30 sunscreen or higher!
4. Avoid Sunlight
Two weeks prior to your appointment, take steps to protect your skin by staying out of direct sunlight (including tanning beds) as this is important in avoiding discoloration from post-treatment skin discoloration. A major sunburn can cause severe discomfort and blistering so avoiding sun exposure altogether is best practice. If necessary, wear high SPF sunscreen covering all exposed areas, applying frequently.
Before your appointment, shave the area to be treated (as directed by your provider). This helps stimulate hair follicles into their active growth phase – something laser treatments target. Furthermore, it’s wise to avoid plucking, waxing or bleaching the area as this could reduce its effectiveness and lessen laser treatments’ efficacy.
As part of your treatment, you may feel heat or tingling and skin that’s warm to touch during this procedure – this is normal, however if it becomes bothersome it is wise to take a break if discomfort or irritated areas emerge; many find taking a cool cloth over these spots helps alleviate any pain felt.
Informing your patient consultant of any medications you’re taking is also recommended, as some may interfere with laser treatment or make you more susceptible to light. If any questions arise during or after your laser session, don’t hesitate to ask. Your consultant will gladly address them and even take pictures before and after so that you can witness first-hand its impact on the area being treated.
5. Avoid Medications
Prior to laser hair removal, it’s essential that both your physician and treatment professional discuss medications that could interfere with its effectiveness or increase complications such as bleeding and bruising, such as skin-lightening creams, anti-inflammatories, blood thinners, or vitamins like Vitamin E.
Before your appointment, it is also advisable to avoid tanning for at least six weeks as this can cause unwanted discoloration of the treated area following treatment. This applies both to tanning beds and self-tanners; and to sunlight altogether as prolonged sun exposure can lead to burns and blisters.
On the day of your appointment, take extra care to shower and clean the area that will be treated. This will remove any lotion, sunscreen or other skincare products from the skin surface that might have accumulated there. Furthermore, avoid using that area for any other purposes on that particular day.
Do not consume caffeine and alcohol as these can dehydrate the body and lead to lower pain threshold and less effective results. Instead, drink plenty of water instead, to ensure healthy skin hydration.
6. Schedule Your Appointment
Are you fed up with shaving, tweezing and waxing your body and face every few weeks? Laser hair removal could be just what’s needed. Quick, affordable and virtually pain-free, lasers offer an alternative that’s quick, affordable and virtually pain-free; making this treatment suitable for upper lips, underarms, legs and bikini areas where unwanted hair might have taken root. Each laser beam penetrates each hair follicle before dismantling it completely so you can enjoy smooth skin for life!
Before your laser hair removal appointment, it is essential that you follow all instructions provided by your technician. These may include what to do and not do; failure to abide by them could have detrimental results and necessitate rescheduling your session for another date.
On the day of your laser treatment, make sure that any makeup and lotions worn on your treated area have been removed prior to showering and washing it thoroughly. In addition, avoid applying creams, deodorant or sunscreen that could affect its drying process as you should wait until after all applications have dried completely before touching it with any creams, etc.
Prior to your first treatment session, it is wise to refrain from plucking or waxing the area for at least six weeks prior to shaving the area – this allows the laser treatment to effectively target its root causes of hair. Incorporating shaving as part of this routine 24 hours prior to each appointment helps stimulate active hair growth phases that the laser can target more effectively.
