Laser hair removal kills unwanted facial hair at its source, permanently. After one session of laser hair removal, there will no longer be any need to wax, shave or pluck your facial hair again!
However, to ensure the laser hair removal treatment goes as smoothly as possible and ensure its success. Here are a few pointers on how you can best prepare yourself.
Preparation
Laser hair removal is one of the most sought-after non-invasive cosmetic procedures for eliminating unwanted facial hair. The process is quick, painless, and efficient at targeting roots of hair growth to destroy it directly – with results often visible after only one session; depending on your skin and hair type you may require multiple sessions in order to reach that smooth and beautiful look you seek. Before your first session begins there are a few things you should do in preparation.
Make sure your face is free of makeup when arriving for an appointment, and avoid using creams and lotions in the area being treated, as this could compromise results. Also avoid sun exposure as laser hair removal does not work effectively on tanned skin. Finally, it is wise to apply sunscreen daily after treatment especially on areas treated.
Shaving is recommended before any laser hair removal appointment as this allows the laser to easily locate hair follicles while avoiding burning any other parts of your skin.
Your laser treatment may cause slight discomfort; its intensity will vary from person to person and typically does not lead to pain. To manage the level of discomfort during laser treatments, simply adjust your position or reapply cooling gel as necessary.
Your skin may become sensitive and red after treatment, similar to having suffered mild sunburn. This is perfectly normal and should dissipate within several hours; if discomfort remains, topical cream such as Simplicity’s Restorative Gel, aloe vera gel, calamine lotion or hydrocortisone could provide some relief.
After your treatment, avoid tweezing, plucking or waxing the area as this can harm hair follicles and cause it to grow back more rapidly. If redness or swelling persists beyond 72 hours of initial application of treatment, consult a board-certified dermatologist such as Azadeh Shirazi MD; she specializes in medical, surgical and cosmetic skin care.
Shaving
Laser hair removal offers men whose skin can tolerate shaving a superior solution over waxing or depilatories, eliminating the need to purchase expensive razor blades, creams, waxes and depilatories while providing more permanent solutions. A long pulsed Nd:YAG laser targets unwanted hair roots to stop future growth without harming the skin, hopefully leading to reduced ingrown hairs over time and lasting reduction in hair growth permanently.
To achieve optimal results from laser hair removal treatments, it is recommended that you refrain from shaving, tweezing and waxing in the months prior to receiving treatment. Such hair removal techniques tend to remove hair above the surface but leave its root intact, making it harder for lasers to target and destroy it. Furthermore, hair growth cycles differ in each follicle’s development so multiple treatments may be required in order to permanently reduce or stop hair growth.
When shaving, it is crucial to use only sharp razors and to shave with the grain rather than against it in order to avoid cuts that could cause infection or irritation. Electric razors offer more precise shaving that can help minimize razor bumps; additionally using moisturizer can prevent dry skin conditions that arise as a result.
On the days and weeks leading up to laser hair removal treatment, it is crucial that both men and women refrain from tweezing, plucking, waxing or other methods that remove hair above the surface of your skin like tweezing, plucking or waxing, which do not kill the root and may reactivate unwanted follicles. Furthermore, any use of sunless tanning products on treatment day could darken skin tone, interfering with light pulses used during this procedure and potentially interfering with light pulses during this procedure.
Waxing
Face shaving can be one of the most delicate processes on our bodies, leading to razor burn or even nicks if performed too quickly or with an inadequate blade. To ensure optimal results during laser hair removal sessions, it’s wise to shave desired areas a few hours or even overnight prior to treatment in order to eliminate hairs above skin surface and minimize irritation during treatment sessions.
Idealy, moisturizer should also be avoided after shaving as this could affect your results in both during and post laser sessions. Instead, soothing aloe vera or calamine creams can be applied after shaving to help soothe inflammation and redness, or an electric razor may be better to avoid bumps altogether.
For optimal safety and success during laser hair removal sessions, it’s essential that you stop waxing or plucking facial hair six weeks before an appointment so that the laser can accurately identify each hair follicle and destroy it without causing damage to any surrounding skin cells.
Laser hair removal sessions come equipped with protective eyewear to make sure that light is not directly in front of your eyes, and an application of cooling gel or numbing cream to reduce discomfort. Many individuals experience slight redness or swelling post-treatment that resembles mild sunburn; this typically lasts 72 hours post-treatment but can be eased using cold compresses, topical aloe vera cream or topical calamine lotion.
Laser hair removal treatments spread out over several months can dramatically decrease the thickness of unwanted facial hair, leaving behind smooth and soft skin. Though most people experience permanent reduction, fluctuating hormones may cause some hairs to return between sessions; so touch-up treatments may be required occasionally; nevertheless, you should notice an immediate difference in hair thickness after just the first few sessions!
Tweezing
Medical experts often recommend that patients prior to having laser hair removal sessions avoid waxing, epilating, and plucking as these methods remove hair at its source, leaving the laser no chance to target it. Shaving should also be avoided since shaving removes oil from your skin’s surface; without enough oil present it can make reaching hair follicles difficult for the laser.
Ideally, shaving prior to laser treatment should only take place several days prior in order to ensure that hairs are of an appropriate length and do not cause thermal injury to the surface of your skin, leading to itching and redness. Therefore, waiting until this area has healed completely before shaving again is advised.
Prevent skin photosensitivity by not using skincare products such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid and retinol prior to your laser hair removal treatment. These can increase photosensitivity, which will impede its ability to target hair follicles effectively. This includes any facial products containing benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid or retinol.
After your laser treatment, hair follicles that were destroyed may seem to grow back thicker than before due to taking longer than expected to shed from your skin’s surface. Exfoliating affected areas every couple of days can speed this process and lessen new growth from appearing.
Laser hair removal has been proven more successful than other popular techniques for eliminating unwanted facial hair. A study comparing needle electrolysis, hot wax and laser treatments showed that facial hair was reduced by nearly 80% after five sessions using laser.
Before embarking on any laser hair removal treatments, always consult a licensed professional first. They’ll assess your skin and suggest the optimal procedure to meet your desired outcomes; those with darker complexions may require multiple sessions before witnessing its full benefits on their faces.
