Shaving should be performed the night before and/or several hours post-laser hair removal appointment in order to remove surface hair that might cause razor bumps, and allow the laser to target roots directly.
As with any skin condition, skin irritation, redness and bumps may arise. A cool washcloth soaked with aloe vera gel may help reduce these side effects; alternatively Tylenol(r) (acetaminophen) may provide additional pain relief.
Do not tweeze or wax
Once your laser hair removal treatment has concluded, it is wise to refrain from tweezing and waxing for some time afterward. This is due to these methods interfering with lightwaves used during laser treatments that attract hair follicles for destruction; by tweezing or waxing hair at its source you are interfering with this process and increasing scarring or hyperpigmentation, especially on darker skin tones.
Your skin may still be recovering from previous laser treatment sessions and it would be wise to avoid shaving on either the night before or day of your laser session. Premature shaving may result in too-long locks which make laser treatment harder, while shaving too soon after laser sessions could prove irritating as your skin continues its healing journey.
Avoid using any sunless tanning products prior to receiving laser hair treatment as this could darken the skin and impede access for the lasers to the follicles. Also try and limit sun exposure for 10 days beforehand as this will make for easier treatment sessions.
After laser hair removal treatment, affected hairs should begin to shed naturally within 5-14 days after your session. You can speed this process along by using loofahs or gentle scrubs; however, avoid tweezing or waxing these areas as doing so could pull out unaffected follicles that have not been affected by laser energy and cause them to grow back finer, nullifying the results of laser therapy.
Do not shave
Laser hair removal can be an effective alternative for anyone tired of shaving, plucking and waxing unwanted body hair. The process involves directing a powerful light beam through the pigment of hairs to destroy their bulbs; generally six sessions scheduled four to six weeks apart will achieve permanent results. Though shaving in between treatments might seem tempting, doing so would actually impair its efficacy and have negative repercussions for both parties involved in the procedure.
Shaving is only effective at removing hair shafts, leaving roots unaffected, which prevents laser treatments from reaching their full target potential. Tweezing, waxing and picking methods should also be avoided since they can untargeted roots that have been targeted by laser treatments as well as cause skin irritation or scarring.
If you plan to shave, wait a few days post-treatment to allow your skin to recover fully and assess its sensitivity before beginning to shave. Incorporating exfoliation can also help remove any damaged hairs and make shaving more efficient.
After laser treatment, hair may begin to shed within several days – an indication of its success! As hair destroyed by the laser cannot grow back, exfoliating after your treatment may hasten its loss faster. You can speed this process by exfoliating multiple times following each session; though exfoliation isn’t required. You could also apply a cool compress (either using a clean washcloth dampened with cold water or an ice pack-wrapped paper towel compress) for several minutes post treatment to ease any pain or swelling experienced as result of laser treatment.
Do not exfoliate
Utilizing exfoliators to clear away dead skin cells may seem like a great idea after laser treatments, but it should be avoided after. Exfoliation will irritate the treated area and may damage any damaged hair follicles even further – leading to ingrown hairs as a result.
Utilizing an exfoliator designed specifically for sensitive skin can help loosen dead cells and prevent ingrown hairs from forming. Furthermore, it’s best not to shave immediately following laser treatment as doing so can damage hair shafts again, leading to ingrown hairs or razor burn.
After laser treatment, it is also best to avoid plucking hair out with tweezers, wax, or chemical depilatory solutions such as depilatory cream. Pulling will interfere with hair’s growth cycle and could compromise results of future laser sessions; to be safe it’s advisable to wait at least 48 hours before trying these methods once more.
Soon after your laser session, unwanted hairs should start falling out naturally on their own – a sure sign that the hair follicle has been destroyed and cannot regrow hair again. To facilitate the natural process and speed up its progress, avoid scrubbing affected areas with brushes or loofahs as this can irritate the skin and slow the shedding process.
Pepper spots, also known as dead hairs that will eventually shed, may appear on your skin and should not be removed through shaving or waxing; rather, gently buffing with a loofah or soft washcloth can speed up this process and accelerate shedding.
Do not tan
Tannin can decrease the effectiveness of laser hair removal treatments by matching pigment color closer to that of surrounding skin, increasing risk for side effects like hyper-pigmentation. Therefore, tanning should be avoided in the weeks leading up to laser treatments in order to ensure best results.
If you find yourself being drawn towards tanning, broad-spectrum sunscreen will still enable you to fully appreciate summer. Just be sure to apply it generously over any affected areas.
Before your laser treatment, it is advisable to exfoliate the area thoroughly. This will remove any dead skin cells clogging your pores that make it more difficult for the laser beam to access your hair follicles, speed up hair loss, and aid in speeding up hair-shedding afterward. However, please be wary not to overexfoliate as overdoing it can cause irritation.
Right after laser treatment, you may notice some hairs are falling out – this is a good sign! These fallen hairs were damaged by the laser and cannot grow any longer; to speed up this shedding process further you can gently exfoliate using loofahs or washcloths to exfoliate skin gently.
Rejuvenation experts advise spacing laser treatments no sooner than four to six weeks apart to allow your skin time to heal between sessions, and prevent over-treating the same area too quickly. Tweezing, waxing or shaving should be avoided between laser sessions; also avoid self-tanners that darken skin tone as these could impede progress. Rejuvenation experts also suggest not using self-tanners that darken skin tone until after several sessions have taken place in order to provide maximum benefit from treatments.
Do not use topical beauty products
If you have recently undergone laser hair removal, be mindful when using other skincare products on the treatment area. In particular, topical beauty products like makeup or deodorant may irritate or hinder healing while interfering with results of your laser hair removal procedure.
At this time, you should also avoid sun exposure and tanning beds as UV rays can severely harm the delicate outer layers of skin, potentially leading to severe burns with permanent scarring resulting from these wounds. Therefore, it is recommended to stay out of direct sunlight and apply broad spectrum sunscreen after laser hair removal for optimal protection.
After having undergone laser hair removal, it is wise to refrain from tweezing or waxing the area where unwanted hair has been eliminated, as this may disrupt its growth cycle and prompt new hairs to emerge. If necessary, make sure that shave is performed with an electric razor so as to reduce painful ingrown hairs when the shedding process has come to an end.
After receiving laser hair removal treatment, shedding is likely to occur within days or weeks – this indicates that it was successful at eliminating hair follicles. You can accelerate this process by exfoliating regularly around the area being treated.
After your procedure, it is also advisable not to take a hot shower; hot water can dry and irritate the skin, while taking a cool shower is preferable. As an alternative, aloe vera cooling gel could also be applied directly over the treatment area for added cooling relief.
