Laser hair removal is a relatively fast, painless procedure to eradicate unwanted hair growth while requiring less upkeep than other options. Treating smaller areas such as upper lips can take mere minutes; larger body areas could take up to an hour.
Shedding after laser hair removal is an inevitable part of the process, yet can slow your results. Here are some strategies for hastening up this shedding process so you can enjoy smooth skin more quickly.
1. Exfoliate
Shedding after laser hair removal is a natural and gradual process, although it may take longer due to laser treatment’s damage of hair follicles that need time to repair themselves and get ready for new growth.
To speed up this process, exfoliation should be performed regularly. Exfoliating will help remove dead skin cells and unclog hair follicles, making shedding easier. But care must be taken not to overscrub when exfoliating; doing so could irritate both your skin and hair follicles and slow shedding down significantly.
After laser hair removal, it is also important to use a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser in order to maintain proper hydration of the skin and foster its health. Apply it twice daily as recommended – with ingredients like glycerin, jojoba oil or dimethicone being particularly hydrating – in order to achieve best results.
Exfoliating with a loofah, puffy shower sponge or soft wash cloth to gently exfoliate skin can help loosen up dead hairs and release it more easily. However, be careful of harsh scrubs which could irritate and redden skin, and make use of light moisturizer and aloe vera after exfoliating to prevent further dryness of area.
Waxing, plucking or shaving should also be avoided for at least 2-3 weeks post laser hair removal to give time for your follicles to reach anagen stage – this allows laser hair removal to work. If necessary shave lightly and only after you see areas starting to shed.
People undergoing laser hair removal may notice blackhead-like bumps on the area of skin treated, which is normal and will subside shortly after treatment. These blackhead-like bumps represent hair dying and falling out; part of the natural shedding process. It will last several weeks after treatments have concluded before gradually subsiding as your follicles restart their natural growth cycle and produce healthy new hair follicles.
2. Stay Hydrated
Hair removal is an increasingly popular procedure to address unwanted body hair. While there are several methods for hair removal, laser treatments offer permanent results and are safe for all skin types. Shedding after laser hair removal is natural part of the process, however there are ways you can speed it up further.
Exfoliating is an excellent way to remove dead skin cells and speed up the shedding process. A scrub or sugar wash applied directly over treated areas is all that’s necessary, or multiple exfoliations sessions a few times each week after receiving treatments – just remember not to exfoliate within 24 hours as this can cause discomfort!
Staying hydrated after laser hair removal sessions is also highly recommended to help ensure supple and healthy skin as well as to manage pain tolerance more effectively. At minimum 8 glasses of water should be consumed each day and it may also be wise to limit caffeinated beverages and alcohol as these substances can decrease pain tolerance significantly.
After laser hair removal, you should avoid shaving, waxing or plucking as these techniques damage the surface of the skin and can prevent future hair growth. Also follow your laser technician’s recommendations regarding how many treatments will be necessary.
Shedding may last up to 4 weeks following laser hair removal treatment. Your follicles will follow their natural growth cycles during this period, however if you lack patience it might be wiser to look into other forms of hair removal such as electrolysis or waxing.
Be mindful that shedding of your hair is a telltale sign of success in laser hair removal treatments, caused by damage done to hair follicles by laser. Damaged follicles will eventually enter telogen phase where they stop growing and release old anagen hairs back out into the anagen phase, giving way to new ones emerging through.
3. Avoid Waxing or Plucking
Shedding is a natural process designed to remove dead hairs from your skin. Hair grows in cycles and laser treatments disable hair follicles during their anagen phase, prompting them to start shedding dead hairs once growth cycle resumes – this part of laser hair removal typically takes up to four weeks and it is essential to ensure exfoliation, moisturization and avoidance of certain things which could inhibit its progress.
Waxing and plowing should be avoided during the shedding period as this can damage hair follicles and cause ingrown hairs to form, interfering with laser hair removal treatment results. Ingrown hairs may also prevent hair follicles from entering anagen stage and delaying further treatments. It’s best to also refrain from other temporary methods like tweezing or plucking as these could further irritate follicles, slow down future shedding cycles, cause itchy skin damage and make future laser treatments ineffective.
Avoid excessive sun exposure as much as possible to avoid burnt and irritated skin, which may hinder shedding processes and slow them down. Apply a broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30+ on all areas of skin regularly reapply it regularly if necessary.
Skin exfoliation can speed up the shedding process after laser hair removal. To do so, gently scrub the treated area using loofahs or scrubbers until you notice some shedding, giving hair follicles time to recognize that treatment has occurred and release dead hairs from their follicles. However, avoid harsh scrubs or peels which could be too abrasive; alternatively choose fragrance-free body lotion with moisturizing ingredients such as glycerin, jojoba oil, or hyaluronic acid which are found in many body washes and moisturizers on the market.
4. Avoid Sun Exposure
After laser hair removal, sun exposure must be limited for several reasons: UV rays can lead to hyperpigmentation – darkening both skin and hair color simultaneously – as well as cause hair follicles to cease producing new hair growth, so using broad spectrum SPF after treatments is crucial.
If you do decide to venture outdoors, be sure to wear protective clothing such as hats and sunglasses to provide as much coverage as possible. Sunless tanning agents can also be applied directly onto skin in order to maintain coverage without getting burnt by direct sunlight.
After laser treatment, it’s also essential that your skin stays hydrated. A properly moisturized skin will shed dead hairs more readily; so, be sure to drink plenty of water and apply fragrance-free and dye-free moisturizers that contain hydrating ingredients such as glycerin, jojoba oil, hyaluronic acid or dimethicone for maximum benefit.
Laser hair removal requires less upkeep than shaving and waxing due to permanently damaging hair follicles that produce hair growth. However, for best results you’ll still need regular sessions in order to see results.
As you select an appointment time, keep in mind that hair follicles will remain in their anagen phase for approximately two weeks after laser therapy treatment, making the summer months ideal as this prevents them from entering their telogen phase and creating unnecessary redness or patchiness in treated areas.
Hair removal doesn’t need to stand in your way of enjoying all that summer has to offer – simply follow these tips, and your body will soon be hair-free and ready for display!
