As opposed to waxing or plucking, laser hair removal uses light beams to target and destroy individual follicles of unwanted hair follicles. As these intense beams require hair for targeting purposes, it is vital that any area being treated be first shaved before treatment begins.
As soon as your treatment is over, some of the damaged hair may start to fall out as its follicles cease producing it. Therefore, exfoliation before shaving will help ensure a more pleasant shave experience.
Shaving
Laser hair removal uses light energy that targets and heats hair follicles to damage them, thus stopping their production or at the very least producing finer and thinner strands of new growth. After several sessions, hair follicles will either stop growing altogether or produce only minimal new follicles; shaving between sessions will help preserve results and ensure an undesired result is maintained.
Your medical provider will instruct you to shave several days prior to laser hair removal to ensure the hair is at an appropriate length for treatment. Too long-haired areas make laser treatments ineffective; electric razors may cause unnecessary irritation; it is best to use a straight razor instead of electric shaving machines which could cause more severe reactions than expected. Furthermore, waxing or plucking the area before an appointment as it removes roots of hair which interferes with laser treatment and causes further problems for results.
For optimal shave results in between laser hair removal appointments, it is crucial that you use a sharp blade and avoid too frequent shaving sessions. Overdoing it may irritate the skin and increase infection risks; to make things even better you could add quality shaving cream which softens hair for easier shaves.
Once your laser hair removal treatment is finished, you should notice that you no longer require daily shaving sessions to maintain smooth skin. Over time and multiple sessions, it may even become unnecessary! But it is important to remember that hair will still grow back between treatments; in such instances shaves will likely continue to be necessary until they have grown back sufficiently short enough.
After your laser hair removal treatment, it is normal for some of the treated hairs to start coming loose from under your skin – this is a sure sign that it was successful! An exfoliator will help to quickly get rid of any additional hairs that have fallen out from under the skin.
Exfoliation should only be performed once every month to avoid dry and flaky skin, or using too much exfoliant. If your skin feels sensitive following your session, an ice pack is available as a soothing measure. Furthermore, sun exposure should be minimized and regularly sunscreen applied in order to protect the complexion of your skin from its damaging effects.
Waxing
Laser hair removal can be an extremely effective treatment for unwanted body hair, eliminating unwanted locks without harming surrounding skin. However, in order to achieve the best results from laser treatments it’s essential that patients prepare appropriately prior to receiving laser sessions – shaving, waxing or plucking should not be done prior to scheduling an appointment as this will remove hair follicles that render treatment less efficient.
Individuals should shave prior to beginning laser hair removal treatments in order to prepare their skin and reduce discomfort, and increase efficacy by targeting pigment with laser light, which is needed for its effectiveness. Shaving can also reduce ingrown hair risk since shaving prevents excess or short growth from returning too soon after laser removal treatment has finished.
As part of the laser hair removal process, laser light targets pigment found in unwanted hair to destroy it through heat from its beam. Therefore, in preparation for laser treatment it is vital not to pluck or wax prior to treatment, since such methods remove pigment from hair follicles that could reduce effectiveness of treatment by lessening its target effectiveness of laser.
However, if you experience ingrown hair from waxing or tweezing sessions prior to laser hair removal treatments, depilitory creams may help ease irritation until laser sessions have concluded. It is however advised to wait at least until post-laser hair removal sessions have taken place before resorting to other methods as these could interfere with natural growth patterns and postpone the results of treatments.
Laser hair removal offers an effective and permanent solution to unwanted facial and body hair, eliminating the hassle and expense associated with shaving, waxing, and tweezing. If you would like more information on the advantages of laser hair removal in Manhattan’s Upper East Side office of Dr. Green for consultations today!
Epilation
Before going in for laser hair removal sessions, epilation should be avoided at all costs. Removing root-level hair can compromise its efficacy as it exposes more follicles to laser light beams and leaves them more susceptible. If you decide to go ahead with an epilation procedure at least 24 hours before laser sessions.
Before laser treatments begin, it is advised that you refrain from engaging in activities like exercise, hot showers and tanning that cause you to sweat heavily as this creates an environment for bacteria growth and may result in infections or ingrown hairs – so try and refrain until your laser treatments have finished.
Avoid shaving directly after receiving laser therapy to protect the sensitive skin around the area and avoid cutting too close to its surface. If shaved, however, use an extremely sharp blade with gentle techniques – this will minimize discomfort or irritation that might otherwise arise from shaving.
Waxing should also be avoided after laser hair removal as this painful method may interfere with treatment. Waxing works by pulling hairs directly from their roots, making it more difficult for laser beams to target them effectively. Tanning leaves extra melanin on skin that makes distinguishing hair follicles from surrounding tissue more challenging for laser beams.
Shaving too early or soon after your appointment can also alter the results of laser hair removal treatments. Shaving too early exposes too many hairs for laser targeting and diminishes effectiveness; while shaving too soon after your treatment can cause irritation and burns.
Be sure to heed the advice of your laser technician regarding when and how frequently it is safe to shave in between treatments. They will know best what is suitable for your situation and can provide insight as to how many sessions will be necessary in order to achieve desired results.
Hair Removal Cream
Hair removal creams are designed to give you a smooth and hairless appearance between laser treatments. Similar to moisturizers, these products should be applied directly onto the skin with application similar to lotion. Often containing aloe vera, shea butter or glycerin to soothe irritation while simultaneously providing hair follicle removal benefits – however it should be noted that such creams cannot remove permanent follicles so should only be used sparingly.
If you opt for hair removal creams, be sure to use them the night before or day of a laser treatment session. Shaving is also permitted before laser treatments but be wary not to get too close to the skin’s surface; otherwise you risk razor burn.
Avoid waxing after laser hair removal as this will diminish its efficacy. In order for laser treatments to work effectively, their powerful light beams must reach beneath your skin surface to reach all hair follicles; waxing pulls hairs out at their roots – not recommended!
After beginning laser hair removal sessions, it is also wise to avoid plucking or other methods of hair removal as this could impede with its effectiveness. Laser treatment targets hair follicles beneath the skin’s surface while these other methods extract hair at its source – something which could cause issues.
An anagen stage hair growth cycle, when new hairs are actively growing and pushing out older ones that have grown past the skin surface. You can determine if hair is in an anagen stage by inspecting or taking a small sample and shaving.
If your hair has reached the anagen phase, now is an opportune time to schedule your next laser appointment. Your treatment provider can target these newly appearing follicles and eliminate them before they become permanent.
