Hair grows in cycles, and laser treatment works best when delivered at its active growth phase. Therefore, for maximum effectiveness it’s wise to wait six weeks between plucking/waxing/shaving of targeted areas before scheduling laser treatments – shaving is allowed but must take place prior to attending treatment appointments.
Sunburned skin cannot be treated using laser treatment.
Preparation
Laser hair removal is an innovative solution to permanent hair reduction. As an alternative to shaving or waxing, which may lead to razor burns, ingrown hairs, skin discoloration and cost more money in time and expense, laser hair removal offers faster, safer and less painful hair removal methods than any other form. One survey estimated that women spent an average of 72 days shaving their legs.
Before beginning laser hair removal treatments, it’s essential that the treatment area be prepared appropriately. Avoid plucking and waxing for at least four to six weeks prior to your appointment as these methods remove hair follicles and roots that make laser treatment harder to target. Shaving is acceptable as long as it occurs at least 24 hours before. Doing this enables laser technology to easily locate hidden follicles underneath hair stubble.
Before your treatment, it’s wise to stay out of the sun or use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher protection – sunlight’s UV rays may make the skin sensitive to laser light, leading to potential discoloration afterward.
On the day of your treatment, it’s advisable to exfoliate your treatment area to help slough away dead skin cells and help minimize redness and sensitivity following your session. However, be wary of rubbing this area before and during treatment sessions – you might cause more harm than good!
As part of your laser treatment, using a facial cleanser with lukewarm water is recommended to cleanse the treatment area. Lotions or ointments that could interfere with results should also be avoided as these could impede results of the laser procedure. Furthermore, any medications such as aspirin or anti-inflammatory drugs should be disclosed prior to your appointment so your practitioner can discuss its impact on effectiveness of laser therapy treatment.
Treatment
Laser hair removal is an efficient, quick, and safe method of permanently eliminating unwanted body hair. A laser emits light energy directly into your follicles which converts to heat energy that destroys them – effectively stopping future hair growth while providing an indefinite solution to shaving, waxing, or plucking – becoming one of the most sought-after cosmetic procedures performed across America today.
To get optimal results, an initial series of treatments may be required. Depending on the area and skin tone of your unwanted hair, three to eight sessions could be enough to significantly decrease unwanted strands. It may also be beneficial to schedule maintenance sessions once or twice every year in order to maintain a smooth, hairless surface.
At your treatment session, you will lie on a table while the laser hair removal machine is placed atop of your skin. A light beam will emit short pulses of laser energy into your surface skin and down into hair roots to target pigment and destroy follicles. While you may feel some light pulses against your skin during treatment, this should not be painful and very tolerable.
Remembering to show up for appointments is of utmost importance for successful laser hair removal, as is refraining from waxing or plucking for approximately two months before attending your laser hair removal appointment. Shaving will also be required before going in as this helps avoid thermal injury to the surface of your skin while creating a shorter path for laser to penetrate deeper into hair root follicles for faster laser treatments.
Avoid tanning and wear at least an SPF 30 sunscreen whenever going outdoors to reduce your risk of hypopigmentation (light spots) and burns in the area being treated by laser hair removal. After receiving your procedure, make use of cool compresses or an ice pack several times a day in the initial few days to minimize swelling and irritation; and for best results refrain from excessive sweating and exercise in subsequent weeks.
Post-Procedure Care
After laser hair removal, you’re likely to experience redness, bumps and swelling – this is normal and should subside quickly for most. Cooling aloe vera gel or cream may help alleviate symptoms; other people take painkillers such as Tylenol as needed to ease any discomfort that arises.
Before beginning laser treatment, it is recommended to remove makeup and cream products from the area that will be treated, as this could interfere with its results. Also avoid tanning beds and prolonged sun exposure before your laser session as these can prevent the laser from targeting hair follicles in which pigment exists.
Before your appointment, it is also essential to shave the area that will be treated. While it might seem counterproductive, shaving allows laser treatments to more effectively target hair roots than waxing or plucking treatments can. Furthermore, waxing or plucking your hairs could uproot its follicle and prevent it from being targeted by laser treatment.
Hair follicles affected by laser treatment will take several days or weeks to shed off, which may appear like continued hair growth on dark skin. To expedite the shedding process, exfoliate regularly; just be sure not to exfoliate within 24 hours after an appointment as this could irritate it further. You could also use scrubs or sugar washes with washcloths in circular movements between laser sessions as another means of exfoliation.
Schedule appointments about 8-10 weeks apart to maximize results, and always arrive for them on time; missing an appointment could cause the hairs that were eradicated by laser to regrow.
Between sessions, it’s also best to avoid tweezing or plucking hairs as this increases your risk of complications such as hyperpigmentation. Instead, continue shaving the area; your laser specialist should provide you with a suggested schedule for subsequent treatments.
Follow-Up
Laser hair removal offers a permanent solution to unwanted hair growth, though multiple treatment sessions over several years may be necessary for long-term effects to appear. To maximize results and ensure the best possible outcomes, work with an experienced provider and follow their instructions as closely as possible for maximum effectiveness.
At your consultation, it is important to be truthful about your medical history and current health status in order for the provider to determine if laser hair removal is right for you. Also discuss expectations and goals regarding this procedure with them, then read through all available materials to gain a full understanding of what’s involved.
Prior to your laser hair removal appointment, it is best to avoid using lotions or other skin products on the area being treated, as this could obstruct its laser beam from reaching its source. Furthermore, waxing and plucking should also be avoided, since both methods disrupt hair follicles which could adversely impact results.
On the day of your treatment, it is best to arrive with clean skin in the area being addressed in order to allow the laser more easily access to hair follicles. Showering before your appointment may also prove useful.
Once treatment begins, expect some redness and swelling in the treated area, with possible blistering. When completed, use moisturizing cream or aloe vera to soothe skin after application of treatment has completed; additionally, avoid excessive sun exposure; in such instances a strong sunscreen should be worn to protect from sun’s harmful UV rays.
After four weeks have passed, you should begin to witness the benefits of laser hair removal. Follicles that were damaged by laser will begin shedding and falling out – it is recommended to exfoliate affected areas several times weekly using washcloth and scrub wash for speedier results; this will prepare hair follicles for future treatments.
