Laser hair removal works by targeting individual follicles with light. For it to find and destroy them, the hair must first be present; so shaving must take place prior to an appointment. Avoid waxing, plucking or other methods of hair removal in the days prior.
As hair growth cycle requires time for full effect, treatment may require several sessions over multiple weeks; touch ups may also be required on an annual basis.
Shaving
Shaving the area you plan to treat with laser hair removal will aid the process and make it more effective. The laser light needs to see below the surface in order to effectively target follicles that need treating; shaving can help it do just this. It also prevents overly long hairs from getting burned by the laser which could singe and burn skin while becoming extremely uncomfortable for you during treatment.
Shaving should take place either the night before, or the morning of, your laser hair removal appointment. In addition, waxing or plucking disturbs follicles which makes it harder for laser treatments to target hair beneath the surface. If unable to shave prior to laser hair removal sessions, depilatory creams are an alternative way to effectively eliminate hair before treatment begins.
Laser hair removal treatments may cause an area to feel sensitive or itchy for several hours post-treatment, although this usually subsides on its own within several days. You should wait several days before shaving that area again as too rapid shave will likely irritate it and hinder your technician in accurately determining its sensitivity.
Before shaving, another factor to keep in mind is that your skin could become dry due to shaving’s removal of oils from your skin. If this occurs during laser hair removal treatment, it could result in itchy and irritated reactions during or shortly afterward that will prevent technicians from accurately assessing if your skin is sensitive and assess whether additional steps need to be taken post-treatment.
Waxing
Utilizing razors, shaving cream or waxing to remove unwanted hair can result in temporary skin grazes that don’t hurt too much, yet still cause discomfort. Laser hair removal offers permanent relief by permanently eliminating razors and waxing as an unnecessary inconvenience.
Prior to laser hair removal appointments, keeping the area of treatment clean and exfoliated is key in order to remove dead cells and skincare products that could interfere with laser’s ability to reach pigment in hair follicles. Shaving before your appointment can reduce risks of burn or scarring during laser process while plucking or waxing can disrupt hair follicles compromising results.
If you choose to shave before your appointment, use a new razor and follow the grain when shaving. Be wary of using straight razors as this could cause redness, irritation or ingrown hairs in areas being treated.
Avoid tanning for one month prior to your appointment as this can increase photosensitivity and make skin burn more quickly during treatment. In addition, any products designed to darken skin should also be avoided since these could interfere with laser’s ability to treat hair follicles effectively.
Plucking and waxing should be avoided before beginning laser hair removal treatments as lasers target each hair follicle at its root; otherwise they will not be effective against any pulled-out hairs that have been plucked. Therefore, six weeks should pass between each session of plucking/waxing for laser treatments to allow your laser treatments to take effect effectively.
Bleaching
Laser hair removal works by targeting the pigment and color of hair follicles, so it’s crucial that any bleached areas before laser treatment don’t alter their pigment and thus stop functioning properly. Shaving 24 hours prior to your session helps minimize burn risks during treatment, as does not bleaching of any sort.
On the day of your appointment, it is wise to avoid applying lotions or skin products to areas being treated, as this could impede its results. Makeup and other items containing ingredients known to cause photosensitivity should also be avoided in order to decrease light sensitivity during laser hair removal treatments.
Before going in for laser hair removal, it’s also wise to avoid direct sunlight and self-tanning products two weeks prior, as this may compromise results and cause discoloration of treated areas. The laser’s ability to target color and pigment of your hair would become much harder if tanning had occurred in that location.
Before getting laser hair removal, plucking, waxing and bleaching should all be avoided to allow for effective treatment by the laser. As these processes remove hair at its roots, it prevents the laser from targeting that specific follicle for removal. It is advised to discontinue all three processes four to six weeks prior to your laser appointment in order to have healthy follicles for treatment by the laser; and to wait at least until afterward before bleaching again.
Moisturizer
As part of your preparation for laser hair removal, it’s wise to moisturize your skin regularly and wear at least a 30 SPF sunscreen daily – this can help protect against drying out and itching in the days post treatment; however, avoid applying heavy moisturizing lotion on the day of your appointment, as this could compromise results.
Instead, it may be beneficial to utilize a light cleansing gel like SkinResourceMD’s Total Facial Cleansing Gel as this will act as a lubricant and allow your razor to glide more freely across the skin, potentially reducing both cuts and irritation.
Shaving right before laser hair removal appointments should be avoided to avoid damaging hair follicles and potentially hindering treatment outcomes, leading to pain and discomfort for you as well as possible side effects from other methods like waxing or plucking. It is advisable to shave 24 hours prior to the scheduled laser hair removal session.
Before receiving laser treatments, it is also recommended to forgo taking any photosensitive medicines (including benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid or retinol) which increase photosensitivity – this will protect both your skin and maximize results from laser therapy.
Before your appointment, it is also essential that you remain well hydrated by limiting caffeine and alcohol consumption. This will keep your body hydrated while helping you feel less anxious during the procedure; then relax and enjoy it – results may come sooner and more effectively than expected!
Sunscreen
Shaving, waxing and plucking hair can be time consuming and unnecessary. There is another solution available that could save time and money: laser hair removal. Before booking an appointment at your local spa for treatment however, here are a few things you should keep in mind to get optimal results from laser treatment:
Before beginning laser hair removal treatments, it’s essential to avoid sun exposure. Sunlight exposure can cause your hair follicles to change their pigment and this could compromise the results of treatment, especially for darker skin tones which often experience sunburn-like side effects after receiving laser sessions.
Similar to fake tanners and tanning beds, fake tanners and self-tanners should also be avoided as these products can also contribute to skin discoloration after laser treatments. As these products contain melanin that interferes with laser’s ability to target hair follicles for destruction.
Avoid any lotions, oils or perfumes before attending your laser hair removal appointment as these substances may irritate the area and create discomfort for both yourself and your practitioner.
Whenever venturing outdoors, be sure to apply plenty of SPF-rich sunscreen and wear protective gear like wide-brimmed hats and long pants or sleeves as this will help guard against UV rays.
Your hair follicles should begin falling out 3-30 days post laser hair removal treatment session, though this process may cause discomfort for some individuals. Just remain patient, and soon enough you will witness all unwanted hair disappear forever!
