Laser hair removal works by sending light pulses into the skin that absorb pigment and destroy the hair follicle, leading to finer and lighter-textured regrown hairs than before treatment.
Following laser hair removal treatments, keeping out of direct sunlight is vital in order to protect your delicate skin from hyperpigmentation or more serious side effects.
Sunburn
Laser hair removal uses laser technology to heat and destroy hair follicles that produce unwanted hair, creating an effective yet permanent method for eliminating it from both your face and body. However, after laser hair removal your skin may become particularly vulnerable to sunlight; to keep yourself safe use high SPF sunscreen whenever going outside after laser hair removal treatment.
Niki Garcia of Boom Boom Brow Bar in Greenwich Village explains the significance of staying out of the sun after laser hair removal treatment: “Sun exposure makes healing your skin that much harder; adding further exposure just compounds it further.”
Direct and prolonged sun exposure can result in hyperpigmentation, burns, and other unwanted side effects – as well as increasing your risk for skin cancer.
Laser hair removal involves having a technician place a handheld device against your skin that feels similar to having an elastic band snap on you, creating the sensation that an elastic band was snapped against it. Treatment time may range anywhere between a few minutes and up to an hour, depending on which area is being treated.
While tanning prior to laser hair removal is safe, it isn’t advised. Because the laser’s light targets pigments (like melanin), it becomes harder for it to remove hair from tanned skin; some doctors won’t treat heavily tanned patients for fear of complications.
As part of your laser hair removal treatment, it may be beneficial to shave the area being treated prior to beginning treatment. Niki notes this can make the experience smoother and better for you; afterwards it is wiser to avoid shaving and tanninners in favor of gentle fragrance-free body lotions; additionally a wide-brimmed hat can protect skin while exposed to sunlight; always apply broad spectrum SPF daily!
Hyperpigmentation
As laser heat destroys hair follicles, they’re destroyed too, thus stopping future growth. Unfortunately, however, your skin can also become damaged during this process and you could eventually develop patches of hyperpigmentation as a result. For that reason it’s wise to avoid direct sunlight after laser hair removal sessions for optimal results.
Avoid this issue by scheduling your laser hair removal sessions during winter or in areas not usually exposed to direct sunlight. Also, it is advisable not to waxing, plucking or shaving the treatment area prior to receiving laser therapy as these acts could stimulate regrowth and impair its results.
Always wear broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or greater and apply it every two hours, even on cloudy days. If unsure which type to choose, consult your dermatologist who will recommend one that best fits your skin type.
Keep this in mind before beginning laser hair removal sessions as tanning makes melanin more visible to the laser and therefore harder for technicians to treat – this is one reason why laser hair removal can be more challenging on darker skin tones.
After your laser hair removal session, new growth hairs may begin to sprout around the treated area as your laser targeted only the hairs that were in their active growth cycle at that moment in time.
After laser hair removal sessions, the treated area will initially appear darker and irritated; this should fade and the area should return to its normal color in a few weeks or months; to speed this process along faster, avoid tanning beds and apply a topical cream that lightens this affected area.
Avoid harsh scrubbing or loofah use to clean the area as this will only irritate it further and potentially lead to further damage. If you experience darkening or hyperpigmentation after laser hair removal, consult a dermatologist immediately as they will be able to identify the source of your issues and recommend appropriate solutions.
Infections
Laser hair removal works by sending a beam of light into the skin to damage hair follicles and stop them from producing further hair growth. When this damage occurs, it also affects pigment in these follicles which give skin its color; too much pigmentation in an area treated can cause hyperpigmentation, leading to sunburn as well as scarring, sagging and other cosmetic issues.
Some rules should never be broken; one such instruction is to avoid sun exposure and tanning for 72 hours prior to and two weeks following laser hair removal. You should aim for as untanned of skin as possible so the device used can target melanin in hair without harming or burning your skin.
This is especially crucial for people with darker skin tones, as laser technology advancements have made using lasers on them much simpler for practitioners to do so, yet still run the risk of burning and scarring the skin. Therefore, finding a practitioner experienced in working on all skin types while providing tailored laser solutions to each unique complexion and hair color combination is of utmost importance.
Avoiding direct sunlight may not always be practical, particularly if you live in a warmer climate or work outside. Many individuals must go outside for work and other responsibilities, making reapplying sunscreen with high SPF a necessity to protect skin from UV radiation damage. However, to protect skin from UV rays it’s still vitally important that an SPF 30 or greater sunscreen be applied and reapplied regularly as an essential measure against sunburns and damage from UV radiation rays.
Avoiding sunlight prior and post laser hair removal treatment may seem cumbersome, but it’s absolutely vital for both your health and its results. There are other means of eliminating unwanted hair than laser therapy; for optimal results find a licensed dermatologist or plastic surgeon familiar with treating your specific skin type.
Skin Damage
As soon as laser hair removal, regardless of your skin tone, it is vital to protect it with sunblock with a high SPF rating to avoid permanent sun damage to your skin and potentially risk hyper-pigmentation, burns, scarring or cancer. Apply a good quality sunscreen with UVA/UVB filters regularly in order to safeguard yourself.
Those with darker complexions should also avoid any self-tanners or sunless tanning products prior to laser hair removal sessions as these contain ingredients which could interfere with the light used during laser hair removal, leading to unfavorable reactions such as hyper-pigmentation, scarring and rashes.
As part of the actual laser hair removal process, your doctor will press a handheld device against your skin and activate a laser. You may feel something similar to rubber band snapping against it depending on the size and location of the area being treated; treatment typically lasts anywhere from minutes up to an hour depending on both factors.
After receiving laser hair removal, it will take some time before you notice that the treated hairs have returned to a growth stage. Therefore, it is crucial not to shave or wax this area, as doing so could disturb them and increase risk for hyperpigmentation, rashes and inflammation. It is best to use soothing skin calming creams or topical treatments on this area instead. However, if shave is absolutely necessary then try cutting short as possible without overshaving for best results and do so on an infrequent basis as possible to reduce irritation; your doctor may suggest using shaving gel or moisturizer that best fits with your type and skin condition.
