After laser hair removal, it’s normal for the treatment area to experience flaky and dry skin – this side effect should diminish on its own over time.
Carefully managing the results of laser hair removal treatment is paramount to achieving optimal outcomes, and here are five tips to ensure this occurs:
1. Avoid Sunlight
As your skin is still healing after laser hair removal, it’s best to limit sun exposure for the first two or three weeks after treatment. UV rays from sunlight can damage skin significantly and increase risk of hyperpigmentation post-laser. If necessary, wear wide-brimmed hats and long sleeves as protection.
As with laser hair removal treatments, tanning should also be avoided prior to and following laser hair removal treatment. Tanning makes skin more vulnerable to heat exposure and may increase risks such as complications or sensitivities after laser treatment. It is advised to stop tanning at least 72 hours prior to your laser session.
If you must venture outdoors after laser hair removal treatment, a sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher and fragrance-free formula are both highly recommended to help minimize redness and inflammation post treatment. You could also purchase tinted moisturizer with SPF.
After laser hair removal treatment, it’s essential to limit excessive touching of the treated area, since its pores will now be open and can lead to the buildup of bacteria and even infections. If itching or burning sensations arise, aloe vera gel or lotion could provide relief.
As part of your recovery plan, it’s advisable to avoid methods for pulling out hair directly from the root like waxing, plucking and tweezing as these may irritate the skin and delay healing processes.
2. Keep Your Skin Moisturized
Moisturizers can help reduce dryness and make laser hair removal treatments less uncomfortable, however after your appointment it’s essential not to use moisturizers on areas that were treated; doing so could irritate the skin and lead to unwanted side effects. Instead, opt for fragrance-free healing ointment on these spots instead.
If your skin feels itchy or inflamed after laser hair removal, this could be a telltale sign of histamine reaction. While uncomfortable, treatment with antihistamines such as Benadryl, Claritin or Zyrtec should work to alleviate symptoms almost instantly; otherwise if these fail, a trip to your dermatologist for prescription may be required to keep you comfortable.
An allergic histamine reaction can be extremely uncomfortable and irritating, so it is crucial that any unnecessary rubbing be avoided in order to minimize further damage. An ice pack should also be applied directly on the treatment area to help ease swelling and decrease pain – this should especially help in the first several hours after exposure.
At first after an appointment, it’s essential to avoid using hot water on the treatment area; hot water can irritate and burn or blister skin, so opt for lukewarm showers or baths for at least the first two days afterward.
Wear loose clothing on the day of your appointment as this may help prevent rubbing against the treatment area – this can especially come in handy if getting laser hair removal treatments on arms or legs.
3. Avoid Heat
Following laser hair removal, it’s essential to avoid heat treatments such as hot showers, baths and steam rooms as well as heating pads that use heat. Heat can irritate the skin resulting in redness or rashes which make healing more challenging.
After your treatment, you should also try to minimize sun exposure for several weeks to protect your skin from potential sun damage. Niki recommends applying broad spectrum sunscreen with both UVA and UVB protection every day–even on overcast days–in order to provide maximum sun protection. When going outdoors in direct sunlight, be sure to cover yourself up using wide-brimmed hats and high SPF sunscreen products.
As part of your treatment, it’s also essential that no lotions or creams be applied directly on the area you intend to treat. Moisturizers, oils, or deodorant could prevent the laser from reaching its goal of getting hair out. Niki advises selecting fragrance-free options with gentle formulations for sensitive skin if choosing skincare products at all – in addition to using aloe vera extract as a moisturizer to maintain skin hydration.
Within weeks after laser treatment, you may experience what appears to be continued hair growth in the area treated. However, this is due to your hair growing in cycles and laser treatment only targeting hairs which are in their active growth phase at this moment in time. Over the next several weeks however, these hairs will begin shedding from their follicles, leaving smooth, hair-free skin in their wake.
To expedite the shedding process, exfoliating can help speed things along. Instead of using exfoliating gloves to exfoliate, try using a washcloth and mild scrub instead to gently exfoliate. This will get rid of dead skin cells that clog the pores while speeding up destruction of hair follicles.
4. Avoid Shaving
Once your laser hair removal session, there will be significant hair shedding afterward. This is completely normal and should continue for the four weeks following treatment, though it may be slightly irritating at times. Although it can be annoying at times, this process helps clear away dead cells that would otherwise clog your pores preparing it for another session of laser hair removal. During this period it’s essential that sunblock is used and any blisters that form are left alone as these are very easily picked at during this stage of recovery.
Shaving is not advised as it may irritate the skin after an appointment and lead to abrasions that reduce future effectiveness of treatments. Therefore, it’s best to let hair fall out naturally over the course of several weeks after your treatment has taken place – something which shaving cannot achieve.
Befor your laser hair removal appointment, it is vital that your skin is clean. Lotions, oils and deodorant must all be eliminated from the area to be treated. Taking a shower or bath using gentle soap or body wash prior to your appointment is also advisable to help rid of excess debris from the skin.
Niki recommends that you use a fragrance-free moisturizer after each treatment session in order to minimize irritation or burning of the skin, and apply aloe vera gel after every shower in order to keep skin hydrated and healthy.
Scheduling your recurring sessions far enough apart will enable your skin to fully recover between appointments, giving your results maximum effectiveness and diminishing any negative side effects from close sessions.
5. Avoid Exfoliating
After your initial laser hair removal treatment, it is normal for blackhead-like bumps to appear on the skin afterward. This is perfectly natural; just hairs targeted by the laser shedding out and falling out from under the skin. Therefore, exfoliation of this area must take place at regular intervals – within 24 hours post appointment being best as any further exposure could cause irritation; we suggest using gentle scrubs, puffy shower sponges or loofahs regularly following laser hair removal appointments in order to speed up their shedding process and prevent ingrowns from appearing beneath.
Following laser hair removal treatments, it’s advisable to avoid skincare products containing exfoliants, alcohol-based toners or harsh astringents for several days afterward. Exfoliation may further irritate sensitive skin and could potentially prolong healing processes; use gentle, soothing products until your skin has fully recovered.
Wear loose, comfortable clothing when attending your laser hair removal appointment to avoid rubbing and irritation at the treatment area and to keep your skin comfortable and satisfied with results. By following these simple guidelines, laser hair removal should provide optimal results – giving you smooth skin in no time at all! Not to mention saving money with less shaving and waxing products needed over time — making the short-term discomfort worth your while and expanding skincare routine!
