Although you may want to bask in the sunshine after laser hair removal, UV rays should be avoided as this could interfere with your body’s healing process and lead to unattractive discoloration of your skin.
Tannished skin does not respond as effectively to this procedure, which is why it’s best to have it performed during winter months.
Avoid Sun Exposure
One of the key rules when it comes to laser hair removal is avoiding sun exposure before and after treatments. This rule is especially important for those with darker skin tones as exposure causes their body to become heat sensitive, potentially leading to adverse reactions during laser sessions or increasing risk of complications like discoloration and hyperpigmentation.
Before going in for laser hair removal, it’s essential that two weeks are passed without tanning – this includes prolonged sunlight or tanning beds – regardless of season. Failing to comply can have serious repercussions – the skin must remain untanned in order for treatment to work effectively.
Laser hair removal devices use light energy to heat and destroy hair follicles, using light-absorbed by melanin molecules to abrade away hair and surrounding skin cells. If your skin is tanned, however, the laser won’t penetrate deep enough into its target follicles to achieve total destruction of all of them – leading to regrowth or ingrown hairs in later years.
Tanned skin can also become vulnerable to sun damage following laser treatment, with its energy transferred directly onto the surface of the skin resulting in burns, scarring or hyperpigmentation – increasing risk of cancerous development as a result.
Prior to laser hair removal, it’s essential to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30 protection and wear loose clothing such as a hat or long-sleeved shirt for sun protection and prevention of ingrown hairs.
When considering laser hair removal, winter months tend to be optimal as less sun exposure reduces risks like discoloration caused by direct sunlight exposure. While summer treatment could still be effective in certain instances, choosing to have different areas treated may lower risks associated with discoloration from direct sunlight exposure and reduce complications that could arise as a result.
Wear Sunscreen
Laser hair removal utilizes light energy to destroy hair follicles responsible for growing hair, using pigment in these follicles as targets of laser energy and instantly vaporizing them. Skin tone plays a significant role in how successfully lasers target only hair rather than surrounding tissue; people with dark hair and light skin often see superior results.
If you are considering laser hair removal, consult with a board-certified dermatologist with experience performing it on your specific skin type. Also avoid spas and salons offering these treatments that use nonmedical personnel who could cause unevenness in tone or other complications with nonmedical personnel administering treatments, which could result in uneven tone or other complications.
At your consultation appointment, your doctor will go over treatment options and costs before prescribing one or more courses of action. A wide-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher should also be worn daily even after being treated by laser. When it comes time for treatment itself, lie or sit while practitioner applies cooling gel or spray before passing a laser beam over your targeted body area, creating sensations similar to rubber band snapping or sunburn-like sting. As hair is vaporized by its energy you might hear puffing noises as hair vaporizes by its energy – treatments can take minutes for smaller areas like upper lip areas while treatments for larger areas like backs and legs may take more than an hour of laser energy vaporizing hair from its root source.
Following treatment, it’s common for your skin to feel itchy and pink for several days following therapy, while its treatment site might appear red and swollen at first – applying ice can help relieve some discomfort in this regard; after some time has passed though, redness should begin fading and any related itching should decrease substantially.
After laser hair removal, it is recommended that you use broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher sunscreen daily and avoid direct sunlight for at least six weeks afterwards. In addition, tanning beds should also be avoided and continued using sunscreen may help.
Avoid Sunburns
Laser hair removal is an increasingly popular cosmetic procedure and can effectively rid unwanted body hair, alleviate skin conditions such as folliculitis and discoloration associated with hair growth, reduce shaving needs and shaving-waxing/depilation needs and even eliminate the need for shaving, waxing/depilation. Unfortunately, sun exposure poses a considerable risk to this process so it’s wise to avoid getting sunburnt during or immediately before treatment.
Before considering laser hair removal, it’s best to wait until your skin has become completely tanned or dark brown before considering laser treatment. Furthermore, it would be wise to avoid the sun or tanning beds in the weeks leading up to laser sessions as dark skin tends to make this treatment less effective because its light cannot reach into darker hair follicles effectively.
Before your laser hair removal session, make sure that two to three days before shaving the area that will be treated, you discontinue plucking, tweezing or waxing that area and wear eyeglasses or goggles as protection from its laser beam.
As part of your procedure, you’ll sit comfortably on a treatment chair while your practitioner applies topical anesthetic before using laser light to heat up pigment and damage hair follicles – stopping future hair growth and saving you from future treatments. Depending on the size of the treatment area, this could take anywhere between minutes and an hour for full effectiveness.
Following treatment, your skin may become red, swollen and uncomfortable. To promote healing and protect it from further sun exposure, it’s wise to apply a cooling compress and avoid sun exposure until your body heals completely.
Your doctor will provide you with instructions before and after laser hair removal treatments, and it’s essential that you follow all of these to minimize risks and side effects. A series of four or six weekly sessions might be required before all hair is permanently gone; furthermore, annual touch-up sessions might be necessary post-initial sessions as well. It is imperative that all instructions given by a dermatologist prior to starting any laser treatments or touch-ups.
Avoid Sunburn-Related Symptoms
Laser hair removal involves using a laser beam to target and destroy hair follicles that cause unwanted hair growth, most effectively on dark-haired individuals with pale skin. Sun exposure has the ability to displace treatment intervals, rendering laser sessions less effective. Furthermore, prolonged sun exposure increases your chances of experiencing other adverse reactions like burns and hyperpigmentation.
If you are considering laser hair removal, it’s best to avoid direct sun exposure for several weeks prior to making an appointment. Heat from the sun makes your skin extra sensitive, increasing your risk of burns or hyperpigmentation as a side effect of treatment.
However, that doesn’t mean you should avoid going to the beach altogether; just ensure to protect your skin with sunscreen and limit how long you spend in direct sunlight. Tanning can also be damaging for your health so try and limit how often you tan.
Follow your practitioner’s instructions precisely during laser hair removal in order to avoid sun-related problems, and shave and treat only areas being targeted, while refraining from applying lotions, perfumes or products containing sunscreen to the area being treated. They might also advise against other methods of hair removal, like plucking or waxing four weeks prior to their session.
Be sure to apply a broad-spectrum SPF daily, even on cloudy or overcast days, and wear clothing such as wide-brimmed hats, long pants or skirts when heading outdoors as these will help shield your skin from direct sunlight.
Laser hair removal can be an excellent solution for those seeking to rid themselves of unwanted body hair. It reduces the need for depilation while saving both time and money on shaving, waxing and other hair removal methods such as shaving. However, it is essential to remember that sun exposure or excessive UV rays must be avoided prior to and post laser hair removal; otherwise it could reduce its effectiveness and could lower results significantly.
