Laser hair removal will leave your skin red-raw, so using a soothing moisturizer is an ideal way to soothe it. Furthermore, hot showers, tubs, saunas or heating pads should be avoided in order to minimize further irritation; opt instead for taking cool showers instead.
Exfoliation is essential for healthy skin, but excessive exfoliating can be detrimental. Here are a few tips to help you exfoliate without harming the newly radiant surface of your new, smooth skin.
Exfoliate Gently
Exfoliation is important in helping remove dead skin cells that trap hair follicles and cause ingrown hairs, but overdoing it could harm your skin. Therefore, after laser hair removal it’s recommended that exfoliation be performed gently using soft washcloths, an exfoliating glove, puffy shower sponges, loofahs or soft loofahs along with your normal body wash or lotion; you could also try products containing gentle chemicals such as lactic acid to ensure the best possible skin smoothness post laser hair removal.
Squeezing or plucking at blackhead-like bumps that emerge after laser treatment may seem tempting, but this can cause irritation, infection and ingrown hairs – not to mention disrupt the natural cycle of hair growth that could prevent future treatments from working effectively.
After receiving laser therapy, your skin may experience redness and itchiness which should gradually subside with aloe vera gel or moisturizer application. Furthermore, it’s best to refrain from heating devices such as hot showers, saunas and heating pads, which may increase redness, swelling or burning on treated areas.
As soon as your skin begins to feel better, it is time to exfoliate! Experts advise exfoliating twice each week using either gentle scrubs or exfoliating gloves; or even products which chemically exfoliate to avoid damaging skin by hand scrubbing.
As another alternative to laser hair removal, try dermaplaning services, an effective yet painless way of exfoliating. Dermaplaning works by shaving away dead cells that accumulate on your skin’s surface – ideal before laser hair removal appointments so the skin has time to recover properly! For best results, get this done a few days ahead so your body has time to recover properly from being exposed to light beams.
If your hair continues to grow after receiving laser therapy, it could be in its shedding stage and will take 10-21 days to fully shed itself off. After treatment it may even appear darker or thicker due to having been burned by the laser beam.
Don’t Overdo It
After laser hair removal, exfoliation must be used moderately or else you risk further discomfort and irritation. You can still exfoliate once or twice weekly; just take extra care with how you exfoliate. Don’t use harsh or gritty exfoliators; instead try gentle sugar scrubs instead of harsh scrubbers. Finally, it is advised that only exfoliating areas where treatments were applied is done so.
After laser hair removal sessions, treated areas may feel itchy and dry – which is normal during the healing process. If irritation arises, cold compresses or an ice pack may provide temporary relief. In addition, using soothing moisturizers like aloe vera gel may speed healing times while soothing any itchiness that arises.
After receiving laser hair removal treatments, it is vitally important to protect the area from heat and sunlight exposure as soon as possible. This means avoiding hot baths, saunas and even hot showers; instead use only lukewarm water when showering and make sure your skin dries completely afterwards. It is also recommended that sunscreen with an SPF 30 rating be worn to protect from sunburn while helping prevent ingrown hairs post-laser hair removal treatments.
Tip #3 is key when it comes to laser hair removal: don’t pluck new hair growth as this can cause it to fall out prematurely, defeating its purpose. Instead, waxing, plucking or using depilatory treatments like Nair should be put off until after your next laser hair removal appointment has taken place.
Ingrown hairs may develop after laser hair removal and require medical intervention if they become severe. To reduce ingrown hairs, exfoliating your legs a few times every week with an excellent exfoliator is advised; overexfoliation could cause permanent damage.
Laser hair removal can provide long-term solutions for unwanted hair growth, with visible results after just one treatment session. Although individual sessions won’t completely eradicate hair from growing back, they will reduce it by 10-25% overall.
Don’t Over-Hydrate
After treatment, it’s recommended to forego fragranced or scented body products like soaps and lotions containing perfumed scents for at least one week post-procedure in order to prevent reactions that could irritate sensitive areas of skin. Furthermore, cool showers or saunas instead of hot ones may help decrease irritation and redness on sensitive areas of the body.
Avoid products containing chemical exfoliators like glycolic acid or salicylic acid when exfoliating with physical exfoliators like soft wash cloths, puffy shower sponges or gentle loofahs in combination with your favorite body wash. Exfoliation too frequently may deprive the skin of essential moisture and dry it out completely – to soothe irritation apply soothing moisturizer and take over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen as needed.
After laser hair removal treatment, you may observe that the treated area becomes darker and thicker for several days post-treatment, due to your hair going through its natural shed stage after laser therapy. As part of a normal hair growth cycle, shaving the area after this shedding process completes may also help to decrease excess growth.
Some individuals experience blackhead-like bumps on areas lasered with laser treatments approximately a week post treatment, which are known as pepper spots and are an expected part of the shedding process. Although they’re common to have after laser hair removal treatments have taken place, it is advised not to pick or pluck at them because they will eventually fall off naturally.
Your LH Spa & Rejuvenation appointment requires no moisturiser as this will act as a barrier between hair follicles and laser beam. We suggest applying a numbing cream prior to your procedure to lessen any temporary discomfort experienced from it, and also suggest taking a cooling bath or applying cold compresses or ice packs several times throughout the day to ease inflammation and pain in treatment areas.
Don’t Over-Clean
After laser hair removal, it is recommended not to use soap or scrubs that contain harsh abrasives as these could irritate your skin and leave scars behind. Gentle cleansers containing water or aloe vera gel may be more suitable. You should also forego any makeup or cosmetics in this area for at least 48 hours and make sure any deodorant used contains no fragrance and does not contain alcohol – both can aggravate sensitive skin conditions.
Over time, hairs will begin to shed from your treated area as part of the natural process triggered by laser hair removal, so it is essential that this be allowed to happen naturally without trying to speed it up with tweezing or other forced methods of removal.
After receiving laser hair removal treatments, it is wise to refrain from shaving in areas treated by these devices for at least a week following each session as this could disturb hair follicles and render future laser treatments less successful.
After laser hair removal, it’s also essential not to scratch any itchy scabs or dry skin that may form post-laser treatment, as this could result in scarring. Scratching poses the risk of hypopigmentation (light spots). Instead, patting the area gently with a damp cloth is best practice.
If you experience redness, itching, or discomfort following laser hair removal sessions, using an ice pack is one effective solution to ease these symptoms. A cool compress may also provide comforting relief as can aloe vera gel or cream to alleviate pain, itching, or burning sensations.
Following your appointment, it is advisable to forego hot showers or baths and saunas or steam rooms for at least 48 hours after taking an antimicrobial pill or solution, in addition to saunas or steam rooms. If you choose a hot shower instead, ensure the temperature of water used is lukewarm or cooler so as to avoid irritating skin afterwards.
