Shaving is an unnecessary, time-consuming, and messy chore; why not save both time and money with laser hair removal instead?
However, many individuals are uncertain when to start shaving again following laser hair removal. Here are some expert tips on when and how to shave after laser hair removal to avoid skin damage and start shaving again safely.
Wait a Day or Two
Shaving immediately following laser hair removal may cause damaged follicles to be cut away from the skin and lessen its effectiveness. Instead, wait at least a day or two and then shave. This allows damaged follicles time to fall off naturally while exfoliating may help them shed faster; aloe vera can soothe any redness or itching that may arise more rapidly than any other remedy.
Waxing can also interfere with laser hair removal treatments; waxing removes hairs at their roots beneath the surface of skin, which could interfere with laser treatments. Your healthcare professional can advise you on how best to prepare for your session; remembering that every body varies it is always beneficial to ask their advice on this matter.
Laser hair removal typically requires multiple sessions in order to produce lasting and effective results, and experts advise waiting at least 24 hours between treatments in order to give your follicles time to regenerate and produce stronger, darker follicles. You may exfoliate and use aloe vera for soothing purposes while exfoliating but do not shave until after your last laser session has concluded.
During the healing process, your treated hair may appear longer than usual due to hair damaged by lasers being shed out from beneath your skin. While this process could take days or even weeks to fully finish off, exfoliation will speed up this process and ultimately speed up results.
After laser hair removal, it is also strongly advised to forego other aesthetic treatments like chemical peels, IPL photofacial and microdermabrasion which may irritate the skin further and become too harsh on it.
Exfoliate
After laser hair removal, your skin may feel itchy. To minimize further irritation and hyperpigmentation caused by scratching and picking at it, use a soothing moisturizer to calm itchiness.
Exfoliating scrubs are another effective way to shed dead skin cells and reveal healthy, radiant skin. Just be wary of using any scrub containing acids or rough beads – these could prove irritating! If you are concerned about using an exfoliating scrub too soon after laser hair removal, consulting your physician would likely be beneficial.
Exfoliate the area prior to beginning laser hair removal treatments, in order to minimize razor bumps and other unpleasant side effects. A gentle exfoliator such as KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub may prove especially effective; its formulation contains salicylic acid for ingrown hair prevention, razor burn relief, and unclogging pores.
After receiving laser hair removal treatment, you may notice some hairs are falling out. This is completely normal as the damaged ones won’t grow back. To hasten this process and accelerate it further, exfoliating can speed up shedding process – although not required!
Avoid waxing, plucking and tweezing as these methods can impact the results of laser hair removal treatments. They remove hair directly from its root source which could compromise their efficacy; on the contrary, shaving only removes surface-level hair removal, making it safe to use between sessions.
Reminder: Shave on or around the day before your laser hair removal appointment for maximum effectiveness and ease. Doing this will allow more time to prepare the skin ahead of time for laser treatment, and can also reduce any chance of irritation from shaving with an electric razor.
Avoid Heat
Before scheduling a laser hair removal session, it is best to avoid products containing chemicals and sunless tanning creams as these will increase your photosensitivity, which could make laser treatment ineffective and cause burns to your skin. Furthermore, products containing ingredients which darken skin should also be avoided since this will prevent the laser reaching hair follicles – this includes benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid and retinol products among many others.
Your laser treatment should also avoid other methods that disturb the follicle, such as plucking, waxing and electrolysis. These practices could impede its ability to kill off all hair follicles fully and interfere with any results of laser hair removal treatments. Furthermore, sunblock should help you avoid sunburn before beginning laser hair removal treatments.
After having laser hair removal done, some side effects should only last a few days and include itching, redness, swelling and tingling. If this occurs it’s recommended to use cooling aloe vera lotions or gels and also keep the area where treatment took place dry and cool.
Within weeks after laser hair removal, you will experience some hair shedding. This is normal and a sure sign that it has worked; these fallen-out strands were killed by the laser and no longer have the chance to grow back. Exfoliate the area prior to shaving to remove any remaining damaged hairs that may remain.
Shave the night before or day of your appointment for laser hair removal to maximize its effectiveness at targeting hair follicles and killing off unwanted strands. Do not shave in between sessions as this could reduce its efficiency; for guidance regarding when it is safe to shave after laser hair removal speak to your therapist as they will offer expert advice as to when you may shave between appointments.
Take Care of Your Skin
After laser hair removal, it is crucial that one takes proper care in protecting their skin. This includes refraining from shaving between sessions and using trimming creams instead, limiting sun exposure, keeping skin clean, avoiding scratching or picking at any scabs that form post treatment – this may lead to infection and scarring; allow these scabs to naturally fall off over a five to fifteen day period post procedure.
Waxing should also be avoided between treatments as the device using laser energy works best when strong light beams are focused directly onto hair follicles. Waxing pulls hair straight from its roots below the skin surface, disrupting this process and rendering it less effective.
Exfoliation will also enhance your results, particularly in the weeks prior to laser therapy, by helping remove dead skin cells that could obstruct its ability to destroy hair follicles. A gentle exfoliator such as natural products or even water may be best.
Also, wearing loose clothing when attending your laser treatment session will help prevent any rubbing or abrasion to sensitive areas such as underarms or groin areas.
After your treatment, it is entirely normal and an indicator that the laser has successfully destroyed hair follicles. Be wary if hair starts shedding; do not try shave off this newly shed hair as doing so can lead to thick and long regrowth!
People may notice a substantial reduction in hair growth after just one laser treatment, yet for long-lasting effects it is necessary to undergo multiple sessions over a series of visits – typically every three to four weeks until hair production ceases entirely, which depends on hormone levels and other factors.
