Can You Do Waxing After Laser Hair Removal?

Brian Lett
By Brian Lett
10 Min Read

Waxing will render laser hair removal ineffective because the laser needs hair follicles to contain hair in order for its laser light beams to do their work effectively.

Waxing, plucking and threading all remove hair at its roots which makes it harder for laser treatments to disable its hair follicle and cause further growth – leading to wasted money and time.

During the treatment

If you have undergone laser hair removal, it is wise to refrain from waxing the area as this will reduce its efficacy. Waxing removes hairs and follicles which make it impossible for an IPL handset to detect pigment, leading to poor IPL treatment results and painful laser sessions. Furthermore, waxing leaves skin vulnerable and sensitive leading to further discomfort during treatment sessions. It would also be prudent not to use chemical peels and retinol products prior to laser sessions for best results.

As well as waxing, it is wise to avoid plucking or shaving in this area as these methods only remove surface hair without reaching its root. Furthermore, shaving may irritate the skin and increase side effects of laser treatment.

Before getting laser treatment, it is wise to avoid tanning as this may result in uneven coloration in the area treated. Sunscreen should also be worn regularly and smoking/drinking alcohol for at least a couple weeks prior to laser treatments as these activities increase your risks of complications and slow recovery time.

Laser hair removal is an efficient and effective solution for eliminating unwanted body hair. The procedure works by vaporizing and destroying the hair follicles to form plumes of sulfur-smelling smoke that dissipate over time. While safe for most individuals, some may experience redness or swelling that resembles sunburn; this usually subsides within 24 hours.

Laser hair removal may cause temporary skin discoloration. In certain instances, patches of hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation may appear. If any such reactions arise for you during or after laser hair removal, seek advice from your physician immediately.

Additionally, laser hair removal can cause an allergic reaction in some people, with side effects including itchiness, dry skin and a burning sensation. Sometimes this reaction may become severe enough that medical intervention must be sought immediately.

Follow your laser hair removal technician’s instructions carefully in order to maximize results. A typical laser hair removal session typically entails multiple sessions and 4-6 weeks should pass between each. In this timeframe, no other forms of hair removal should be attempted on the treated area.

After the treatment

Before or between laser hair removal treatments, it is generally wise to avoid waxing the area as this can damage skin, making treatment less effective and possibly leading to adverse side effects. Furthermore, plucking and waxing prevent laser from targeting hair follicles which is key for successful laser treatments.

Before getting laser treatment, it is recommended to refrain from tanning for some time prior to receiving laser treatments. The sun’s rays may interfere with laser light reaching hair follicles and cause irreparable damage to them and skin as a whole. Furthermore, tanning makes your skin more vulnerable to its light energy output from the laser device.

Laser hair removal is a highly popular cosmetic procedure used to effectively and permanently eliminate unwanted hair on the face, legs, chin, arms and bikini line. Lasers emit highly concentrated light waves into each individual follicle that absorb pigment in them to devastate them – effectively killing off any chance of future hair regrowth and eliminating it forever. Results typically last but don’t always appear right away.

Remember, in order to achieve optimal results you will require multiple sessions. The number of treatments will depend on the type and color of your hair as well as skin tone; typically darker shades require more sessions than lighter hues. As the treatment targets only active growth phases of hair follicles, you may notice some regrowth after just a few sessions.

Shave between laser treatments; however, do not wax in between treatments. Waxing removes part of the hair follicle that the laser targets – waxing will speed up hair regrowth more than shaveing would do.

After receiving laser treatment, it is not advised to shave afterward due to how the laser targets only the bottommost portion of hairs which could potentially get cut by shaving. Instead, for best results it’s wiser to leave this task to professional who are equipped with all of the appropriate equipment and knowledge of best practices that can achieve desired results.

During the recovery period

Waxing in areas where laser treatment has already taken place may reduce its efficacy. This is due to lasers’ limited ability to target subdermal hair follicles; without hair present within them, lasers cannot target them effectively; consequently, less hair will grow back after treatment is administered.

Plumping and tweezing should also be avoided. While these hair removal methods may provide temporary reduction in body hair growth, laser treatments provide much longer-term solutions. Therefore, after receiving laser therapy it may be best to focus on shaving alone for this targeted area as it will still reduce hair dramatically.

Laser treatments have made our lives much simpler and hairless, but they should not be seen as permanent solutions. Laser beams target pigmented hair follicles to heat them up and destroy the follicle – stopping further production of new hairs; however there will always be some regrowth following a course of laser sessions – but this can easily be managed through shaving or waxing sessions.

Remember, too, that some follicles might not yet be in the anagen phase at the time of your laser treatment; as these take longer to grow hair. Therefore it would be wise to exfoliate frequently and avoid taking showers in hot water (especially for legs).

Laser treatment does not work on blond, red and grey hairs; therefore, any remaining after completing an entire course of laser hair removal must be maintained through waxing. If needed to remove these unwanted strands more regularly it would be wise to schedule maintenance laser sessions every six-8 weeks.

After the recovery period

Laser hair removal is a safe and effective method for eliminating unwanted body hair. A concentrated laser beam targets melanin in hair follicles to destroy them and stop further hair growth. While not permanent, laser hair removal is an excellent alternative to shaving and waxing for permanent results. There are some considerations before undertaking laser hair removal treatments; here are some important ones:

After receiving laser treatment, it is wise to forgo waxing of the affected areas during their recovery period as this can cause irritation and inflammation, potentially increasing risk of scarring. Furthermore, protecting treated areas from sunlight as this could cause hyperpigmentation can also be vital; you should use broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30+ on affected areas to protect themselves from hyperpigmentation.

Waxing is an effective method for eliminating unwanted hair, but overdoing it may damage your skin and diminish the effectiveness of laser treatments. Wait 4-6 weeks between waxing sessions as this could render them ineffective due to targeting hair follicles with laser treatment; when they no longer contain any hair to target by laser therapy.

Laser treatment may not provide a permanent solution to unwanted hair removal, but it can still help you achieve smooth and beautiful skin. A series of treatments spaced four to eight weeks apart usually provides optimal results; however, new hair growth may occur as hormonal levels fluctuate or during times of stress.

Shaving is an efficient and quick method for eliminating unwanted hair, but it won’t remove its roots – only cutting the top layer – which prevents laser treatments from targeting their source. Therefore, for best results it’s best to shave just before receiving laser therapy treatment, rather than shaving in between treatments or exposing treated areas to harsh soaps and lotions.

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