Waxing interferes with the effectiveness of laser hair removal by damaging hair follicles and preventing laser light from disabling them. Shaving is the better alternative as it won’t interfere with results of your treatment.
After your laser hair removal session, it is normal to experience redness, swelling and small bumps as side effects; they will soon dissipate.
What happens after the treatment?
Laser hair removal sessions leave the treatment area vulnerable, so it is wise to avoid any activities which might further irritate skin irritation. You should also use high SPF sunscreen on this area at least a month prior and after treatments for best results.
As with most treatments, you will experience some minor discomfort similar to when a rubber band snaps against your skin. Most patients find it tolerable; however it could be uncomfortable if treating sensitive areas or large body areas.
Your provider will give you protective glasses or goggles to wear during the procedure, and shaving the area prior to treatment is advised in order to make it easier for the laser to target hair follicles. Furthermore, waxing, tweezing or plucking should be avoided before and after laser therapy for best results.
Your technician will direct the laser over the target area in order to damage hair follicles and reduce unwanted hair growth, effectively diminishing or even eliminating unwanted hair completely. Over a series of treatments, unwanted hair should become much less prominent or entirely gone; your results could last months or years depending on factors like color and other variables.
If you’re considering laser hair removal to permanently reduce hair growth, it’s wise to find an experienced physician or nurse to administer the procedure. Though you can find laser hair removal clinics nearby, board-certified dermatologists or plastic surgeons tend to deliver more successful outcomes when providing treatments.
Maintain a laser hair removal treatment plan, including scheduling regular sessions and using an effective post-treatment regimen. A professional can advise you on the ideal frequency and duration for treatments to achieve desired results.
Before and after laser hair removal treatments, it is also crucial to avoid sun exposure and tanning beds as tanned skin can reduce their effectiveness. A broad-spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen must be applied daily on treated areas to protect them from further sun damage or hyperpigmentation.
Do I need to shave?
Shaving is not necessary after receiving laser hair removal treatment, however you may experience some shedding of dead hairs from areas treated. This is perfectly normal and a positive sign. Shedding indicates that your laser was successful in damaging hair follicles; no newer and longer hairs will grow back because their source has been eliminated by damage to its root system. It usually takes between 14-21 days for these dead strands to shed naturally or fall out from beneath your skin’s surface.
At this stage, it is wise to refrain from shaving the area(s) being treated, as this could increase irritation. Furthermore, waxing or plucking are discouraged since these methods remove hair by its root reducing laser hair removal effectiveness.
Tweezing or plucking eyebrows or chin hair should also be avoided to maximize laser hair removal effectiveness and reach all follicles successfully for permanent hair reduction.
After your treatment has concluded, some hairs will begin to re-grow; you may be tempted to shave again as this is a natural process. We advise leaving this as long as possible until all regrown hairs reach full length before considering shaving again as this could lead to irritation and potentially cause permanent skin damage.
After receiving laser hair removal treatments, it’s also wise to limit sun exposure in order to minimize potential irreversible skin damage. Wear a wide brimmed hat, long sleeves and pants as well as using sunscreen with high SPF when venturing outdoors.
Women suffering from ingrown hairs should exfoliate areas where treatment is taking place to release trapped dead hairs and facilitate growth. An effective exfoliator, with small grains such as an exfoliator scrub, can be purchased at any beauty or pharmacy store.
Do I need to pluck?
After laser hair removal, it’s important not to pluck or wax the area as this will disrupt hair follicles and prevent them from dying naturally. Tweezing will also encourage them to grow back by drawing blood back in. Instead of waxing or tweezing, gently scrub with a loofah or washcloth instead to speed up shedding processes and encourage finer, less dense hairs.
However, shaving the area between laser treatments is also allowed and many will shave a day prior to their appointment to ensure there is enough hair present for the machine to target and destroy. This is important because laser energy penetrates deeply through skin layers into hair follicles below for effective hair removal.
Hair may take up to one week after treatment to fall out from treated follicles, with finer and less noticeable strands appearing than before. Therefore, several laser sessions may be necessary in order to reach desired results.
Skin may appear slightly pink in the treatment area for several days after treatment; however, it should not be painful or uncomfortable. A cool compress can help reduce redness and swelling. You can also take over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen to manage any discomfort that arises.
Though you can return to daily activities immediately following laser treatment, it is wise to opt for colder showers and baths in order to avoid overexfoliating the skin and leading to dry and itchy patches. Furthermore, it’s wise to stay out of direct sunlight as sun exposure may further irritate it and delay healing processes.
After your laser treatment is completed, it is advisable to book a follow-up appointment within six weeks with the laser technician in order to ensure its effectiveness in terms of eliminating all unwanted hair from your body. In some instances, patients may require maintenance treatments every six months or once annually in order to catch any stray hairs that haven’t succumbed to laser energy and continue growing unchecked.
Can I wax?
Laser hair removal treatments should never be combined with waxing sessions, for the following reason. Laser heat penetrates hair follicles and destroys them; waxing before this treatment could cause your hairs to grow back faster and thicker, as well as be less effective as laser sessions may become ineffective due to an unnecessary barrier between sessions.
After having laser hair removal treatments, it is recommended to wait 4-6 weeks before waxing again. Waxing pulls the hair from its root, which can compromise the effectiveness of laser treatments as they cannot completely disable the follicles that produce hair follicles.
Waxing can irritate skin and increase its susceptibility to blistering or scarring due to open pores which allow bacteria to collect in them and cause infection, making waxing following laser treatments especially risky.
If you are contemplating laser hair removal treatment, make sure that you contact a licensed esthetician and/or certified laser specialist before beginning. They can assist in planning an effective plan that minimizes side effects.
Once these considerations are in mind, you can rest easy knowing your laser hair removal treatment will yield positive and long-term results. Although not all hair will fall out after treatment, you should continue shaving or plucking to hasten results if necessary. It’s also wise to be gentle with treated skin by using mild soaps instead of harsh ones like harsh soaps – remembering to moisturize after each session to reduce inflammation and pain as well as wearing wide-brimmed hats with sunscreen in the sun; additionally avoiding hot tubs saunas or gym membership as these can irritate and cause blistering effects in those treated areas that could otherwise bring relief!
