Laser hair removal can be an excellent solution to eliminate unwanted hair. However, it is essential that you adhere to all safety procedures during this procedure.
One of these safety precautions includes not using fake tan before your laser appointment, since its light is attracted by pigment present and any present will lead to irreparable damage from exposure to laser light.
Do not apply fake tan
Fake tanning or any product that darkens skin tone, such as bronzers, could compromise the effectiveness of laser hair removal treatments in these areas. A technician must be able to clearly see each hair follicle to target them effectively.
Laser or IPL (intense pulsed light) lights target brown pigment in hair follicles and destroy them; however, if your skin has been dyed with fake tanning solutions this can confuse IPL/laser lights with your natural skin and accidentally destroy or burn it.
To avoid this happening, avoid self-tanners or products that darken skin (e.g. bronzers) at least one week prior to your appointment. If necessary, ensure any traces are removed at least a day before and wash your treatment area thoroughly afterwards.
No need to give up using fake tan altogether, but you should ensure all traces are removed from the areas being treated before commencing laser hair removal treatments. This includes instant and wash-off tans as well as foundations or bronzing powders used during application of instant or wash-off tanning sessions.
Before scheduling laser treatments, it is also wise to wait a while before allowing your tan to fade too far – this may reduce effectiveness of treatments and may even change how long they last. If you are uncertain as to whether all signs of tanning have disappeared from your skin it might be worth booking an appointment at your chosen clinic in order to verify this fact.
Before your treatment begins, it is a good idea to exfoliate every day for at least a week prior. This will help eliminate any remaining tan and ensure your skin will be clear upon arriving for your appointment.
Do not shave
Men and women often spend too much time shaving or waxing to remove unwanted hair, when there’s an easier solution available: laser hair removal is an effective and non-invasive solution to permanently reduce or eradicate unwanted follicles, thus stopping future hair growth in that area. While laser hair removal treatments can be performed on all skin tones and types, there are some items you should avoid prior to beginning laser treatment for unwanted hair.
Prior to laser hair removal treatments, it is crucial not to shave. The laser targets melanin found within hair follicles; if there is too much melanin present on your skin it won’t be targeted correctly causing irritation, redness, or hyperpigmentation. Furthermore, waxing or razoring hair-removal products clog up hair follicles which hinder its ability to target root of hair roots effectively leaving ingrown hairs as an after effect of laser treatments.
Before scheduling a laser appointment, it is also recommended that any tanning products (bronzing products, shimmer bronzers or body foundations) not used by professional tanning studios are avoided, including bronzing products, shimmer bronzers or body foundations that contain tanning agents such as DHA or UV filters. Such products may cause uneven tanning which might not fully disappear from the skin before your session takes place; it is advisable to stop using such products a minimum of 2-3 weeks in advance to guarantee there are no residue lingering effects after your appointment takes place.
If you need to use these products prior to receiving laser treatments, it is crucial that you exfoliate gently prior to beginning in order to help eliminate any extra tan as well as dead skin cells that might be lurking near the hair follicle openings.
Following these rules isn’t difficult, yet essential before scheduling a laser hair removal appointment. Adherence will ensure the most efficient treatments possible and lead to silky-smooth skin for life!
Do not exfoliate
If you enjoy adding an extra glow to your skin with spray or bottle sunless tanning products, we have some bad news: these should be avoided for at least a week prior to receiving laser hair removal treatment, as they could diminish its efficacy.
Laser hair removal works by targeting pigment, so for it to be successful it must see a contrast between your natural skin color and that of your dark-pigmented hair follicles in order for it to work effectively – if tan interferes with this, this could result in burns or other side effects that are undesirable.
Exfoliation before laser appointments may also compromise its efficacy; by stripping away natural color from your skin and rendering the laser less effective in targeting hair pigment, too much exfoliation could make targeting hair difficult, potentially leading to ingrown hairs or patches of uneven skin tone.
Before your laser treatment, it’s also wise to avoid any products which exfoliate, such as brushes, mitts and scrubs, physical exfoliators such as brushes or mitts used to exfoliate like brushes mitts and scrubs as well as chemical exfoliants like AHA/BHA peels or chemical exfoliators such as AHA or BHA peels. If necessary, opt for gentle ways of exfoliation like Image Skincare’s Ageless Total Facial Cleanser as this gentle cleanser exfoliates without bothersome side effects or irritation from physically exfoliators or chemical exfoliants like AHA/BHA peels/peels etc.
Avoid activities that lead to sweat, such as hot showers or saunas, that cause you to perspire heavily, such as saunas. Excessive sweat can irritate sensitive hair follicles and result in itchy or scaly skin as well as infections.
Do not apply deodorant
Laser hair removal can be painful at times and to ensure a successful experience, it is best to avoid anything that may exacerbate discomfort on the day of your appointment. This means avoiding using creams, oils, lotions and deodorants on the area being treated as well as body sprays with added fragrance as these may irritate the skin further. If these products cannot be avoided it would be wise to bring extra wipes with you so you can clean off affected areas before your treatment session starts.
At a laser hair removal session, the laser heats up melanin pigment within hair follicles to break it down and damage tissues nearby. As more melanin means greater difficulty for laser removal of hair follicles; for this reason it is crucial that self-tanning be discontinued at least several weeks prior to receiving laser hair removal treatment – this will allow time for its tan to fade, giving you better results from laser hair removal treatment.
Most trained aestheticians advise waiting a minimum of 10 days after applying fake tan before having laser hair removal on that area, to ensure all traces have been eliminated by this treatment. Furthermore, during this period it’s also wise to refrain from using other tanning products that contain sunless tanning agents on that region.
Before beginning treatment, it may also be beneficial to apply a numbing cream on the area to lessen any pain during the procedure. These can be found over-the-counter at most pharmacies and help make the experience far less unpleasant.
If it is necessary for your appointment, if applying a numbing cream it is important that at least an hour passes between using it and beginning your treatment in order to allow it to take full effect on the area being covered by it. This will enable it to work effectively.
Prior to your laser hair removal appointment, it is strongly advised that you refrain from shaving the area to be treated as shaving can irritate and rawen the skin resulting in an extended recovery time and possible scarring.
