As shaving can disrupt the natural hair growth cycle and lengthen hair growth cycles, making it more challenging for your specialist to spot damaged follicles, it is best to wait at least 24 hours between shaving sessions.
At all costs, avoid waxing, tweezing and bleaching the area as these activities will disrupt the natural growth cycle of hair and make laser treatment ineffective. Melanin should be visible for it to work effectively.
The day before
Shaving is an integral part of hair removal, but it’s crucial not to do it too close to an appointment. Laser treatments work on pigment in hair follicles; if too little pigment remains for absorption by light beam energy or it has been completely cut off entirely, laser energy cannot reach them and an energy absorption cannot take place. Furthermore, shaving often leaves behind small temporary grazes on skin surfaces that make laser technicians harder able to see during treatments.
Avoid skincare products with glycolic acid, retinol or scrubbing pads which could increase photosensitivity of your skin – these ingredients could make laser treatment more likely to burn it than usual if you take them within 2 or 3 days before your laser session.
When scheduled to undergo laser hair removal on sensitive areas such as your bikini line or underarm area, shaving in advance is especially essential to ensure an effective experience. Shaving too close to an appointment could cause irritation and render treatment ineffective.
Use caution when shaving with a dull razor as this could cause nicks on the skin that could result in open wounds requiring treatment and could thwart its efficiency.
Before getting laser treatment, it is wise to forgo any hair removal methods like plucking, tweezing or waxing that could remove entire follicles – rendering it impossible for the laser beams to target it successfully.
Do not forget to exfoliate a day before your appointment as this will help remove any dead skin cells that could obstruct the light beam. Furthermore, your skin must be free from lotions, ointments and makeup so the technician can see its surface easily.
If you are unable to shave before your laser treatment, notify the technician as soon as possible. They can use a cooling gel or cream on any areas where shaving hasn’t taken place in order to alleviate discomfort and encourage hair fall-out naturally afterward.
The night before
When it comes to shaving before laser hair removal, thorough and careful techniques are best. As rough or insufficiently sharp shaving can cause skin irritation, taking your time over each stroke is crucial in order to ensure no cuts occur nearer the surface of the skin than necessary.
Prior to your appointment, it’s also wise to avoid overscrubbing the area. Scrubbing can strip away healthy skin layers and cause temporary grazes that may take time to heal.
Avoid this by performing a gentle exfoliation to help remove dead skin cells that could obstruct your treatment, not only improving shave results, but also leaving skin feeling smoother and less sensitive after treatment.
Before scheduling a laser hair removal appointment, it is wise to evaluate all other means available to you for getting rid of unwanted body hair. Be wary of waxing, epilating and bleaching as these methods remove hair at its roots which could compromise results.
As a rule of thumb, tanning should also be avoided to ensure optimal results from laser treatment. Sunburnt or freshly tanned skin may react adversely with laser therapy treatments and cause damage and irritation; to maximize success during laser sessions it’s wise to lather on some SPF sunscreen prior to your session and stay out of direct sunlight altogether for maximum benefits.
Your body’s hair grows in cycles, and laser treatment sessions should follow these growth phases. Plucking, tweezing or waxing the hair between treatments would disrupt its natural cycle and decrease effectiveness of treatment.
As soon as your laser treatment has taken effect, it’s completely normal to find that loose hairs have begun growing again – this is actually an indicator that the treatment has worked effectively! But keep in mind that these aren’t new hair – rather older ones that were damaged by laser and no longer growing – don’t be tempted to pluck or tweeze them as this could cause ingrown hairs or infections in your skin.
The morning of
Shaving before beginning laser hair removal treatments is key in order to protect the skin from thermal injury and ensure the laser reaches your targeted hair follicles. Furthermore, plucking, waxing or bleaching hair removal methods should also be avoided as they remove hair at its source and lessen its efficacy with laser technology.
When shaving, make sure to use a new razor to avoid introducing bacteria into your pores and be gentle when shaving; trying to rush can result in cutting into skin or missing patches which won’t benefit an effective laser session.
On the day of your laser treatment, be mindful not to apply lotions or creams that could interfere with how effectively the laser targets hair follicles. Doing so could result in minor grazes which will require time for recovery.
Avoid exfoliating on the morning of an appointment as this could cause irritation or rash; if necessary, exfoliation should take place several days in advance with gentle scrubs or cleansers.
If you find out that you’re on your period, inform the skincare professional as soon as possible to receive advice about using tampons or postponing appointments. They may offer suggestions.
Talk with your aesthetician about what to expect from their treatment, as they’ll be able to answer any queries that arise about what to expect and the number of sessions necessary. They might even suggest post-treatment care plans so as to achieve optimal results from your procedure. When it comes time for hair removal, make an appointment today with one of the many reliable providers that specialize in laser solutions such as ours; our laser solutions will help you achieve the hair-free look you have always desired – contact us now to learn more about them!
The day of
Your technician will use an epidermisator, a hand-held machine used for laser hair removal, to gently strip away the top layer of skin in order for laser pulses to reach each hair follicle without pain. They then will apply coolant directly onto your skin before each pulse of laser light pulse, in order to protect it from excessive heat exposure and reduce any discomfort you might feel during treatment.
Your technician may recommend waiting six weeks between waxing, tweezing and plucking appointments in order to maximize laser treatment effectiveness. This is due to these methods removing hair above its root and thus hindering identification by laser of pigmented hair follicles for proper treatment. Shaving on your appointment day should be fine; just use a fresh blade as this ensures a close shave while decreasing risk of nicking or cutting the skin and helps eliminate bacteria which may cause contact dermatitis.
Between laser hair removal sessions, you are likely to experience some hair regrowth. For optimal results during your next appointment, continue shaving your targeted areas as before for maximum skin health and efficiency.
Your hair grows in cycles, each lasting anywhere between 10 to 45 days. During its anagen phase, when most visible and rising past the surface of your skin, an ideal time is presented for laser hair removal treatments.
At your laser hair removal sessions, the laser will singe the anagen phase of your hair and destroy it, while any remaining hairs in telogen phase will grow out from their follicle but fall off at once – leaving temporary grazes on your skin that could last a few days to heal completely. To reduce risks further, consider exfoliating beforehand to get rid of dead cells which would otherwise have been exposed to the laser light during treatment.
