Laser hair removal eliminates the need for shaving cream, razors, razor blades, tweezers and waxing strips; however, prior to every session you must first shave the area.
Laser technology requires only a short length of hair for it to target pigment and destroy follicles, thus preventing further hair growth in that area.
1. Clean shave
Men and women spend hours every year shaving and waxing unwanted hair, often leading to ingrown hairs and razor burn. Laser hair removal provides a permanent solution to this problem.
However, before your appointment you should do certain things to make the process simpler and safer for yourself. Shaving a day prior is ideal to ensure that lasers won’t target hair above the skin which could potentially cause burns and abrasions.
Shaving before laser treatment helps ensure that hairs are at an appropriate length, improving its effectiveness. Waxing, plucking, and tweezing may damage hair follicles and reduce effectiveness. Also avoid depilatory creams which lighten skin tone.
2. Exfoliate
Imagine never needing to shave your legs again or pluck out those pesky bikini area hairs again with laser hair removal in Astoria – it might sound impossible but now it’s a reality!
Before your laser appointment, exfoliation is vital for maximum effectiveness of laser treatments. By clearing away dead skin cells that might interfere with its effectiveness, the laser will easily locate any pigment present in your hair follicles without interference from other sources.
Waxing or plucking should be avoided as these practices can damage the hair follicle and cause more rapid hair regrowth. Also avoid darkening creams, as these could interfere with laser treatments’ efficacy. Finally, avoid exposure of treated areas to sunlight or steam as this increases blood flow to them, increasing susceptibility to irritation.
3. Don’t tan
Imagine living every year with smooth, hairless skin without the worries of razor bumps and ingrown hairs – with laser hair removal in Gresham this dream can become reality!
Lasers work by targeting the pigment within each hair follicle. Therefore, it’s crucial not to wax, pluck or use other methods of hair removal in the weeks leading up to your laser session.
Doing so may prevent the laser from reaching hair follicles and result in burns that could be severe. Furthermore, it’s advisable to avoid sunlight altogether (even with sunscreen on) as UV rays can increase melanin in skin cells which could interfere with treatment – this includes tanning beds and self-tanners as well as tanning booths or self-tanners; best to stay out of direct sunlight for two weeks prior to laser appointment as swimming pools, lakes and rivers may contain chlorine or bacteria which could interfere with treatments.
4. Don’t use hair removal products
Laser hair removal can be a game-changer for anyone tired of shaving, tweezing, using cream, and waxing their unwanted hair regularly. It provides an easy, noninvasive solution that permanently reduces unwanted hair in just a few sessions.
Before your laser session, there are certain things you must avoid in order to ensure an optimal experience. First of all, don’t shave or pluck the area being treated – this allows the device to accurately target it by seeing pigment in your hair follicles.
Avoid products containing ingredients that increase skin photosensitivity, such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and retinol. As these can lead to burns during laser treatments, discontinuing their use well ahead of your appointment is recommended. Keeping these tips in mind will help you safely achieve long-lasting results.
5. Don’t drink alcohol
Laser hair removal treatment can be quite uncomfortable at times, and drinking alcohol makes the experience worse. Alcohol acts as a diuretic, meaning that it will cause your body to expel water and salt through urine production, dehydrating your skin in the process.
Consuming alcohol before your treatment can make your skin very vulnerable and potentially vulnerable to burns or scarring during the procedure, increasing the chances of an unpleasant result.
If you are going for laser hair removal, it is advisable not to drink alcohol of any kind – even one drink! Additionally, smoking and excessive sun exposure should also be avoided; if necessary, apply broad spectrum sunscreen with coverage around the area where exposure occurs.
6. Don’t smoke
Laser hair removal involves using concentrated light beams to alter the pigment of hair follicles. Darker-hair absorbs more of this light, so it is easier to extract than lighter hair from your skin – thus making those with darker skin ideal candidates for permanent hair reduction.
Before beginning laser hair removal treatment, it’s essential to avoid certain behaviors which could impede its effectiveness. These habits include shaving the area prior to your appointment as well as plucking and waxing of skin surfaces.
Avoid exposure to sunlight following laser hair removal treatment to avoid skin discoloration and photosensitivity issues. Any medications known to increase this photosensitivity such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid and retinol should also be discontinued prior to your laser hair removal session as these ingredients have been known to cause skin sensitivity and photo-sensitivity issues.
7. Don’t take any medications
Certain medications can increase photosensitivity. Examples include oral contraceptives, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and herbal remedies; be sure to inform your licensed medical technician of all medications you are taking or plan on taking in order to assess whether any increase your photosensitivity.
Before getting laser hair removal treatment, it is also crucial that no plucking or waxing takes place as laser treatments target pigmentation – any form of plucking can remove this target and leave an ineffective target for treatment. Please refrain from waxing/plucking any forms at least one week before your laser hair removal appointment and always shave before each visit for optimal results.
8. Don’t use any creams or lotions
As well as shaving, you should avoid waxing and tweezing in areas being treated. Waxing and tweezing tend to pluck out hair from its source instead of leaving enough behind so that the laser can target it directly.
Creams and lotions tend to leave hair sitting at or just above the skin’s surface, making it more difficult for laser therapy to target it and destroy it, leading to ineffective treatments.
Chemicals present in these products can irritate and dry out the skin, making laser hair removal uncomfortable while simultaneously increasing your risk for side effects.
9. Don’t apply makeup
Imagine never needing to shave again while having smooth legs and bikini lines year-round – that sounds like a pipedream, but laser hair removal makes this reality!
However, to ensure your treatments are successful and avoid irritation or burns, it’s essential that the skin be prepared correctly prior to an appointment. This means avoiding direct sun exposure, tanning beds and self-tanners prior to scheduling an appointment and wearing loose and comfortable clothing.
Areas being treated should also be free from creams, oils, lotions, deodorant and makeup. If this is impossible to do entirely, request a wipe upon arriving at the salon so as to cleanse the skin prior to beginning laser treatments and ensure maximum treatment effectiveness and recovery afterward. This will help your body be prepared for treatment as well as recovery post treatment.
10. Don’t sleep in the sun
Laser hair removal is an efficient and noninvasive solution to rid yourself of unwanted body hair, with less upkeep required than shaving or waxing.
Before getting laser treatments, it is essential to follow some basic preparation guidelines. In particular, it is advisable not to wax or shave for several days leading up to your appointment; the laser needs to see pigment in hair follicles for accurate diagnosis; waxing or shaving removes this pigment, leading to treatment failure and possible failure.
Avoid products that increase photosensitivity such as benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. Also, applying sunblock before going outdoors will protect your skin from sun damage while alleviating discomfort or pain during laser treatment.
