Shedding after laser hair removal is a normal and expected occurrence that usually lasts several days before gradually subsiding. It’s actually an indication that your laser treatment is working!
Laser hair removal may lead to side effects like itching and redness; sometimes even feeling similar to having experienced mild sunburn.
Exfoliate Regularly
Laser hair removal stands apart from traditional methods in that shedding is part of its process and ensures all of your unwanted hair has been targeted by laser therapy. Though sometimes frustrating, this shedding process takes some time – here are some tips to speed it up:
Start off by not overscrubbing an area of skin too hard, as this may irritate or injure it. Instead, use a soft washcloth or loofah to scrub away dead hairs and keep skin healthy and clean.
Be sure to moisturize regularly after each laser treatment session in order to prevent dry or irritated skin, and to help the dead hairs shed quicker. It is best to opt for natural moisturizers which do not contain chemicals.
Avoid products containing fragrances or colorants as these can irritate the skin. Also ensure you use an exfoliating lotion which won’t sting or cause pain to use as part of a gentle exfoliating routine.
If you have particularly delicate skin, it may be beneficial to request a numbing gel from your laser technician before your procedure. This can reduce pain levels significantly and is particularly useful if the treatment area is large.
Keep in mind that after laser hair removal, your area of body may become itchy and irritated for a few days following treatment, which is perfectly normal and can be eased by applying aloe vera gel or hydrocortisone cream.
Avoid tweezing, waxing, plucking and threading any area where you have had laser hair removal; these methods can irritate the skin and damage hair follicles resulting in more costly laser sessions and less effective results.
Stay Patience
Shedding after laser hair removal may feel like a setback, particularly when it seems to take forever. However, it’s important to keep in mind that shedding is actually a positive sign; caused by hair follicles still in their anagen phase being killed off by laser treatments; when this happens, their anagen phase hairs will push out of their follicles onto your skin’s surface where they can easily be removed by washing, shaving or brushing.
Shedding occurs when your immune system removes dead cells and debris left by dead hair follicles, clearing away skin so the new hair growth can take its place. While it may take time, shedding is essential to healthy hair growth.
Exfoliation can help speed up hair shedding by clearing away dead cells that might be blocking pores and slowing their flow; for best results, aim to do this at least twice weekly on areas where laser hair removal treatments have taken place.
Tweezing and waxing the hairs in your treatment area should be avoided to prevent damaging skin damage as well as damaging or discolored strands of hairs. Furthermore, sunlight may irritate these areas further slowing down their shedding process.
Many patients report experiencing redness or minor bumps on the treated area immediately following a laser hair removal session, however these side effects usually subside within several hours for most people. If discomfort and swelling do persist, you can apply cold compresses or use washcloths dampened with cool water to reduce discomfort or use anti-inflammatory medicines like Tylenol to help alleviate any pain or discomfort that arise.
Although exfoliation after laser hair removal is important, you should never exfoliate before or during treatment, due to how sensitive skin can become after laser sessions; applying exfoliants could irritate this additional sensitiveness further. Also it’s wise to refrain from any other hair removal methods until after your laser session has completed.
Avoid Tweezing and Waxing
Shedding is an integral component of laser hair removal that many do not recognize, yet many remain unaware. Shedding indicates that lasers have damaged the follicle and no longer capable of growing hair; once this has happened it is best to stop using temporary methods such as shaving, waxing and plucking as the follicle will naturally shed its hairs on its own.
Tweezing and waxing should be avoided after laser hair removal in order to preserve skin health and increase natural shedding processes. Tweezing and waxing both involve physically pulling out entire hair shafts from their roots, interfering with laser treatment and speeding up unwanted hair regrowth more rapidly than needed – not only is this frustrating but can lead to ingrown hairs on skin surfaces as well.
Exfoliate regularly to speed up the hair shedding process and to remove dead skin cells that block your follicles, prompting more rapid hair shedding. Gently rub skin with fragrance- and dye-free cleanser before rinsing with lukewarm water afterward for thorough cleansing.
Utilize a moisturizer containing hydrating ingredients such as glycerin, jojoba oil and hyaluronic acid in order to soften skin and open pores more readily for hair shedding. In addition, be sure to drink plenty of water daily in order to stay properly hydrated.
Finally, it is wise to avoid hair removal products as these could contain chemicals which could irritate the skin and prevent unwanted hair from falling out properly. Furthermore, using such products could cause your locks to fall out prematurely which can also be frustrating.
At this stage, it is crucial that patients remain patient and allow their skin to naturally shed the unwanted hairs. Rushing this process too aggressively could irritate and damage hair follicles resulting in ingrown hairs or necessitating additional touch-up treatments.
Schedule Your Next Appointment
Laser hair removal is an increasingly popular and effective solution to eliminating unwanted body hair, yet requires multiple sessions for complete results. This is due to the cyclic nature of hair growth wherein individual follicles cycle between dormant and active phases; during anagen phase (when hair begins growing up from skin surface), an ideal candidate for laser treatment; after which catagen phase comes into effect: it serves as rest period that allows follicles to reset before beginning growth again; shed old and dead hairs which have reached end of life cycle while resting period prepares them before starting their next cycle – anagen phase (when hair grows up from skin surface) is ideal.
Shedding is a common side effect of laser hair removal and an indicator that it’s working correctly. Tweezing or waxing these stray hairs could force them out prematurely from their follicles before being ready for treatment; to allow your follicles to do their work naturally and fall out naturally over a seven to 30-day period is best practice; some patients may even experience redness or bumps as new hair grows to the skin’s surface.
Exfoliation can help speed up this natural process and should become part of your skincare regimen between treatments, not necessarily within 24 hours after treatments as this could cause irritation; rather it should become part of your regular skincare routine with sugar or salt scrubs, sponge washing or loofah cleansing being effective in clearing away dead skin cells that have built up over time.
Consistency of appointment times is also key, as missing sessions will only delay and make your hair removal journey harder. If you find it hard to keep to your schedule, consider seeking out another technician who may better accommodate it.
Shedding after laser hair removal may be frustrating, but it’s important to remember that its presence indicates your treatments are working as intended. By forgoing tweezing and waxing altogether while exfoliating regularly and showing patience, eventually you will reach the smooth results you are after.
