After receiving laser therapy, it is best not to wax, pluck or thread hairs – these practices remove the root of hair follicles that the laser treatment could potentially target and will lead to ineffective results.
Treatment will work best if your hair follicles are in their growth phase, however pulling them out would only disrupt this process and possibly lead to other issues. Instead, try an exfoliating scrub in order to expedite their shedding process and hasten its completion.
It’s Not Necessary
Laser hair removal treatments use a focused beam of light to destroy hair follicles, stopping further hair growth. Most individuals require several sessions for optimal results as the laser only destroys active growth phase hair follicles – not resting phases (Telogen).
Because of this, it is highly advised to avoid waxing, plucking or shaving in the area where laser treatments will take place. Such procedures can temporarily strip hair follicles of their pigment and reduce effectiveness of future treatments; furthermore, pulling out hair that is still growing may stimulate its follicle to produce additional hair growth.
Hair pulling prematurely will disrupt the cycle of growth, prompting it to start over. Furthermore, your body responds by sending more blood to these damaged follicles so that they may continue growing thicker and darker hair follicles – prompting an accelerated cycle.
As melanin breaks down and shrinking hair follicles cease to absorb light from their surroundings, they no longer have enough ability to do so and will begin heating up and dying off altogether, no longer producing new strands of hair.
However, hair follicles in their growth phase continue to produce melanin and absorb light from surrounding skin, making them more appealing to laser beams which then concentrate their beam onto them and burn them.
At any one time, between 25-50% of your hair follicles will be in an active growth phase at any one time, depending on which person is being measured. Hair growth occurs in cycles lasting three to five years.
At any one point in time, approximately 20% of hair follicles are actively producing new strands of hair, explaining why multiple sessions may be needed to successfully eliminate unwanted hair. If you shave or wax areas that have undergone laser treatments, stray hairs may still exist that haven’t fallen out despite having gone through laser therapy; pulling them out could cause irritation as well as disruption of the growth cycle, ultimately diminishing its effectiveness over time.
It Can Cause Irritation
Before attending laser hair removal sessions, it’s essential not to wax, pluck or tweeze your hairs as this may disrupt treatment and lead to subpar results. Shaving is an ideal solution since this only trims rather than pulls out hair follicles. Scrubbing skin or using depilatory creams could disrupt growth cycles and negatively affect future treatments.
Shedding will occur naturally following your laser hair removal treatment session, but it is crucial that this process takes place without interference. Shedden hairs are those damaged by laser treatment that no longer grow back. Pulling these out could irritate remaining healthy hairs and interrupt their growth cycles causing them to thicken up or darken further – not something desired by those seeking permanent hair reduction through laser treatments.
For optimal results, it is advised that after each laser hair removal session you leave your hair alone for several days and weeks afterwards, only shaving between sessions if absolutely necessary. It is also advisable not to shave immediately following treatment as this could cause razor burn and disrupt results overall.
Maintaining good skin health requires using gentle cleanser and moisturisers twice daily and applying soothing moisturisers, without using products containing harsh chemicals and fragrances that could further irritate the area being treated. Sunscreen of at least SPF 30 should also be worn before heading outdoors; cool compresses can also help soothe any itching or discomfort felt from treatments; taking an OTC pain killer may be useful in managing discomfort levels.
It Can Disrupt the Growth Cycle
Laser hair removal treatments take some time before showing their effects, since hair follicles must be in anagen phase (growing phase) for lasers to work. Shaving after treatment disrupts this cycle and may cause new hairs to arise where old ones were treated; hence it is important not to shave immediately afterwards.
Waxing, tweezing, picking, plucking and threading should also be avoided as this can disrupt hair growth at its root, lessening their likelihood of responding to future laser treatments.
Make sure that after your initial laser treatment session is over, shave only afterward. Shaving immediately following laser therapy may damage hair follicles and cause premature hair fallout – which could make it seem as though more hair has sprouted, when in reality only damaged follicles are being shed off.
For faster hair shedding, the ideal way to accelerate this process is using a loofah or soft washcloth to gently buff away dead hairs. Exfoliants may also help stimulate skin cells and accelerate their development cycle more quickly.
Laser hair removal results may take time to show, but they’re worth waiting for. Once shed, those hairs will be thinner and lighter than before your treatment began; eventually more and more will fall out until no pigment remains within the follicles to grow hair anymore – eventually the results of laser hair removal can be extraordinary! For more information about how laser hair removal can help you attain smoother skin contact Beauty Barn and schedule an appointment with one of their licensed estheticians today!
It Can Damage the Skin
Within days of your laser hair removal treatment, you may begin to observe some of your unwanted hair shedding off naturally – this is called “shedding,” and a sure sign that the session was effective. Though some may be tempted to pull these hairs out themselves, doing so can damage skin tissue significantly and should be avoided as much as possible.
Pulling out hair after laser hair removal is detrimental because it disrupts their growth cycle and forces them into resting phase, known as telogen phase. Laser works best when hair is in anagen phase so it can target and fry it, however if pulled when still anagen phase it can shift into catagen phase where laser will no longer target it effectively.
Following laser treatment, it is also wise to avoid waxing or using depilatory creams for hair removal. Waxing can affect the hair growth cycle by pulling it from its root; therefore it could trigger premature hair regrowth. Instead, razor or another hair-removal method that trims surface-level hair should be utilized instead.
After laser hair removal, it is best to avoid rubbing or scratching the treated area as this could open up the skin and lead to scars. If itchy or uncomfortable sensations arise, try placing cooling aloe vera gel over it to soothe.
After laser hair removal, it’s not unusual to experience some degree of redness or irritation which will soon dissipate. Furthermore, using sunscreen when going outdoors will protect against sunburn and other forms of damage; Beauty Barn offers an impressive selection of broad spectrum sunscreens designed for facial and body use – we advise using one such as this in order to safeguard the treated area against unnecessary sun exposure that could increase risk for hyperpigmentation and increase hypersensitivity.
