Shaving is recommended prior to attending a laser hair removal appointment as it allows enough hair melanin to be targeted by the laser treatment. Waxing, plucking or using other forms of hair removal such as electrolysis should not be done prior to receiving laser hair removal treatment.
Many individuals spend hours each week shaving or waxing to rid themselves of unwanted body hair, but why not reduce this burdensome time- and cost-consuming chore with a few sessions of laser hair removal instead?
Shaving
Shaving is a convenient and straightforward way to remove unwanted body hair, but if you are getting laser hair removal treatment it’s crucial to wait until after your appointment before shaving your skin as shaving interferes with laser’s ability to target hair follicles and can leave small temporary grazes on the surface of the skin.
Most laser hair removal specialists advise against shaving on the day of an appointment for laser hair removal, as freshly shaved stubs of hair can conceal pigment within hair follicles and prevent the laser from reaching it.
Prior to receiving laser treatment, it is also vitally important that you do not wax or pluck your hairs as this could impede its ability to reach the hair follicle and cause redness and irritation in the skin. Furthermore, waxing could cause your follicles to close prematurely which would reduce its effectiveness and diminish any results achieved through treatment.
If you opt to shave before having laser hair removal treatment, be sure to do it carefully with a new or near new razor. An older razor increases your risk of cuts and nicks which could potentially lead to infections; using shaving cream or gel may help avoid razor burn while keeping skin hydrated and protected.
Ideal, stop shaving and waxing the week leading up to your laser treatment in order to allow the hair follicles time to regrow, providing better targets for its energy. Furthermore, avoid products containing ingredients which increase photosensitivity such as benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid that could react with light from the laser.
Numerous individuals struggle with unwanted body hair that is difficult to remove with traditional methods, like shaving and waxing. If this sounds familiar, consider laser hair removal; this cutting-edge treatment can effectively get rid of unwanted follicles within just several treatments and permanently reduce how much hair there is on your body.
Exfoliating
Laser hair removal can provide fantastic results; however, to maximize their efficacy it’s essential that you know how to prepare your skin appropriately for treatment. In particular, shaving on or immediately prior to an appointment could prevent the laser’s energy from reaching hair follicles resulting in ineffective treatment or skin irritation.
However, it is perfectly fine to exfoliate the area you wish to treat the day prior to receiving treatment with laser. Be sure to choose an exfoliant that won’t damage the delicate skin under your hair follicles. Similarly, it is also wise not to apply any scented lotions or creams until after your session; any makeup, deodorant or products containing chemicals could potentially irritate or hinder its effects on laser results.
When shaving prior to laser hair removal appointments, it’s essential that only sharp razors are used and that you do not overshave an area too often; dull razors may cause cuts that lead to infection; it is also recommended that hair grows in its direction of growth for optimal results and to help avoid ingrown hairs.
When it comes to shaving, regular exfoliation will keep your skin looking its best and smoothest. But shaving or waxing the area targeted for laser hair removal could prevent the laser’s ability to target and destroy hair follicles effectively – potentially hindering its effectiveness, leading to slower or thicker growth rates as a result of treatment.
After laser hair removal, you must adhere to your treatment schedule for maximum success. Also avoid any other methods of hair removal like plucking, waxing or bleaching which could disrupt your natural cycle and make hair grow back faster or in different directions.
Most people find that after laser hair removal they no longer require shaving; however, this varies between individuals. Some will need regular top up treatments while others only need them quarterly or biannually.
Moisturising
Shaving can be an uncomfortable process that could leave your skin vulnerable, so to reduce irritation it’s advisable to use a moisturiser prior to shaving in order to make the experience more comfortable and prevent redness afterwards. Also make sure that you only ever use fresh razor blades; using one that has been repeatedly used could become infected with bacteria and lead to infection.
Care should also be taken when applying pressure during shaving, as too much force could irritate and cut into your skin, potentially leading to cuts or nicks. For optimal results, try to glide the razor lightly across your skin instead of making aggressive movements that could lead to ingrown hairs.
Before your laser hair removal appointment, it is recommended to shave. This will ensure the laser only targets hair follicles rather than skin cells or surface-level hairs that may have come through from above the surface. Shaving also makes it easier for the laser to identify your follicles quickly without expending energy on something already dead.
Six weeks prior to your appointment, it is also crucial that any plucking or waxing treatments cease as these techniques disrupt hair follicles, potentially impacting how effective treatment will be.
Avoid products designed to darken your skin as these could interfere with the results of laser treatment. Also be wary of overexposure to sunlight as this can cause burns and itching on your skin. Lastly, it is vitally important that any medications taken can result in light sensitivity that must be disclosed to your specialist.
Are you interested in laser hair removal? Reach out to us right now – the laser process is fast, painless and very effective; making life much simpler as no time or money will need to be spent waxing unwanted hair away!
Waxing
Smudge proof your face for maximum effectiveness before beginning laser hair removal treatments at home or a salon by shaving before your appointment. Though shaving might seem counterintuitive, ensuring a clean shave allows the laser to target and kill all hair follicles is key in reaching their entirety and killing them effectively. Furthermore, shaving helps avoid thermal injury to your skin from excess hair sticking out from its surface that absorbs laser energy and injures it – this may leave an unpleasant burning smell behind that looks similar to sunburn!
But shaving too close to a laser appointment can be dangerous. Since lasers are designed to heat hair roots and destroy them at their root level, if there’s too much hair on the surface it won’t be able to do its job resulting in small, temporary grazes on your skin that take several days to heal but can be discomforting and can leave lasting scars behind.
Plucking and waxing between laser sessions also interferes with the process. Although it might seem tempting to get rid of those pesky hairs quickly, doing so disrupts the natural hair growth cycle and could delay results. Laser hair removal requires multiple sessions timed according to active hair growth cycles – any disruption caused by plucking, waxing or bleaching could throw this plan off track and delay results.
Certain skin care products can also increase photosensitivity, which could make you more sensitive to laser light and lead to skin burn during laser hair removal sessions. If you use creams with ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid or retinol it’s wise to avoid these two weeks before your appointment so as to minimize photosensitivity and allow the laser to penetrate your skin more effectively and destroy hair follicles more easily. If you have darker skin this advice especially holds true; products containing benzoyl peroxide in particular could make your darker skin more sensitive to laser light treatments used during laser hair removal sessions; alternatively taking an acetaminophen can help ease discomfort during your laser hair removal sessions if this may help.
