Shaving Before Laser Hair Removal

By Brian Lett
10 Min Read

Shaving prior to laser hair removal allows the technician to pinpoint only areas with hair growth and give your skin time to heal after treatments if any irritation arises.

Before your appointment, it is wise to refrain from waxing or other methods of hair removal as this removes melanin from hair follicles and limits how effectively laser treatment can target them.

1. Shave the Day Before

At the start of any successful laser hair removal session, the initial step should always be making sure the treatment area is free of hair. This ensures no foul smell from burning hair is created during laser sessions and also enables laser to reach its targeted area without multiple passes over it. Although you can shave up until your appointment day or night before, shaving beforehand provides fresh shaves without risk of razor burn or irritation from having razor edges against skin.

Not only should the area be free from shaving, but any skincare products containing photosensitive ingredients should also be eliminated prior to treatment with laser. This includes scrubs, moisturizers and products containing glycolic acid or retinol which should be avoided for two-three days and fourteen if you use chemical peels.

If you must use these products, it is best to shave the area the day prior to laser hair removal appointment and use a sharp razor in order to avoid any cuts that might lead to infections post-procedure.

Once you have shaved an area, it is essential that it remains undisturbed until your appointment. This allows your technician to see your skin clearly during treatment. Doing this helps prevent bacteria from entering pores and can ensure an effective outcome of the therapy session.

Prior to your laser hair removal appointment, it is wise to avoid waxing, plucking, and bleaching of the area. Such procedures may damage hair follicles and render laser ineffective as they pull out hair shafts from their roots making targeting impossible with laser. If these treatments cannot be avoided altogether then additional sessions may be needed until results appear.

2. Exfoliate

If your skin is covered in hair, laser light won’t be able to target its follicles effectively and treat your area effectively. Shaving several days prior to an appointment will ensure that hair length is optimal and allow the laser to do its work more effectively. Tweezing, plucking or waxing the area should also be avoided before treatment as these methods damage follicles that prevents the laser from killing their root source.

Before your laser hair removal treatment begins, exfoliation is another key step to take to keep pores clear and prepare them for treatment. Exfoliate at least 24 hours prior to starting treatment so your pores are ready and unclogged for the procedure. For best results, do it the day prior.

Before your appointment, it is also recommended to discontinue use of skincare products with ingredients that increase photosensitivity such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid or retinol that increase photosensitivity – such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid or retinol. Such ingredients could make your skin more susceptible to light and cause the laser to accidentally burn your skin rather than targeting hair follicles.

After several sessions of laser hair removal, your body will produce less and less hair over time, leading to reduced or no need for shaving altogether! This happens because laser beams damage melanin in hair follicles which prevent further growth – the result will eventually be smooth, hair-free skin without having to regularly shave! This process takes time, but once complete you will enjoy smooth, hair-free skin!

After receiving laser treatments, hair can sometimes appear darker and thicker in certain areas such as your bikini line during the initial two weeks afterward due to it entering its shedding phase – something which should not cause alarm. Exfoliate areas lasered so as not to risk ingrown hairs in these spots.

If you’re tired of spending too much time shaving, waxing, and tweezing unwanted hairs on yourself, why not consider laser hair removal in Burleson, TX? With its quick, noninvasive procedure you could free up more time for yourself. Contact us now to make an appointment and take control!

3. Avoid Moisturizer

Shaving is an everyday practice, yet when it comes to laser hair removal, proper preparation can make all the difference in terms of successful outcomes. When scheduling your appointment for laser hair removal, try not to use moisturizers on the day of treatment as their chemicals could interfere with its effectiveness.

Waxing and tweezing should also be avoided prior to laser treatments as this could damage hair follicles. Laser treatments target pigmented hair follicles in order to kill them off and stop further growth, but when plucked or waxed they remove this pigmentation so the laser cannot see it anymore.

Consider switching to an all-natural, organic and vegan-friendly moisturizer or facial serum without parabens and sulfates, such as Baobab Skin Correction Facial Cream available from Premiere Center for Health and Wellness. It contains baobab seed oil which evens pigmentation and prevents discoloration on your skin.

After receiving laser hair removal treatment, you may experience some of the shaved hairs coming back out. This is normal and indicates that it was successful; however, don’t assume this means you should stop shaving the area! Instead, continue doing it!

Do not over-shave prior to each laser appointment; rather, only shave three to four times before your visit in order to keep hair at an appropriate length and ensure that it can reach them effectively with its laser light beams.

Remember that to achieve optimal results from laser hair removal, sessions should be timed around your natural growth cycle. If you start plucking or tweezing between appointments, the hair will quickly grow back, forcing you to start all over again. Therefore, take the time to shave thoroughly prior to each appointment, avoid waxing or tweezing, and ensure any stray hairs long enough so the laser can target them effectively.

4. Avoid Sunlight

Men and women spend hours shaving, waxing and plucking out unwanted hair throughout their lives. While shaving may cause discomfort by leaving behind small cuts that take days to heal, waxing often leads to painful ingrown hairs that take even longer for healing than shaving can. Unfortunately, these methods of removal are time consuming and costly compared to laser hair removal which provides an easier and permanent solution to unwanted hair growth.

Before beginning laser hair removal, it’s essential that you first prepare your skin appropriately. One important step in doing so is avoiding sunlight and tanning beds as this will protect you from sunburns or discolourations, which could hinder treatment and hinder recovery time. Furthermore, UV rays from sunlight may increase side effects and prolong recovery time further.

If you must expose your skin to the sun, use a high SPF sunscreen and wear protective clothing such as long-sleeved shirts, pants, and a hat to protect yourself.

Avoid products like sunless tanning products and skin creams which darken your complexion for at least two weeks prior to scheduling a laser hair removal appointment. Your skincare professional can inform you if any of your favorite items may interfere with treatment.

Plumping or waxing the area that’s scheduled for laser treatment could impede its ability to target hair follicles by stripping away pigment from your skin, so try to refrain from plucking or waxing beforehand. Furthermore, blood-thinning medications should also be avoided as this will interfere with laser targeting hair follicles effectively.

While undergoing laser hair removal, you may experience mild irritation or redness at the site being treated. However, these effects should subside after several days. If any signs of infection or serious side effects arise during or following your session, contact your practitioner immediately; otherwise dial 911 or go directly to an emergency room in an effort to seek assistance.

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