How To Prepare for Laser Hair Removal
Laser hair removal is the ultimate way to achieve smooth, hair-free skin for months or years to come, but it’s essential to prep your skin in the weeks leading up to your appointment to ensure your treatment is safe and effective. Join us to learn how to prepare your skin for laser hair removal!
What to expect with laser hair removal
If you’ve never had a laser hair removal treatment, you’ll want to know what to expect:
Before treatment
You can’t just walk into a clinic and get laser hair removal without a consultation first. Before your actual laser appointment, you’ll meet with your specialist to discuss your treatment goals, skin type, and any medications you’re taking. Then, you’ll take some time to ensure your skin is prepared for laser exposure.
During treatment
When you arrive for your appointment, your hair removal specialist will use a Skintel Melanin Reader to determine your skin tone to ensure a safe laser session. Then, they will use a specially calibrated laser device to target active follicles in the treatment area.
You might feel a slight stinging or snapping sensation, but most people quickly adjust to this discomfort. Depending on the size of the treatment zone, you can expect your appointment to last between 15 and 30 minutes.
Post-treatment
Your skin may be sensitive, red, or inflamed in the days after treatment. However, these side effects should be mild and resolve on their own within a week or so. Most people complete a treatment series of laser sessions to target hairs in the active growth phase.
Since about one-third of your hair follicles are dormant at any given time, you’ll need multiple treatments to eradicate hair from the entire area. While laser hair removal is a long-term solution for unwanted hair, it isn’t necessarily permanent. New follicles may form over time, but occasional touch-up sessions can help you maintain your results.
How to prepare for your laser hair removal session
Now that you know what to expect from laser hair removal, here are our top tips to prepare your skin for treatment:
Avoid sun exposure
Laser hair removal uses concentrated light waves to destroy hair follicles by targeting the pigment in hair roots and directing UV energy to each follicle. So, the adverse effects of sun exposure are two-fold.
One, it increases the risk of burns and inflammation, and two, it reduces the efficacy of laser treatment, as laser devices have a harder time identifying hair follicles against tanned skin. You’ll also need to skip self-tanners and avoid sun exposure for at least a month before treatment.
Watch the skincare products
Harsh skincare products with potent active ingredients can increase photosensitivity. Stop using chemical exfoliants, acids, and retinols at least three weeks before your laser hair removal session.
Don’t pluck or wax hair
Laser hair removal relies on visible hair roots to target and destroy follicles. Waxing, tweezing, and plucking in the weeks before treatment will drastically diminish your results.
Shave the treatment area
Body waxing might be off-limits before laser treatment, but shaving is a must. The day before your appointment, shave the treatment area to help the laser device target your follicles and minimize the risk of scorched strands.
Get to your appointment with clean skin
It’s probably no surprise that dirt, oil, and makeup can interfere with laser hair removal, but what about moisturizer or deodorant? Unfortunately, using these products right before your appointment can also inhibit laser treatment and cause adverse reactions. So make sure your skin is completely clean and free from all products on the day of your appointment.
How to maximize your laser hair removal results
Ready to learn how to make the most of your laser hair removal treatments? Here are a few bonus tips to help you maximize your results:
Use sunscreen
A broad-spectrum sunscreen will be your best friend before and after laser hair removal. Choose a high-quality cream with a rating of at least 30 SPF.
Stay hydrated
Proper hydration will support the healing process and minimize the risk of dry, sensitive skin. Be sure to drink plenty of water as you prepare and recover from laser hair removal.
Follow your aftercare instructions
Your treatment specialist has likely seen it all, so they know all the insider secrets to get the best results from laser hair removal. Stick to their guidelines for aftercare to avoid adverse reactions and get the most out of your treatment.
Stay consistent with your treatments
Consistency is key with laser hair removal, so you’ll maximize your results by adhering to a treatment schedule. Depending on the treatment area, you may undergo two to eight sessions scheduled four to six weeks apart.
Visit the laser hair removal experts at Silken Aesthetics!
From the tips of your toes to your upper lip and everywhere in between, laser hair removal can eliminate unwanted hair to reveal smooth, supple skin. Whether you want to zap your bikini zone or get rid of peach fuzz on your cheeks, Silken Aesthetics is here to help! Contact us today or book a consultation to get started!