Once you’ve made the decision to undergo laser hair removal treatments, it’s important to know how to prepare for the procedure. Preparatory steps prior to laser hair removal are necessary for your safety and to facilitate hassle-free procedures and superior results. By following the guidelines listed below, you can:

  • Avoid laser hair removal side effects
  • Improve laser hair removal results
  • Minimize total treatment time
  • Lessen the odds for pain and discomfort

Several Weeks Prior to Treatment

Initial laser hair removal preparations can begin weeks before the first treatment takes place. These steps often involve prepping your skin and unwanted hair to make them more conducive to laser treatments.

If you normally wax, tweeze, use removal creams or bleach your unwanted hair, these methods should be discontinued in the weeks prior to laser treatment. This step ensures that the hair removal process is completed efficiently and correctly.

It’s a fact that lasers are attracted to melanin in hair and skin, so if you have tanned skin or regularly apply tanning creams and lotions, these should be discontinued well in advance of your laser treatments. This also means that you should be wary of sun exposure in the time leading up to laser hair removal and should apply sunscreen before any prolonged time outdoors. Sunburns will also affect your results since the reddened skin will change how the lasers interact with the skin and hair follicles.

24 Hours Prior to Treatment

Within 24 hours of your laser hair removal appointment, it’s recommended that the soon-to-be treated areas are shaved of all existing hair. If you fail to shave the areas prior to your appointment, the technician will shave them for you before your treatment. Shaving the treated areas allows the laser procedure to be completed quicker, and it will mean less discomfort and/or pain during the hair removal process itself.

If too much hair is present on the skin’s surface during treatment, the laser will target that existing hair as well as the follicle underneath the skin. When that happens, the surface hair will be burned by the laser, and subsequently your skin can be burned too.

How Should I Prepare for Laser Hair Removal? – Part Two to be continued…