Why do you need to remove your hair before having laser?
You must remove hair in your treatment area before laser hair removal treatment for safety, results and comfort level purposes. It’s best to shave 24hrs before your treatment for safety reasons. Treatment also feels more comfortable if hair in the area has been shaved properly before each treatment.
When you first start to shave areas, you may find it difficult if your hair is thick and coarse. After 2-3 sessions shaving becomes much easier as hair becomes finer and lighter.
Effects on your skin safety
If you don’t perform a proper shave, laser may not work as well and you may be left with red scratch like marks on your skin. These will not leave any long lasting marks or scars and tend to heal in just a few days.
Effects on Results
Your results will not be as effective if there is excess hair above the follicle. If hair is not removed properly, this excess hair will absorb energy away from the base of the follicle.
Effects on Comfort levels during treatment
Laser treatment will be much more comfortable if hair has been shaved completely. If there is an excess of hair above the follicle you may feel more intensity from each pulse of laser.
We would always recommend shaving 24 hours before your laser treatment is due. Use light pressure with a good quality shaving foam and a sharp razor blade each time you shave. Its best to avoid passing the razor too many times over one particular section of skin as this may cause the skin to become too irritated to tolerate a laser treatment. If you suffer with folliculitis or ingrown hairs that may have become infected we would recommend using a new razor blade each time you shave to prevent any risk of further infection in your treatment area.
We would recommend shaving on all body areas especially larger areas like legs or arms. You need to fully remove your hair before each and every one of your laser hair removal treatments. You also have the option to use hair removal cream a full 48 hours before your treatment but we would only recommend using this on smaller treatment areas such as lip, chin, neck or sides of face.
If you need any more advice on how best to remove your hair before your laser treatment, contact our friendly team who will answer any questions you may have.
