Laser hair removal is a long process. You can not just use it once and expect the hair to be gone forever. It usually takes a series of treatments before you can achieve your desired results. Since lasers remove hair by damaging the follicle, the roots have to grow back several times before no more hairs are growing from that area again. If you do not prepare yourself properly for this treatment, it will take longer than necessary and cause unnecessary discomfort. The tips below can assist you in getting through laser hair removal as smoothly as possible.
1. Make sure you are using the right kind of soap
Your body produces oil called sebum which protects your skin from infections and also helps moisturize it. Sebum also makes it harder for lasers to target follicles that have been left unprotected when dead skin cells flake off or get washed away by water or soap. Make sure whatever soap you use has a pH level similar to normal skin, so the sebum production is not increased, but just enough so that the sebum is not stripped away.
2. Consider using a retinoid
Retinoids are used to prevent sun damage but are also suitable for getting rid of ingrown hair before they have a chance of becoming infected. If you are already using this product regularly, it will help prepare your skin for laser hair removal because the treatment will go deeper into your skin without any inflammation or pain signals being triggered due to ingrown hair.
3. Stay out of the sun
You should avoid spending plenty of time in the sun even before you get your first laser hair removal session done. When you tan, your skin starts producing more melanin, which gives off heat to protect itself from ultraviolet light. If you have been in the sun lately, this process will be happening right underneath the area where lasers are trying to target your hair follicles. The increased heat inhibits the lasers from properly targeting your hair and slows down the process of laser hair removal significantly.
4. Eat healthily
You should always avoid eating junk food when going through any skin treatment, because it can slow down healing time and keep skin cells from doing their job. If you eat healthily, then your body will have plenty of nutrients to offer to damaged areas so they can quickly recover after being exposed to lasers.
5. Avoid waxing and shaving
Do not shave or wax for at least two weeks before your laser hair removal appointment. One to three days is usually enough time, but shaving will compromise your results because it removes dead skin cells too quickly and leaves your skin open to infection. If you’re getting waxed, then schedule your appointments for a week after each other, so there are plenty of ingrown hairs being removed. Otherwise, they will no longer be vulnerable to lasers when they have already grown above the skin line again.
6. Reduce stress levels
Many people are under high amounts of stress before their laser hair removal sessions, which often contributes to their breakout due to sweating when they arrive at the clinic. They might even start twitching from the lasers’ pain, which will make it harder for technicians to target hair follicles appropriately. A relaxed state also keeps your body from going through an adrenaline spike which could cause pigment darkening over treated areas.
