Have you grown tired of shaving, waxing, and tweezing your unwanted hair? Laser hair removal is a great alternative to other hair removal methods, producing permanent results.
Laser Skin Solutions Jacksonville offers laser treatment for clients who want to get rid of their body hair once and for all. Read on for some laser hair removal tips for first-time patients.
What Is Laser Hair Removal?
Laser hair removal is a cosmetic treatment that uses laser energy to target and disable hair follicles. This treatment causes existing hairs to shed and prevents the further growth of new hairs. Laser treatment is most often used on the following areas:
- Face
- Arms
- Under arms
- Legs
- Pubic area
- Chest
- Back
Laser treatment is a popular alternative to traditional methods like shaving and waxing because it produces longer-lasting results. In many cases, the results of laser hair removal are permanent.
9 Laser Hair Removal Tips
Are you new to laser hair removal? If this is your first time having laser treatment, check out these nine laser hair removal tips that will help you get optimal results.
1. Shave Two to Three Days Before Your Session
Laser hair removal will not work if your hair is too long. The length of a grain of rice is ideal for laser treatment to be the most effective. To achieve this length, you should shave the hair in your treatment area about three days before your session.
Do not use hair removal methods that remove the root, such as waxing, tweezing, or plucking.
2. Stop Using Self-Tanners
Self-tanners and tanning lotions will reduce the efficacy of your laser hair removal. To ensure that you get optimal results, you should stop using these products at least two to three weeks prior to your first session. You must also avoid using them between any subsequent sessions.
3. Avoid Blood Thinners Before Treatment
If you regularly take certain medications, speak with your provider about stopping them before your session. Blood thinners, such as aspirin, can interfere with the way laser hair removal works. You may need to stop taking these medications about one to two weeks prior to your treatment.
If you use topical products that contain retinol, you will want to stop using these as well. This can act as a potential irritant to skin that has received laser treatment.
4. Request a Topical Numbing Agent
While laser hair removal is a relatively comfortable procedure, it can produce a sensation that many clients do not like. Some report that it feels like a rubber band being snapped against the skin.
To minimize this feeling, request a topical numbing cream be applied to the treatment area beforehand. Most spas and aesthetic clinics do this for all patients, but you will want to ask your provider just to make sure.
5. Apply a Cold Compress to the Treatment Area
Many people experience mild swelling in the treatment area after a laser hair removal session. To reduce this swelling and any related discomfort, you can apply a cold compress to the area. The easiest way to do this is by wrapping a bag of ice cubes in a soft hand towel and holding it to the skin for about 20 minutes.
6. Do Not Wax, Tweeze, or Pluck After Your Session
Laser treatment works by targeting the root or follicle of your hair. This process can take several days after your session to fully work.
In order for this to be effective, you must leave the root of your hair intact after treatment. This means avoiding any hair removal methods that pull hair from the root, such as waxing or tweezing. If you need to remove hair between sessions, you can still use traditional shaving.
7. Use Gentle Exfoliation to Speed Up Shedding
After a laser hair removal session, the hair in your treatment area will begin to shed. These are the hair follicles that were disabled and destroyed by the laser. To speed up the shedding process, you can use a gentle exfoliating product when you shower.
Rub the product in small circular motions along wet skin to gently remove any shedding hairs.
8. Avoid Direct Sunlight
One of the most essential laser hair removal tips is to avoid irritants after each session. For the first two weeks after your laser hair removal session, you will want to avoid direct and prolonged sun exposure.
The skin in your treatment area will be sensitive in the days immediately following treatment, and UV rays can be a potential irritant. You should avoid using tanning beds as well.
9. Return for All of Your Sessions on Schedule
An essential part of the laser hair removal process is attending all of the scheduled sessions. During each session, only the hair follicles that are in their active stage can be targeted. This means that many follicles will remain untouched after your first session.
To ensure that every follicle is disabled, you must have a series of sessions spaced several weeks apart. For most patients, this is between two and four sessions in total.
Laser Hair Removal in Jacksonville, FL
If you want to remove unwanted hair from your face, legs, arms, or bikini line, laser hair removal could be the right treatment for you. Laser hair removal dives deep beneath the skin’s surface to remove hair from the root, eliminating the need for shaving and waxing.
Laser Skin Solutions Jacksonville offers hair removal treatments for clients throughout Jacksonville, FL, and surrounding cities. Schedule your consultation today!
