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Laser hair removal is by far the best permanent hair reduction technique that is available right now. With years of advancements and innovation in laser tech, more and more people are inclined towards getting this treatment. However, most people don’t know how to care for their skin after the laser hair removal procedure is complete. This article is specifically meant for people who want to know the aftercare instructions for this treatment.
After the procedure, following some important instructions is necessary two reasons. First one being, the prevention from skin diseases and the second one is to preserve the results for a long time. Here is everything you need to know about how to care for the skin after the hair removal procedure.
How does laser hair removal work?
Laser hair removal works by sending laser impulses inside the skin to effectively destroy the hair follicles that produce hair. Some laser target specific pigment to do so, but modern lasers are not pigment dependent. After the first session, the patient experiences heavy hair shedding as all the unwanted hair start to fall out of the follicles.
The treatment sessions are adequately spaced out in order to destroy all hair-producing follicles as they grow. The aim of the multiple sessions in laser hair removal is to make sure that hair follicles are unable to produce more hair.
Next time the hairs grow back, they are much finer, thinner as well as very light. With each session, the patient experiences more and more hair reduction. This hair reduction continues until the unwanted hairs stop growing.
What to Expect from Laser Hair Removal Treatment
You can expect the following things after undergoing a laser hair removal procedure:
- Clients experience most hair reduction after the first treatment (upto 60%) that reduces with each followup sessions because there are fewer hairs in each followup session.
- The hair removal might not be as effective for people with dark hair and dark skin as it’s ideal for fair skin with dark hair.
- You may experience slight discomfort during the treatment. A numbing cream or some cooling gel may be applied to soothe this discomfort.
- You may experience some redness and swelling immediately after the treatment. However, it goes away after some time.
- Don’t over expect from the treatment, have some realistic expectations. This treatment takes time to shed hair and more sessions are needed for permanent hair reduction.
- Allow your technician to give you a customized treatment and rest easy as he/she knows better.
Post Care Treatment
It’s a very simple and minimally invasive treatment that can be described as a walk-in and walk out session that hardly takes more than 1 hour. But, like most other surgical and non-surgical procedures, this treatment also needs some post-care.
Knowing about the post-care is very important for two reasons.
- It helps you to avoid skin diseases and problems
- You get you intended or desired results
If you want your treatment to work according to your needs and desires which in this case is that you want permanent hair reduction than follow the following post-care practices:
Redness and Slight Inflammation is Normal
You will feel some redness and inflammation in the treated area immediately after your treatment. Bumps are also common signs that appear after a laser treatment. This redness and other symptoms may last for 2-3 hours and then fade away.
The feeling of this skin redness is felt just like some sunburn because the laser heats up the deeper layers of skin. Using a cold compress can relieve you of the redness and inflammation. Contact your doctor if you experience any crusting or apply a recommended antibiotic.
Gently Cleanse the Treated Area
Don’t rub your skin and don’t try to massage it. Being harsh with your skin is highly undesirable after a laser treatment. Don’t use any strong chemical or strong soap that could possibly harm you. Gently wash your skin with very mild soap and use pat dry instead of a towel.
Don’t use Makeup or some other Product for 48 hours
Keep the treated area clean and moist. Hydrate your skin and drink more water, but do not use makeup or any other product that may interfere with the treatment or the results.
Dead Sheds Away
You will experience more hair shedding after some time of the laser hair removal treatment. Don’t be worried if the shedding is persistent as this is a good sign that the procedure is working just fine.
Exfoliate to speed up the Hair Shedding
You can exfoliate after you see new hair growth 30 days after the treatment. These are not new hair growths but hair follicles pushing the dead hair outwards. You can exfoliate to speed up the hair shedding process.
Avoid the sun
Avoiding sun exposure is very important after the laser procedure. Avoid excessive sun exposure for at least 2 months after the treatment. This downtime helps your skin relax and heal. Only go out in the sun if necessary and use a strong sunscreen containing SPF 25 or higher.
Do not Scratch, Wax or Thread the Treated Area
Don’t scratch your skin after the treatment, even rubbing your skin can harm you and interfere with results. Only use a very mild moisturizer and dry out your skin using a pat dry not a towel. Don’t use waxing or threading procedures after the treatment. You can shave if required but that all you can do.
Hair growth varies
Laser hair removal is a permanent hair reduction technique and not a permanent hair removal procedure. Some people may experience permanent hair removal even after just 1 session but some may experience minor hair growth after multiple sessions. Every person is different from the other and having realistic expectations is the key.
