What to do after Laser Hair Removal

So you got it done, and the laser hair removal was much easier than you thought! Other than just waiting for the hairs to fall out, you might wonder about what to do after laser hair removal.

What to do after Laser Hair Removal (and what not to do)

1. You may have developed some swelling or redness during the procedure. If so, this should go away soon.
2. Please avoid exercise, saunas, or hot showers until skin redness or swelling has returned back to normal, usually within 12 hours.
3. Do not use any hot water or products that may irritate the skin. You may use a gentle facial cleanser, herbal wash, aloe gel or green tea serum to soothe the skin.
4. Continue using sunscreen daily throughout the entire laser hair removal treatment course. Under arms and bikini areas are usually covered by clothing and do not require sunblock.
5. Avoid restrictive clothing against the treated area because this can cause irritation and put the skin at risk for infection.
6. Avoid any aggressive cleansers or skin treatment products especially on the face for at least 2 days after laser treatment if you were treated by the laser in these areas. Here are some more things not to do after laser hair removal: Avoid retinol, Retin-A, benzoyl peroxide, glycolic acid, microdermal abrasion, astringent, chemical peels, and salicylic acid.
7. After about 3 weeks, the majority of hairs should have fallen out. At this time, you may scrub with a gentle circular motion on the treated areas for exfoliation. This will help clear the pores and tease out the remaining hair. After this step, some clients may have some residual hair, and some will lose all of it. You will need to shave much less between laser hair treatments.
8. You can expect some areas to develop “folliculitis” from laser treatment around hair follicles. This is a collection of red bumps or redness around hair follicles. This is a good sign in that it usually means that the root of the hair was destroyed by the laser. This means that the laser was effective and the follicles are temporarily inflamed. This usually comes and goes within a week. A warm moist cloth (compresses may be applied twice daily to help dilate the follicles and heal them.

The laser only kills the actively growing hair follicles. Only about 1/3 are actively growing at any one time. In about 6 weeks, you will have growth of hair in the follicles that weren’t in the active growth phase at the time of the last treatment. When you wonder about what to do after laser hair removal, these are the important items to mention. Please email or call us if you have any questions.

What to do before Laser Hair Removal, Step by Step!