Laser hair removal is a great way to reduce the amount of time you spend shaving, waxing, and plucking. It’s also an effective way to remove hair for those who struggle to maintain a consistent waxing schedule.
Though laser hair removal can be a great option for many people, it is important to understand that it is not always appropriate. While you can also shave after laser hair removal, be sure to wait for several hours after skin redness or discoloration has subsided. Avoid shaving on any skin that’s: swollen. red or discolored.
Shaving after laser hair removal can be a confusing topic. With so many different professionals and patients claiming that shaving is ok, that it may lead to ingrown hairs, or even permanent scarring; how are we supposed to know who’s right? Is shaving on your skin after laser safe? Here I’ve decided to go over this topic in depth so we can find out for sure whether shaving is ok following laser hair removal. Read on to learn more how to remove dead hair after laser and how to speed up shedding after laser hair removal.
Is It Ok To Shave After Laser Hair Removal
Most people find waxing and threading tiresome and painful. Fortunately, there is an alternative that’s highly effective if you’re looking to get rid of unwanted body hair – laser hair removal.
Laser hair removal prevents hair regrowth which means you won’t need to constantly shave or wax to maintain a smooth, hair free body.
Since laser hair removal is a cosmetic procedure, it’s important to conduct a consultation to make sure you know what to expect and so we can make sure there’s nothing stopping you from having the treatment.
We always get lots of questions including ‘can i shave after having laser hair treatment’ but before we get to that…
What is Laser Hair Removal?
If you’re not a fan of body hair then laser hair removal is one option you should consider.
At Beauty Barn, we deliver daily laser hair removal treatments in Liverpool so we’re very familiar with the process.
It involves concentrating powerful beams of light through the pigment of hair, onto the hair follicles. The heat causes the destruction of hair follicles and hair bulbs.
Aside from being one of the most popular hair removal treatments, the procedure has a range of benefits over traditional shaving and waxing.
First off, you will love the precision the treatment offers. Concentrated lasers target unwanted hairs without damaging your skin.
Then there’s speed. Each beam takes seconds or even less to treat a large area. It will take you around one minute to fully treat the upper lip and other small areas. Larger areas such as your legs may require several minutes’ treatment.
You may require an average of 6 to 8 sessions (four weeks apart) to attain permanent hair loss – after which you won’t need to worry about hair regrowth. Considering the impact of this can have on a person, many say the cost of laser hair removal is reasonable.
If you are having an aesthetic treatment like microdermabrasion after laser hair removal then this gap between appointments is especially important.
Some clients report a minor irritation after the treatment – if the irritation continues or you are feeling anxious then please contact us immediately.
Should You Shave After Laser Hair Removal?
Hair grows in cycles, which means some hair may regrow after your session with us, that’s simply because some of the hair may not have experienced the full impact of the laser.
So, yes you can shave after laser hair removal if hair grows, but don’t do it immediately after the laser treatment procedure.
We also advise that you shave in between your sessions, for the best results, make sure to shave no more than 24 hours before you come in to see us as shorter hair makes it easier for the beams to locate hair follicles.
Often, laser hair removal requires multiple treatments especially if you need the treatment on a larger area like the back or the legs.
In such instances, you are likely to see hair regrowth but that shouldn’t worry you – just shave and attend the recommended sessions to get rid of the regrowing hairs.
You will notice the hair become finer and less after each session.
Don’t Wax After Laser Hair Removal
You shouldn’t wax after the treatment because laser hair removal works best when strong light beams are focussed on hair follicles. Waxing works by pulling the hair straight from its roots under the skin.
Lasers will be left with no place to hit, making the whole treatment less effective – you don’t want that to happen, right?
That is why it is recommended that you either shave or use trimming creams either the night before or on the day of your next laser treatment session.
Of course, every body is different and if you’re still unsure about when or if you need to shave then speak to your therapist who will be able to advise on what’s best for you.
Consider Exfoliating Before Shaving
A few days after the laser hair treatment you will experience ‘shedding’ – this is a sure sign that the lasers did a good job.
The hairs falling off are those that were damaged by the treatment in the previous session – they are dead hairs.
With that in mind, we recommend that you exfoliate before shaving as it helps rid the treated area of damaged hairs.
While this is not a necessary step, it will allow you to shave more effectively.
Tips for Shaving After Treatment
Laser hair removal can leave you with a burning sensation on your skin. Shaving directly after treatment may make things even worse – a situation you don’t want.
The tips below will help you achieve the best results within a short period.
- Don’t shave too soon. Give the treated area enough time to heal. You will know that it has fully healed when it is no longer touch-sensitive or when irritation starts going away.
- Exfoliate after 4 or 5 days. Exfoliation helps rid the treated area of damaged hair. Allow the area enough time to heal fully. Also, note that not all patients experience skin sensitivity and irritation in the first few days, but that doesn’t mean that the treated area is healed.
- Track your shaving habits. Keep track of how often you need to shave between treatments, the less frequent the need to shave, the more effective the treatment is.
Shave at the Appropriate Time
Shaving too far away from your appointment or too soon after it are the 2 most common reasons why laser hair removal might not be as effective.
If you shave too far in advance then the hairs will be too long and the laser can’t hit the follicle as it should, while shaving too soon after your treatment can cause more irritation as your skin is still healing.
Speak to your therapist about the best way to stay on top of your maintenance and always consult a Doctor if you have any underlying health issues that may be triggered by the treatment and let your therapist know at your consultation before your course of treatment begins.
How To Remove Dead Hair After Laser
While you shouldn’t be able to pull hair out forcefully, you’re free to cut or scrub the hair in order to speed up the shed process. Rub the treatment area with a circular motion with a loofah or gentle washcloth for removing dead hair.
Before you can figure out the reason hair doesn’t fall out following laser hair removal, it’s essential to look at three major cycles of hair growth hair follicles experience:
Anagen: is also known as the growth cycle, and it’s the best phase that the laser treatment can be effective. Anagen is the stage when hair appears on the skin’s surface, which lets the laser stay in place and transfer heat down the hair strand and to the hair follicle.
Catagen: The catagen phase in the cycle of hair, happens the one that occurs before the hair is shed naturally and not due to the laser. In this stage, laser hair removal will not be as successful as hair is already dead and pushed out of the hair follicle.
Telogen: is the stage in which hair is not growing or developing beneath the skin. Also known as the resting phase, Telogen is not suitable for laser hair removal as there isn’t any hair showing on the skin’s surface.
Why Didn’t My Hair Fall Out After Laser Hair Removal?
Laser hair removal is a procedure that permits patients to temporarily put off the necessity to shave, wax or pluck unwanted hairs. The procedure makes use of strong light from the laser device to focus on the pigmentation in dark hair and lets the skin absorb the heat to kill hair follicles. However, it’s not permanent, and a new hair follicle will eventually grow.
After one session of laser treatment, your hair’s bulb is expected to break out over a seven to 30-day time span. At this point, bumps and redness could occur as your body pulls dead hair out of your hair follicle. Ingrown hairs could get stuck beneath the skin. People may believe that it’s hair growth, but it’s your body pushing hair upwards to the surface and pulling the hair away from your skin to remove it.
Some patients may be concerned because not all hairs within the treatment region were shed following the treatment. It is crucial to remember that every hair follicle may not necessarily have the same growth cycle as the hairs surrounding it. Lasers can kill hair only during the anagen stage. However, only about 15 percent of the hair will be present in this phase at the time of one laser session. That means that only 15 percent of hair follicles will be destroyed, and those hairs will fall off five to 14 days following treatment.
The growth cycle is the reason why it could take between 6 and 8 sessions before the hair follicles have been destroyed. Each treatment area has its own unique growth cycle, and hair growth in the upper lip can be four weeks, and the cycle for the legs can take between 8 and 10 weeks. A cosmetic surgeon would spread the time within your treatment schedule by six weeks to keep up the growth of hair.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Laser Hair Removal
If you’re concerned about your hair not dropping out, do not be worried. The rate of loss and regrowth is mainly dependent on the person; skin types, hormones, hair type, skin color, and treatment areas are just a few of the many circumstances that impact the process. While you wait, you should know the do’s and don’ts to be aware of:
Do not remove hair after the Laser Treatment
The most important thing to remember is to remain patient. Do not tweeze, wax, pick up, pluck, thread, or squeeze hair from your skin because this can eliminate the hair follicles targeted with the laser and cause skin irritation. It’s better to keep them in place until they are gone; when you go through the laser hair removal procedure, the dark and thick hairs will become thinner and easier to get rid of.
Exfoliate Frequently.
While you shouldn’t be able to pull hair out forcefully, you’re free to cut or scrub the hair in order to speed up the shed process. Rub the treatment area with a circular motion with a loofah or gentle washcloth for removing dead hair.
Don’t Miss the Next Treatment.
While unwanted hair may appear to be gone, however, they could have entered their telogen stage and hidden under the skin. Be sure to follow your treatment program and return to the clinic at the scheduled time. In the long run, waiting too long between hair cycles can result in you missing the growth of your hair.
Do Hydrate Your Skin.
Keep your skin soft, healthy, and relaxed after a laser hair treatment. You can expect your skin to be irritated and sunburnt, so apply a cooling gel of aloe vera to avoid skin irritation. A few ice cubes or ice packs in your bag can help manage swelling, redness, and other undesirable reactions.
Laser hair removal uses light to target the pigment in individual hairs. The light travels down the shaft of the hair and into the hair follicle.
The heat from the laser light destroys the hair follicle, and a hair can no longer grow from it.
Hair follows a unique growth cycle that involves resting, shedding, and growing periods. Recently removed hair that is in a resting phase will not be visible to the technician or laser, so a person may need to wait until it regrows before removing it.
For most people, laser hair removal requires several treatments over the course of 2 to 3 months.
Is laser hair removal permanent?
Hair removal from a destroyed hair follicle is permanent. However, people who undergo hair removal can expect that some hair in the targeted area will grow back.
Over time, it is possible to treat the area again to reduce the number of hairs that regrow. In some cases, it may even be possible to eliminate all hair.
Whether or not hair grows back depends on numerous factors, including the type of hair that regrows and the skill of the person removing the hair.
Most people find that when hair regrows, it is lighter and less noticeable than it was before. This is because the laser may damage the hair follicle even when it fails to destroy it.
If a hair follicle is damaged but not destroyed, the hair will eventually regrow. It can be difficult to destroy every single hair follicle, so most people will see some hair regrowth.
When hair regrows, it is possible to treat it again, so people who want to remove all the hair may need several treatments.
In some cases, hair may be too light, too short, or resistant to treatment. In these cases, a person might choose to use other hair removal methods, such as plucking stray hairs.
How long does laser hair removal last?
Laser hair removal is permanent when the hair follicle is destroyed. When the hair follicle is only damaged, the hair will eventually regrow.
The amount of time it takes for the hair to regrow depends on the person’s unique hair growth cycle. Some people have hair that grows more quickly than others. Hair that is in a resting phase will grow back more slowly than hair that is in another phase.
Most people can expect some hair regrowth within a few months. Once this happens, they can opt for more removal treatments.
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How To Speed Up Shedding After Laser Hair Removal
You can speed up hair shedding after laser hair removal by gently exfoliating your skin a couple of times a week following treatment.
Hair removal works best on people with light complexions who have dark hair. This is because the pigment contrast makes it easier for the laser to target the hair, travel into the follicle, and destroy the follicle.
People with dark skin or light hair may need more treatments than others and may find that more hair grows back.
To permanently remove hair, the technician must know how to target the hair and choose the right type of laser. Research published in 2013Trusted Source found that lasers that produce longer wavelengths work best on dark skin.
By doing this, what you will be doing is ridding your skin of any dead skin cells that may be clogging your pores and causing hair to remain stuck to the skin even though it is detached from the follicle.
The exfoliating action can also apply pressure to hairs that are only just hanging on to their follicle and provide some gentle convincing for it to let go.
Wait until you see the first signs of hair shedding after laser hair removal before beginning to exfoliate. We recommend that you try to do this when in the shower to ease the process and rid your body of unwanted hairs all in one easy, manageable go.
You should also only exfoliate this frequently if you know that you will not damage or irritate your skin. So, for example, if you have quite sensitive skin, then you should exfoliate less and with products suitable for use on sensitive skin.
Side effects and risks
During treatment, some people experience burning, stinging, or discomfort. For this reason, many technicians apply a numbing cream to the area they are treating. However, some people may have an allergic reaction or skin irritation in response to the numbing cream.
Minor side effects are common, and may include:
- changes in the color of the skin, particularly in people with dark skin, which are usually temporary
- skin redness
- blistering or crusting of the skin
Sometimes, irritation related to hair removal can cause scarring. Damaged skin can also become infected. Though rare, skin infections can spread and become life-threatening.
Providing a detailed medical history and discussing risks and benefits can help the provider determine the right treatment, reducing the risk of serious side effects.
Following hair removal, a person should avoid sun exposure. The sun can irritate the skin, which increases the risk of blisters and scars.
People who experience intense pain, a fever, crusting, blisters, or other signs of skin damage or infection should seek medical attention.
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Cost of laser hair removal
According to 2017 statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the average cost of a hair removal session is $293.
Most people require multiple sessions, so people should talk to their treatment provider about how many sessions they will need to work out the overall cost.
Because laser hair removal is almost always a cosmetic procedure, insurance is unlikely to cover it.
The total cost of laser hair removal depends on several factors, including who performs the treatment. Skilled providers such as dermatologists and plastic surgeons may charge more but are less likely to cause injury or side effects.
Other factors affecting the cost include:
- the number of treatments required
- how much hair regrows
- the number of hairs targeted
- the size of the area requiring treatment
Removing a small amount of hair from a region such as the upper lip will cost less than removing hair from the entire leg.
Outlook
Laser hair removal can significantly reduce the amount of body hair a person has. In most people, some hair will regrow over time.
Even when hair does regrow, there will be less overall hair, producing a smoother appearance. To get a realistic understanding of what to expect from laser hair removal, discuss treatment goals with a doctor or hair removal specialist.
Some skin complexions and hair types produce better results than others. The only way to know for sure what to expect is to talk to a doctor, a dermatologist, or another skilled practitioner.
Side effects of laser hair removal on bikini area
by Bridgetown Aesthetics
The unwanted leg hair…
The unflattering back hair…
The hours spent shaving (and dreading having to shave)…
You’re excited that laser hair removal will remove more than just your hair. It’ll also remove insecurities with your appearance. It’ll remove hours of shaving. It’ll remove expensive razors and shaving equipment.
But, you’re worried about the side effects.
You’ve read some crazy claims that laser hair removal can increase risks of cancer, infertility, and more.
What’s true and what isn’t? This article will dive into the science of your laser hair removal procedure to let you know if it’s safe.
COMMON SIDE EFFECTS AND CONCERNS
You’re pumped about permanent hair removal, but you want to make sure that it’s safe.
There are many different hair removal methods, but the most common used today is called “laser genesis” – this is what the medical spas and hair removal clinics use. This process targets hair follicles and actually destroys them.
And there are 3 main side effect concerns that people have: 1) cancer, 2) infertility, and 3) pimples.
This section will share scientific evidence about the 3 common side effect concerns.
CANCER
But, are these headlines actually something to worry about? Can laser hair removal actually increase your risk of getting cancer?
Here’s what Heathline has to say about it:
“It’s a myth that laser hair removal can cause cancer. In fact, according to the Skin Care Foundation, the procedure is sometimes used to treat certain forms of precancerous lesions.”
So, why has there been such a buzz about laser hair removal and cancer?
The lasers used to treat unwanted hair do emit some radiation. And people often associate radiation with cancer.
But, recent data has shown that the radiation that is emitted during a laser hair removal treatment is minimal – much lower than what an average cell phone emits.
INFERTILITY
The second most common side effect that women worry about is if laser hair removal can increase risks of infertility.
Women usually ask this question during bikini line treatments. They’re worried that the lasers can go deeper than just the treated area (the hair around the bikini line) and interfere with their ovaries.
Elizabeth Hale, a professor at NYU School of Medicine, commented on this topic. She says:
“The lasers we use penetrate less than one millimeter into the skin, so there’s no way they could reach your ovaries. But even if they did—which they never, ever could—they wouldn’t do anything, anyway. They work on pigment and have no bearing on fertility.”
Therefore, there’s nothing to worry about.
PIMPLES
Younger people who decide to get laser hair removal worry about it causing acne.
Will getting laser hair removal increase your likelihood of getting pimples?
There hasn’t been any official scientific research into this, but experts in the field have discussed it.
One expert shares how laser hair removal might actually DECREASE your risk for getting pimples. They claim that:
“Laser hair removal does not pull the hair from the skin, but rather is less invasive and uses light to target the hair follicle, to prevent further growth and eventually have the hair fall out. As a result, laser hair removal may result in a decrease in breakouts.”
This is not something that you should worry about. Laser hair removal has not been clinically shown to increase acne.
ARE THERE ANY LONG TERM SIDE EFFECTS OF LASER HAIR REMOVAL?
Mayo Clinic, a highly respected medical institution, states that there are no known long-term side effects of laser hair removal.
In order to become legalized, laser hair removal had to be intensely studied in order to determine its long-term safety to our health.
But, there are known short-term, temporary side effects. Here are a few of those side effects:
REDNESS AND SWELLING
To effectively remove your unwanted hair, the laser has to target your hair follicles. During this process, the goal of the laser is to actually severely damage those hair follicles so that they’re not able to continue growing hair.
During this process of safely damaging your hair follicles, you may experience temporary redness and swelling.
TEMPORARY SKIN COLOR CHANGES
This all depends on your skin color.
We’ve seen that some patients that come in who have darker skin color may experience a lighter skin pigmentation following the procedure.
Those patients with lighter skin may experience a darker skin pigmentation following the procedure.
These changes in skin color can be exacerbated by sun exposure. That’s why we highly recommend that you avoid prolonged sun exposure following your treatment.