Laser hair removal is an effective way to get rid of unwanted hair on the face and body for many years. But to achieve such a result, you will have to take a course, which often consists of 5-10 procedures with an interval of 1 month. During this time, new hairs will still appear, so clients often have a question about how to remove hair after laser hair removal. This is an important point that cannot be ignored, so we decided to highlight it as a separate topic.
Why you shouldn’t shave after laser hair removal or how to do it safely
But you need to be careful when using a razor. You cannot injure or damage the skin, so any cuts or irritation will be a contraindication to the procedure.
After laser hair removal, you can shave your hair, but follow the recommendations of specialists:
- The machine must be new, with sharp blades so as not to damage the skin or cause infection;
- Before shaving, you should not additionally steam the skin;
- You can treat the skin after the procedure with antiseptics that do not contain alcohol;
- For the first two weeks, you must use the machine carefully so as not to damage the skin that is sensitive after the procedure;
- In case of inflammation or irritation of the skin, as well as other reactions, you should stop shaving.
Precautionary measures
In rare cases, minor skin irritation may occur after laser hair removal. Even the most modern equipment is not capable of 100% gentle treatment of sensitive areas. In order for the epidermis to recover faster and to avoid discomfort, if you decide to shave areas between laser hair removal sessions, you can listen to some advice from experts.
- You need to get rid of bristles using a new machine with sharp, safe blades.
- Hairs should be shaved carefully to avoid scratches and cuts. Otherwise, it will take a lot of time for them to heal, and the next trip to the salon will have to be postponed.
- Do not shave your armpits, bikini area, legs or other parts of the body until 2 weeks have passed since the procedure.
- After laser hair removal, it may seem that the growth rate of the remaining vegetation has increased. This opinion is somewhat incorrect, since hair does not grow, but, together with dead follicles, is more actively pushed out by the skin.
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How soon can you shave after laser hair removal?
After the session, hairs do not fall out immediately, so you should not use a razor during the first week. For effectiveness, it is better to wait 1.5 weeks and only then start hair removal after laser hair removal.
Depending on the area being epilated
On the day of laser hair removal in the morning, you should take water treatments without moisturizing lotions and creams. You should not use a scrub or put on makeup. If you plan to remove it in the armpit area, you need to stop using deodorant. It is recommended to completely give up coffee and tea drinks within a few hours. These liquids can increase sensitivity to pain.
Depending on the area being treated, session time varies from 15 minutes to 60. The break should be from 3 to 6 weeks. The permanent effect is achieved after 6-8 sensations. However, even in this case, everything is decided by individuality: hair thickness, density, stiffness, shade and color of the skin. Preparation for epilation of the armpits, face and bikini area is almost the same. But still there are some peculiarities.
Find out what is more effective than ATF hair removal or laser hair removal in this material.
If the procedure is carried out in a deep bikini area, is it necessary to shave the hair?
4-5 days before hair removal in the intimate area, it is recommended to perform gentle exfoliation. 2 days before the session you need to shave your pubic hair. In this case, you cannot use cream or foam containing alcohol. It is better to choose a product with a neutral pH. To ensure a high-quality shaving, it is recommended to use a mirror, placing it at the level of the groin. The patient may wish to leave a stripe or triangle on the pubic area. To do this, use a white makeup pencil. It will leave the outline of the future haircut on the skin. You should use shaving foam on the anus area. This will not cause irritation and will soften the skin. After shaving, the skin is thoroughly washed with warm water to remove detergents. Aloe vera gel, which does not contain fatty oils, is applied to soothe the area. Also, consult when to do hair removal before or after your period.
On the face of women - epilation of the upper lip
14 days before laser treatment, you should stop using chemical peeling and masks with acids. You cannot use anti-aging serums and concentrates for 7 days. If your skin is very dry, it is better to moisturize it with a fabric mask with a light composition or gel that does not contain fats and oils. Immediately before the session, it is recommended to avoid using decorative cosmetics and day cream. Thanks to this, hair removal is virtually pain-free. The number of sessions will depend on the density of hair on the upper lip and its growth cycle. Each beam exposure destroys about 20-25% of all hair follicles. This is due to their uneven stage of development. And the laser can only remove growing hair. To completely get rid of them, you will need from 5 to 8 sessions, which fall out on 7-10 days.
Gray, red and blond hair are not recognized by the laser. Therefore, the procedure for removing them is practically useless.
Should I shave off my mustache? Shave
A few days in advance, the antennae should be shaved so that their length does not exceed 1 mm. This should be done 2 days in advance. Without shaving, laser treatment will be ineffective. The beam will not be able to heat the melanin in the bulbs and destroy them. When hair length is higher than the specified norm, the likelihood of burns and severe irritation increases. Sensitive skin types above the upper lip require a greater cooling effect.
Removing unwanted hair in the armpit area
The main requirement for the axillary areas before laser hair removal is their cleanliness. On the day of hair removal, you should stop using deodorant, although this is quite difficult to do. You can use alcohol-free baby wipes. This will remove sweat and dirt. Laser treatment minimizes irritation and redness. This method gets rid of unwanted hairs for a long period. After the first session, their growth slows down, they become thinner and after a few days they fall out without causing pain. The effect of smooth skin under the arms will be noticeable within 5-8 months. Modern laser equipment is equipped with a cooling system. This reduces pain.
Find out about the operation of a neodymium laser by following the link.
On foot
If epilation is carried out for the first time, you should shave the hair on your legs 3-5 days in advance. This measure will make laser exposure as effective as possible. When shaving, you should always use a new blade. For 2 days, you should not use liquids containing alcohol to wipe the skin. This disrupts the water-fat balance and leads to irritation. It is better to treat the depilation area with a moisturizing cream. Preparation for exposure to a laser beam for leg treatment is carried out by anyone who wants to get the maximum effect from hair removal. Afterwards, the skin is lubricated with moisturizing cream with panthenol. The first session is considered the most productive. The laser destroys up to 80% of hairs.
You can find out more about how many procedures are needed for complete hair removal in the article.
How not to remove hair between sessions
Cosmetologists advise not to touch hairs between sessions, and this is correct. Inept actions can ruin the result. But if shaving after laser hair removal is allowed, what should you do if you accidentally plucked hair after laser hair removal? What will be the consequences and why this should not be done.
Hair should not be removed between sessions:
- Epilator;
- Wax;
- Sugar paste;
- With tweezers.
These methods involve removing the hair along with the root, which also destroys the integrity of the skin and leaves minor injuries, which eliminates the possibility of using a laser.
When removing a hair with a follicle, the laser will not work effectively. The specialist will have to stretch the course, increasing the time between sessions to allow new hairs to grow. Run away from a hairdresser who says you can pluck your hair after laser hair removal. Here is an incompetent person whose goal is to make money from you, not to help.
Skin care rules before hair removal
Before visiting cosmetology, you should carry out preparatory work. It is recommended to shave the hair from the area where the procedure will be performed. After shaving and before visiting a cosmetologist, at least 3 days should pass. During this time, the hairs will have time to grow to the length that is optimal for work - at least 1 mm.
Why is so much attention paid to the preparatory stage? If the hairs are too short, the laser will not reach the coloring pigment; therefore, the melanin in the hair shaft will not be destroyed and the client will not be satisfied with the result of the procedure. Too long bristles will also cause inconvenience - the technician will have to work with maximum beam output, which is fraught with unwanted pain, and in some cases, burns.
Cases requiring caution
Not everyone can undergo laser hair removal. For example, it is not recommended to conduct a session if:
- there are open wounds and ulcers on the skin;
- there are serious diseases, cancer;
- a person has a cold;
- a woman feeds a baby with breast milk, etc.
Pregnancy
Pregnant women should perform laser hair removal with extreme caution. According to doctors, it is best to refuse the procedure. The laser can negatively affect the health of the fetus. However, if a woman decides to take such a step, then doctors advise conducting a laser session only in the first and second trimester.
Having a tan
If the skin is very tanned, then the laser will not target the hair cells, but the cells of the dermis itself, since melanin is present there. As a result, severe pain, burns, and pigmentation are possible.
Preparation for laser hair removal should not be neglected. Thanks to it, you can reduce pain to a minimum and achieve high efficiency from the procedure.
How many treatments are needed for complete hair removal?
This is an individual question. There are many scammers on the market who promise to do this in 6, 5 and even 4 sessions, but this is a trick to attract clients, nothing more. Yes, there are rare exceptions when girls’ hair disappeared in 4 sessions, but the probability of such a result is approximately 0.5%. More realistic numbers are 6-10 sessions. This is on average. This means that sometimes there are 12. We honestly warn our clients about this so that they are mentally prepared.
In addition, when the master tells you the exact number of sessions you need, this should alert you. In life, no specialist can say exactly how many sessions you will need for complete hair removal. One thing is the color, thickness and density of hair. Yes, we can consider them and assess the complexity of the case. But there are factors such as hormones and heredity, and no one can predict their behavior. And even if you take a bunch of expensive tests, there is no guarantee that the readings will not change after six months. So is hair growth.
