Our all-time most popular treatment is laser hair removal. Nothing compares to getting rid of unwanted hair forever. If you’ve been thinking about having it done, here’s a guide to preparing for your future appointments.
Questions? Book in for a free consultation.
This is the time when we can answer all of your questions. Whether you’re wondering how our lasers work, if you’re a good candidate, or just want to meet your laser technician, a consultation is a perfect chance! These are available to be booked online, over the phone, or you can drop by to schedule.
You might have to avoid certain forms of hair removal for 4-6 weeks before your treatment.
The key to getting the most from your laser treatments is having a mature bed of hair follicles waiting in the skin before each treatment. Methods of hair removal that involve the hair being physically pulled out from the skin have a high chance of removing the follicle during the process, such as waxing, sugaring, plucking or threading. It is strongly recommended that you stick to shaving or trimming in the treatment area before and between treatments.
Photosensitivity and lasers do not mix!
A lot of common medications can change how your skin absorbs light and heat. This can increase your risk of uncomfortable side effects such as hyperpigmentation, irritation, and even burning. If you are taking medications, have the names ready at your appointment so your technician can ensure the treatment is safe for you. Most drugs that cause photosensitivity only take 1-2 weeks to be flushed from the skin, so if you’re able to go on and off the medication, it’s an easy fix. If the drug isn’t one you can go off of, that doesn’t necessarily knock you out of candidacy. Your laser technician can do a round of tests at different settings to see if your skin is able to tolerate the laser treatment.
The same rules can apply to photosensitive ingredients in your skincare and topicals. If you are using active ingredients on or near your treatment area, we can follow the same protocol for eliminating the risk. Most active ingredients cause an increase in photosensitivity. The same 1-2 week flushing period is recommended for each laser treatment. Common active ingredients include retinol, salicylic acid, glycolic acid and lactic acid.
Shave 12-24 hours before your laser treatment.
Since the laser focuses its energy on eumelanin (the brown/black pigment in skin and hair), it will target the hair follicles. To get the best results from each treatment, the laser needs to focus its energy at the bottom of the hair follicle, the bulb, rather than the tip of the hair.
Make sure the treatment area is clean.
The area you want to be treated should be free of makeup, lotions and oils. Having these on the skin during your treatment can lead to irritation and discomfort for the skin. To avoid the laser interacting with this, it’s best to ensure the area is cleansed before each appointment.
Stock up on the essentials before your appointment.
Aloe Vera
Following your treatment, you won’t be able to apply anything to your skin for 24-48 hours. To soothe irritations (if any), apply unscented pure aloe vera gel.
Exfoliators
Another go-to product is a physical exfoliator. Once you reach the shedding phase (aka the addictive phase) following your treatment, some of the hairs may need some encouragement to leave the pore. To avoid ingrown hairs, we recommend a loofah or a gentle body scrub. Make sure to stay away from a milled product that can create jagged or sharp edges! Stick to a mild exfoliant with a smoothly milled product. Some good examples of this would be fruit seeds or a lab-made bead. The texture is enough to bring out dead skin and hair, but not too much that it would cause irritation or microscopic tears.
You should be all set for your appointments with this information. Now, all there is to do is sit back and think about your hair-free future.
