Wait until the skin has fully healed before shaving, which can take up to two weeks. Shaving too soon can cause further irritation and damage to the skin, which can lead to scarring and hyperpigmentation.
Answer: Shaving and Laser Hair Removal Shaving after laser hair removal is fine! It will not alter your results. I always tell my patients that if their skin is a bit irritated to wait a few days before shaving. While you are going through these treatments, you need to be comfortable!
Shaving too closely right before your appointment can increase the sensitivity of your skin, making the treatment more uncomfortable. It can also increase the risk of skin irritation or redness.
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.
It is absolutely normal. The laser does not destroy the hair underneath the skin, it only detaches the hair from the follicle and destroys the follicle. The hair underneath the skin will start pushing out of the skin and will eventually fall out. You can start to shave on the 3rd day after your session and on.
The best way to help speed up shedding after your laser hair removal treatment is by gentle exfoliation once or twice a week once you start to see signs of your hair starting to shed.
Stubble. It's critical to shave within 24 hours prior to undergoing laser hair removal. Even a small amount of stubble can damage the laser and cause unnecessary pain, hyperpigmentation, and burns.
If you shave too quickly you may irritate the skin even more, so waiting at least three or four days after your treatment is usually ideal. A few days following your laser hair removal treatment, you may notice your hair shedding. This is completely normal and is a sign the treatment worked.
Hair Shedding – After a laser hair removal treatment, it's common for the treated hair to shed. This shedding process can take 10-14 days post treatment. And during this time, it may appear as though the hair is growing back thicker and darker. However, this is simply the hair follicle shedding the treated hair.
Gentle exfoliation: About a week after your session, you can gently exfoliate the treated areas to help loose hairs exit the follicle.
This is a sign that the laser successfully treated the follicle, and it's clearing out the dead hair shaft. This shedding process, also called “peppering,” can last anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks. In some cases, it may feel like the hair is growing back because it's breaking through the skin.
If you don't shave before your laser hair removal treatment, the laser will target the surface hair, which can lead to a less effective session. This means you might require more sessions than initially planned, delaying your journey towards that attractive, hair-free body.
The short answer is no. Pulling out loose hairs after your laser hair removal treatment can irritate the skin and potentially lead to complications like infection. It's best to let these hairs fall out naturally.
What Does Shedding Look Like After Laser Hair Removal? Shedding is exactly what it sounds like—you'll see small hair fragments or stubble falling out from the treated area. It might look like tiny, scattered hairs popping up on your skin's surface. Don't worry, this is temporary and will fade as your skin heals.
Make sure you don't shave immediately before your Palo Alto laser hair removal treatment, as this increases the odds for inflammation and swelling.
Avoid make-up on the treated area for at least 48 hours. Avoid the application of perfumed products or bleaching creams for 48 hours. Avoid scratching the treatment area if blistering or crusting occurs, as this can cause scarring. Avoid waxing, tweezing and threading for the complete duration of the treatment course.
When the laser targets the hair follicle, it damages the root of the hair. This damage signals to the body that the hair is no longer needed and will eventually be shed. In most cases, this occurs 1 to 3 weeks after your LHR treatment, and it sometimes looks like blackheads or stubble.
Generally, clients need about two to six laser treatments in order to completely get rid of hair. You can expect to see about a 10% to 25% reduction in hair after your first treatment. As you continue your treatments, more and more hair will fall out, and you'll notice that it continues to grow back more slowly.
Gentle exfoliation, avoiding hair removal between treatments, following post-care instructions, and having patience will help speed up the shedding process after laser hair removal without irritating skin.
How long will the results of laser hair removal last? Most patients remain hair free for months or even years. When some of the hair regrows, it will likely be less noticeable. To keep the area free of hair, a patient may need maintenance laser treatments.
You can shave after laser hair removal, just not immediately. Laser hair removal is permanent but requires a few sessions to fully zap all the hair follicles in the treatment area. While some hairs may regrow between sessions, your skin will be sensitive for a few days afterward, so don't reach for the razor yet.
The Mechanics Behind the Laser Hair Treatment
After undergoing the treatment, hairs begin a shedding phase which can last between 10 to 14 days. It's crucial during this period to let the hairs naturally fall out. Shaving too early can risk complications like ingrown hairs and other skin irritations.
There are no hard rules. While laser hair removal centers may not expect tips, it's a thoughtful way to show your appreciation for exceptional service.
Hair Growth Cycles: The primary reason you might notice stubble after laser hair removal is the nature of your hair's growth cycles. With hairs at different stages at any given time, a single laser session can only target hairs in the active growth phase.