Before Laser Treatment | 24 July 2019
It is important to shave before your laser hair removal appointment, 24 hours before is recommended. Shaving on the day of your session can be dangerous and should be avoided completely.
This is because when you shave the razor may lift a layer of skin off as it passes over your skin. This depends on how much pressure you use when you’re gliding the razor over your skin. This freshly shaved skin will be fragile for a period of time after you shave. In the hours that pass a new layer will develop causing your skin to be less sensitive. If we perform a treatment on freshly shaven skin i.e. skin that has been shaved on the day of treatment, we run the risk of causing damage to your skin with our lasers.
Why do you need to shave before every laser hair removal appointment?
As you are progressing through your course of treatments to remove unwanted hairs, your laser settings will be increased. This will pose a greater risk to your skin as more heat/laser energy will be used to target your finer hair growth. It’s important to make sure you are doing this before each and every one of your treatments in our Dublin or Drogheda studios.
Top tips for shaving before your laser hair removal treatment
Use a good quality shaving foam
To help, moisturise your skin while you are shaving. Immediately after shaving your skin may become dry temporarily. It may take some time for the oil glands to replenish the oil content in your skin. If we perform laser treatment when your skin is very dry it may become extremely itchy and irritated directly after your treatment. This reaction will be uncomfortable and may take a few days to heal. Shaving 24hrs before your laser hair removal appointment is probably one of the most important things to do to avoid an adverse reaction from laser.
Please allow yourself adequate time in order to shave properly
If you rush you may have nicks and cuts that we will have to avoid with the laser beam of light during your treatment. If this happens you may find that you are left with some areas that have been left untreated. Because we cannot laser over broken skin and will have to avoid these areas. Some people will develop slight regrowth overnight, this is normal and will not interfere with your treatment. It is not necessary to remove this hair on the morning of your session with any typical hair removal methods.
Don’t apply too much pressure onto the razor
Use light pressure, try to glide the razor lightly over the skin. Shaving too harshly will make your skin sore and sensitive. If you are finding you have to repeatedly shave over your areas it may be time to buy a new razor. If you are using a multi-use razor make sure to look after your razor blade itself. Clean and dry it after each use before replacing the protective cap when storing. This will avoid a build-up of bacteria on the blade itself and will prevent breakouts after shaving. To avoid your treatment being cancelled on the day it’s important that you shave properly before your laser hair removal session.
Before having laser, it is essential that any excess hair above the hair follicle is removed. If the hair has not been shaven correctly treatment will not be effective and it may result in small temporary grazes on the top of your skin. These tend to take a few days to heal and are nothing to worry about but it is best to avoid this happening as they can be a little sensitive.
To avoid any adverse reactions during laser hair treatments it is essential that you follow these guidelines. Please inform your therapist if you have shaved on the day of your session as your appointment will need to be rescheduled for safety reasons.
How to prepare for your laser hair removal appointment?
To prepare for your appointment please follow these steps
- Lightly exfoliate 3-4 days before your session. This will help remove any dead skin cells from around the opening of your hair follicles
- Close shave 24 hours before your laser hair removal appointment, this is extremely important
- Don’t apply moisturizers, oils, or creams to your skin after showering on the day of your session
- Stop applying fake tan 7-10 days before your session and make sure all tan residue has been removed
- Do not take Ibuprofen 48 hours before your laser session
As you can see there are a number of reasons why it is so important to shave before your laser hair removal sessions, especially taking into account how laser hair removal works when interacting with your skin.
If you are unsure about any aspects of shaving throughout your course of treatment for unwanted body hair please contact us for advice, our team of laser hair removal specialists is on hand to answer any of your questions.
Urbana offers laser hair removal in Dublin and Drogheda for your convenience.
FAQs
What is the result of not shaving before laser hair removal? Heat is a key element used by the laser to remove hair so that the hair follicles' stem cells get damaged. However, hair that's too long will lead to singed hair and your skin getting burned.
What happens if I don't shave before laser hair removal? ›
What is the result of not shaving before laser hair removal? Heat is a key element used by the laser to remove hair so that the hair follicles' stem cells get damaged. However, hair that's too long will lead to singed hair and your skin getting burned.
Why is shaving important before laser hair removal? ›
By shaving the treatment area beforehand, you provide the laser technician with a clean canvas for precise targeting. This is particularly crucial for areas with varying hair lengths, ensuring that the laser can effectively reach the hair follicles without interference from longer hairs.
Should you shave before a laser hair removal consultation? ›
Can I Shave or Wax Before My Laser Hair Removal Treatment? Yes, this is encouraged! The treatment area should be shaved completely prior to treatment. Legs should be shaved around 24 hours prior to your appointment to avoid irritation.
What happens if you laser over a cut? ›
Using laser treatment to remove unwanted hair from damaged skin can further irritate the skin, especially if your skin is sensitive. Ultimately, this will increase the damage and prolong the healing process. Avoid treating areas with the following types of skin damage: Scrapes and cuts.
Is stubble ok for laser hair removal? ›
Shave Before Treatment
You should shave within 24 hours of your scheduled laser appointment. Your laser technician cannot treat areas that have hair above the skin. You cannot even receive treatment if there is rough stubble because this may create too much heat for the pigment of your skin.
Can you shave 2 hours before laser? ›
It is important to shave the area to be treated the day or night before your appointment. Doing this will prevent thermal injury to the surface of the skin as there won't be hair on the surface to absorb the laser's energy. It will allow the laser to go directly to the hair follicle.
What if I cut myself shaving before laser hair removal? ›
Cuts and Abrasions
There is no room for debate here – if you have a cut, abrasion, or any other kind of open wound, we cannot laser the injured area. If it's just a small cut or scrape in a larger area, we can simply use the laser around the cut.
Can you laser over razor bumps? ›
Razor bump treatment with laser hair removal is very fast. However, the treatment time will depend on the size of the bumps and the area being treated. You can use laser hair removal to eliminate razor bumps anywhere on your body including the pubic area, bikini line, chin, neck, and lower cheeks.
Do I tip for laser hair removal? ›
Tipping for laser hair removal is not mandatory, but it is generally appreciated. Some sources suggest tipping after each visit, while others say it's okay to tip at the end of a series of treatments.
How long before my laser hair removal appointment should I shave? One of the most important things you can do to get ready for your appointment is shave the treatment area no less than 24 hours before your appointment date.
Why shave 24 hours before laser? ›
When you shave before the procedure, you remove the visible hair above the skin's surface, allowing the laser to precisely focus on the hair follicles beneath. This ensures that the laser energy is effectively absorbed by the pigment in the follicles, maximising the treatment's efficacy.
How to shave a Brazilian area for laser? ›
Skin on your bikini area is more sensitive so you should shave gently. Shave in the direction of the hair growth first, and then you can go against the hair growth direction for a closer shave. Make sure to use special creams such as Harley Sooth (post-laser treatment balm) to eliminate the irritation.
Can I laser a bump off my lip? ›
For a persistent lip pimple, a healthcare professional can extract it or remove it with a laser. Pimples are acne that can develop on most parts of the body. There are many possible causes of a bump on the lip, but pimples are typically due to clogged pores.
What happens if you miss a spot shaving before laser? ›
If you forget to shave, the effectiveness of your treatment may diminish. The laser, instead of focusing on the follicles, might target surface hair.
Can I shave 2 days after laser hair removal? ›
It is generally recommended to wait at least three or four days after laser hair removal treatment before shaving the treated area. This allows time for the skin to recover and reduces the risk of irritation. Some sources suggest waiting until shedding occurs, which typically happens a few days after treatment.
What happens if I use IPL without shaving? ›
Shaving before your IPL hair removal treatment helps the light beam to focus in on the hair root. When using IPL, you'll need to shave less and less as your treatments go on. As the hair follicles will be empty, you'll notice fewer ingrown hairs and less stubble 'shadow'.
Can laser be done on unshaved hair? ›
Unshaved hair attracts laser energy above the skin as well as targeting the hair follicle beneath the skin surface. We need to essentially avoid the laser reaching the area of skin above the follicle, as this can lead to painful and uncomfortable skin irritation and skin burns.
What happens if you cut yourself shaving before laser? ›
Dry shaving on the day may leave your skin with dryness, irritation and prolonged redness. If you cut yourself and the skin is open, bleeding or compromised your practitioner would not be able to laser over it. Which means you'll have patches of hair untreated for that session.
Does laser hair removal mean you don't have to shave? ›
Trimming and shaving is recommended the day before laser treatment. It removes hair above the skin that can result in surface skin damage from burnt hairs, but it leaves the hair shaft intact below the surface.
