Do You Need To Shave After Laser Hair Removal? (2024)

FAQs

Do You Need To Shave After Laser Hair Removal? ›

While waiting for the treated hair to fall out naturally, you may still want to shave to remove any visible hair. However, it's crucial to wait until your skin has fully healed before shaving to avoid any irritation or damage, which can take up to two weeks. But once you're in the clear, go ahead and shave away!

Your physician will instruct that you shave before your procedure to ensure a more targeted treatment . 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.

Up to a few weeks after treatment, your skin will develop stubble or blackheads as a part of the shedding process that happens from hairs that were partially grown at the time of the procedure. Exfoliation during this period aids the shedding and diminishes the blackhead or stubble appearance.

Potential Risks of Skipping the Shave

Cause skin irritation: Unshaved hair can lead to post-laser redness, inflammation, and swelling. Increase burn risk: Longer hair can excessively absorb laser energy, heightening the risk of burns and blisters.

The laser uses intense heat to target the hair follicles beneath the skin's surface, which causes them to enter a dormant phase. The hair present during the treatment eventually falls off, but not instantaneously. So patience is key. Post-treatment, you may find hairs that seem stubborn and resistant to shaving.

It might be that not enough time has passed post-treatment for the hair to shed. Or it could mean that the laser wasn't able to effectively target the hair follicles because it wasn't in the right growth phase yet, so the laser couldn't treat it.

After your session, your hair may start to shed. This is normal and indicates your treatment is working. These hairs are the ones that have been damaged by the laser. Before you shave it could be a good idea to exfoliate your skin so all the damaged hairs are removed.

Patients may notice more hair 1 – 3 weeks after laser hair removal sessions as follicles in the growing cycle begin to shed. During this process, exfoliating the skin, once swelling and redness have dissipated, can help hairs shed faster, leaving skin feeling smoother.

If you tweeze out hairs, you are disrupting its growth phase, canceling out the treatment you just received to remove it. It can also cause future treatments to be less effective. It is recommended to leave the treated area alone. A few weeks after treatment, the dead hairs will shed and fall out naturally.

Three to four weeks after the first treatment, your skin will be smooth. You may see what looks like some growth, but don't worry about it. This will be taken care of in your next treatment. Within three months (and after 2 treatments) 50% of your hair will be gone.

Do laser technicians shave you? ›

You will need to shave the area prior to the visit. Once you are in the treatment room, your Laser Technician and Master Esthetician will explain everything to you about the laser and what to expect during the treatments.

Fact — Laser hair treatments don't work as well, and sometimes not at all on very fair or blond hair. The laser hair removal treatment requires pigment in the hair, or the beam of light will not reach the hair follicle. Hair that is gray or blond has less pigment, which can make laser hair removal ineffective.

Reduced effectiveness.

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.

Reasons for Stubble After Laser Hair Removal

With hairs at different stages at any given time, a single laser session can only target hairs in the active growth phase. This discrepancy means that hairs not in the active phase during treatment will continue to grow, leading to the perception of stubble.

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.

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.

Avoid heat treatments such as spas, steam rooms and saunas for 7 days. Avoid excessive scrubbing or applying pressure to the skin for 4-5 days. This is to allow the treated skin to recover and to prevent any infection. Avoid shaving the treated area for 72 hours after treatment.

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.

Regular Shaving – Shaving is a safe and efficient method to remove dead hair. It doesn't disturb the hair follicles treated by the laser, making it a suitable option between sessions. Avoid Sun Exposure – Protect the treated area from direct sun exposure.

To prepare for your laser hair removal, shave the area 12-14 hours before your appointment with a clean, sharp razor. Be sure to remove all hairs especially longer hairs sitting above the skin as this can cause burns.