Permanent hair removal treatments work by targeting the hair follicle and killing it. Killing hair follicles can be hard on your skin, so you need to take the proper steps to take care of it after you have a hair removal treatment. Our body hair removal specialists have a few steps they recommend that you take to care for your skin after your session.
Sunscreen is a good idea for your skin in general, but it is an absolute must after you have a laser hair removal treatment. Recently lasered skin is very vulnerable to darkening or even burning when exposed to the sun, even for short periods as lasers use light energy similar to that of the suns rays. This is particularly true for individuals with darker complexions.
Use a sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 15 and cover the area being treated whenever possible to minimize exposure to the sun. Don’t forget that sunscreen’s efficacy fades over time whether you are exposed to sun or not, so you will want to reapply sunscreen before leaving your office or running errands.
After your laser hair removal treatment at Body Details, you need to avoid heat treatments for a minimum of 24 to 48 hours. These can cause the pores to open up and increase feelings of discomfort or irritation. Heat treatments include hot showers, hot baths, steam rooms and saunas.
You may feel mild discomfort, sensitivity or pain in the area where you focused your hair removal treatment for a day or two afterwards. This is completely normal, and there are ways to lessen the discomfort. You can use an ice pack on the treated skin to reduce pain. You can also use numbing creams and post-care calming creams to rub into the area. Be sure to discuss any skin care products you intend to use on the area with your specialist, or just ask us for a list of recommended products.
Two things we recommend our patients avoid after treatment are makeup and topical medications like anti-acne creams on the treated area. These can cause irritation or even clog the pores of your skin, which might force you to postpone your next hair removal laser treatment. The only makeup we recommend using shortly after treatment is mineral makeup, and only if you have used it before without irritation issues.
Consult an expert at one of our aesthetic laser centers for more information on if laser treatment is right for you! Our laser treatment specialists are happy to answer questions about laser hair removal and what to expect during treatment.