Laser hair removal: 12 things you need
(FitSkinCo)
on
December 21, 2020
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If you're considering laser hair
removal,
it pays to study up. I know it's easy to
be lured in by the promise of a stubble-
free life, but it's oh-so important to
read up on the facts (and side effects)
first, to make sure the treatment is right
for you. There are so many different
options when it comes to hair removal,
from waxing to threading and shaving to
tweezing, but laser hair
removal is one of
the few options that offers a more
permanent approach to getting rid of body
hair (if you wish too).
I went under the laser
(in the name in
research, obvs) and here's what I
learnt...
1. THE PROCESS SOUNDS PAINFUL, BUT ISN�T
TOO BAD
Dr. Daron Seukeran, Group Medical Director
at the sk:n clinic explains that laser
hair removal works by sending the light of
a laser through the pigment in the hair.
�This (light) converts to heat, which
damages the hair follicle and hair bulb.�
I found it to be a quick, sharp pain which
I found more painful on thinner skin near
my nose, chin and temples. Thankfully the
lasers used on me had a cooling mechanism
(basically a constantly running cold blast
of air right where the laser was pointing)
which really helped. I also found it more
painful if my body temp was raised due to
running across town to make it on time for
my appointment. Heat + heat = ouchies.
More on this later.
2. PATIENCE PAYS OFF
It takes two or three weeks after your
first treatment to see a difference, and 8
-12 treatments to get the full result.
I started seeing real results after 2
treatments or 8 weeks. You also have to be
really regular with your appointments
because your hair
follicles are all at
different stages of their growth, so you
want to make sure each one has a chance to
get zapped.
3. YOU�VE GOT TO USE A HAIR TRIMMER/SHAVE
THE AREA BEFORE YOU LASER (SAME GOES FOR
MAKEUP)
The laser can react with hair on the
skin�s surface which will cause some
irritation and maybe dreaded burnt hair
smell which I learned first hand, yay.
Thankfully for me, I knew that whole
�shaving = thicker darker hair� was a
really common beauty myth.
4. IT�S ACTUALLY A PRETTY FAST PROCESS
I go in for a full face appointments and
they only take 20 minutes, including a
quick chat and makeup removal at the
start. Sure, I had to reapply my makeup
but at least I could go out afterward.
Priorities.
5. YOU CAN�T GO TO THE GYM AFTERWARD
The heat from the IPL laser stays in your
skin for 24 hours so no gym, saunas, hot
showers, you get it. If you do, you run
the risk of creating a lovely warm
environment for bacteria to multiply and
give you spots.
6. GET READY TO THINK SERIOUSLY ABOUT THE
SUN
Your dermatologist will advise what is
best for you, but you might need to avoid
sunbathing and sun exposure as much as
possible before and after treatment. Also
if you have a tan you�ll need to wait till
it fades before you can start your
treatment. Again, your dermatologist will
check in with you about upcoming holidays
to make sure you don�t have a holiday
coming up which might affect the timing of
your next appointment. Stay safe peeps.
7. LASER TREATMENT
CAN TRIGGER MORE GROWTH
IN SOME CASES
It�s true, particular types of hair can be
stimulated into growing longer and
thicker. But don�t worry, if hair isn�t
suitable, your dermatologist will let you
know.
8. YOU MIGHT NEED TO SWITCH UP YOUR BEAUTY
REGIME AND PRODUCTS
Scrubs, glycolic acid and retinol creams
should be avoided 2 days before and after
treatment. I also started using face mists
and added extra moisturisers to my regime
as I got a bit more dry. It�s recommended
that for a 2 week period before and after
laser, you avoid chemical peels and
similarly you should wait 1-2 weeks before
using fake tan.
9. LASER HAIR REMOVAL HAS MORE THAN ONE
BENEFIT
I surprised to learn laser can actually
help with irritating AF ingrown
hairs.�Aside from clearer, smoother skin
and permanent hair reduction, laser hair
removal also boasts benefits including
helping to reduce ingrowing hairs and less
irritation of the skin. This is because
the treatment encourages hair to grow
straight,� said sk:n�s Head of Medical
Standards, Lisa Mason.
10. YOU CAN�T PLUCK, DYE OR WAX THE HAIR
Plucking, waxing and bleaching impedes the
process. If you want to be hairless
throughout the process, go the shaving
route instead. You�ll need these tips to
make each shave last longer though.
11. IT WORKS ON ALL SKIN TONES
The hair just needs to be dark enough to
drawn the laser. sk:n use long pulsed
NDYAG lasers � which are safer for
treating pigmented or darker skin tones.
12. YOU MIGHT NEED TO GO BACK FOR TOP UP
TREATMENTS
Most people report 90 percent permanent
reduction in hair growth but fluctuating
hormones can make hair grow back.
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