Are you tired of fighting the fuzz?

Do you dread picking up your razor or warming your sugar waxes?

With laser hair removal, you can skip the shaving and still maintain fabulously flawless skin. Virtually painless and surprisingly fast, this treatment for body hair works by targeting the darker pigments in your hair follicles. It sends a beam of energy under the surface of your skin, heating the follicle, and preventing it from growing hair in the future. And, it does this without damaging the rest of your skin!

If you’ve considered laser hair removal but weren’t sure if it was right for you, check out these five things you should know about the procedure:

There are tons of benefits to laser hair removal

Clients looking into laser hair removal are typically drawn in by the prospect of having silky smooth skin without waxing or razors. Of course, that’s a huge benefit, but you may not be aware of the other advantages of the treatment:

  • Because the hairs are eliminated at the roots, you don’t have to worry about painful in-grown hairs that lead to infections.
  • Even in between sessions, regrowth is softer and lighter than typical body hair.
  • It’s safe enough for even the most delicate areas, including your bikini area, upper lip, and chin.

You’ll need to prepare before your appointment.

Because of how laser hair removal works, you must be freshly shaved before undergoing the procedure. Otherwise, any hair growth above the surface of your skin can scorch and burn. 

If you’re a fan of spray tans, self-tanning products or sunbathing, you’ll need to take a break for 2-4 weeks before your appointment. Darkening your skin might affect the effectiveness of the laser and the chemicals in these products can react negatively to the laser, causing discoloration. 

You should also remove all makeup, deodorants, and body lotions on the areas being treated. 

Avoid sunbathing for a while afterward

Your skin will be sensitive during the laser hair removal process, especially to UVA and UVB rays. That means no sunbathing, tanning, or heading outside without plenty of SPF. Breaking this rule can cause painful burns, hyperpigmentation, and scarring. 

Skip the gym to avoid irritation and infections

Laser hair removal creates a warmer-than-normal skin environment that is inviting for bacteria, like the type found in your body sweat.

During your treatment, your hair roots are exposed to intense heat, which causes swelling—working out increases your body temperature, irritating these heat-sensitive hair follicles, causing redness and pain. 

Finally, your skin is sensitive following hair removal, and the friction caused by workout close can lead to rashes, blisters, and scarring. Your best chance at avoiding these side effects is waiting at least 48 hours before hitting the gym. 

Schedule touch-up appointments for best results

After 2-6 treatments, most clients see their optimal results. But that doesn’t mean that you’ll never see another dark, coarse body hair again. Sometimes, hair follicles can regenerate, leading to new growth. Depending on your needs, you should plan for annual or semi-annual maintenance appointments. 

Laser hair removal saves you time, frustration, and pain, but only when performed by a qualified dermatologist.

The skincare experts at Advanced Dermatology & Cosmetic Institute can help you achieve the flawless, hairless skin you’ve been dreaming of, so you can always feel confident in your favorite cami or show off your summer-ready legs all year long. Set up an appointment online, or give us a call to learn more ADCI’s laser hair removal treatment options.