Preparing For Summer With Laser Hair Removal Treatments

If you enjoy the appearance of sleek legs, a smooth back, or a trim bikini line while sporting your bathing suit in the summer months, you undoubtedly know about the home routines that need to be administered to get this desired look. If you find it to be quite a task to stay on top of hair removal on your own, consider having a dermatologist do the work for you with laser hair removal treatments. If you have not tried out this removal method as of yet, read the overview of what the treatments entail.

Preparing For A Treatment

It is important to keep your skin away from sun or tanning beds for several weeks before you have your treatment. This is because it is easier to target darker hair against lighter pigments. You also need to let your tan fade before having a laser treatment to avoid blotchy coloration. Your doctor will assess you skin tone at your consultation and will let you know how long to wait before they can do the treatment properly.

Do not wax, use electrolysis, or pluck the hairs from your skin in the weeks before your appointment. This can upset the hair follicles under the skin, making it more difficult for a successful treatment. Shaving is best while waiting for a laser treatment. Since shaving will remove the exterior hair only, it will have no effect on the hair follicles that targeted during a laser treatment, minimizing irritation as a result.

Having The Treatment Done

On the day of your appointment, you will be given pair of protective goggles to place over your eyes in case you look at the laser light beam. Your doctor may rub a topical anesthetic on your skin to reduce any pain, which is minimal during the procedure. The doctor will place the machine over the area where the hair is to be removed and turn it on for a few seconds to destroy the hair follicles beneath it.

There may be a cooling portion on the machine to help give instant relief to the area after the laser passes through the hair follicles in the area. Another way to relieve discomfort is with a cooling gel. If the area being serviced is small, such as your chin or upper lip, it may only take a few minutes. Larger areas such as the legs, bikini line, or back can take hours. Usually these areas will be done over several sessions.

Caring For Your Skin Afterward

After you have a laser treatment, you need to take care of your skin so it remains in good health. Ice will bring relief to the skin after the procedure ends. There may be some redness for a few hours, but this is to be expected. It will diminish quickly. Your doctor will advise you how long to stay out of sunlight or tanning beds so the skin has a chance to heal properly. This can be several weeks, but after the skin heals, you can don a sunscreen and enjoy being on the beach or at the pool completely hair-free.


Share