Do I need to shave before laser hair removal and how to do it correctly?

Today, there are several effective ways to combat unwanted body hair. Sugaring, waxing, photoepilation, laser - all methods give good results, but some of them also have accompanying negative consequences, such as ingrown hairs. A huge advantage of laser hair removal is the absence of this problem - as well as the need to grow hairs to a certain length before the procedure. But at the same time, the laser method of hair removal also has several nuances that you need to familiarize yourself with before going to the beautician.

If other methods of hair removal can be carried out at home, having acquired the materials necessary for this, then this cannot be said about the laser technique, if only because laser depilators are quite expensive - not everyone can afford to purchase such a device. Like any other cosmetic procedure, laser hair removal requires preparation. And almost every girl who decides on this method of dealing with hair is sure to ask a completely logical question, whether it is necessary to shave before laser hair removal, since methods such as wax depilation or shugaring, on the contrary, involve growing hairs of a certain length.

The laser method of hair removal consists in the action of a laser on the hair follicle containing melanin, which, in turn, absorbs the energy of the beam and, when heated, is destroyed, leading to hair loss. The longer the hair, the more difficult it is for the laser beam to reach the bulb, which justifies the need for a clean shave shortly before the procedure. The shorter the hair, the more effective the depilation result will be.

Above, it was explained why it is necessary to shave off unwanted hairs before going to laser hair removal. Now you need to figure out how many days you need to shave. It all depends on the zone that will be depilated. For example, when removing vegetation from the bikini area, you need to shave 1-2 days before going to the laser. When removing facial hairs, it is recommended to shave before the procedure for 3 days.

The quality of the result obtained after laser hair removal directly depends on how all the preparatory processes were followed. For to do this correctly, you need to familiarize yourself in more detail with all the recommendations that cosmetologists offer. The acceptable length of hairs before laser depilation is up to 1 mm, however, some cosmetologists recommend shaving the area smoothly the day before the session, it depends on the laser that will be used. If before this the hairs were removed using shugaring or waxing, you should wait until they grow back to 1 mm (about 1 month). This is necessary in order for the epilation to be painless and bring visible results. If the hair is longer than 1–2 mm, the laser can cause the hair to become very hot, which can lead to burns.

4-5 weeks before the planned trip to the laser studio, it is necessary to minimize the use of cosmetics in the epilation area. It is necessary to abandon all methods of hair removal, except for the usual shaving and depilatory creams, and you also cannot pluck hairs with tweezers. A couple of weeks before the procedure, you should stop tanning. The new equipment allows laser hair removal on tanned skin, but a temporary refusal from tanning is necessary for your skin to recover from sunbathing, which to one degree or another cause microdamage, due to which the skin becomes more sensitive. If this is not done, pigmented spots or even scars may begin to form on the skin during the laser operation. Therefore, in the summer, hair removal experts recommend using SP-factor sunscreens.

It is also necessary to give up active fitness training, going to the pool in order to exclude the appearance of irritations on the skin. If, even after two to three weeks of rest, the skin is still dry, irritated or peeling, it is better to postpone laser hair removal. Do not use creams or deodorants the day before going to the session. Just take a shower shortly before your procedure using regular soap or gel. For a few days, exclude the use of products that contain alcohol, as it dries the skin. This procedure is contraindicated for those who are taking hormonal drugs. And in general, at the consultation it is necessary to give complete information about all medications taken during this period.

Between sessions, it is best not to touch the epilation area at all, so as not to harm the hair follicles.But, if you urgently need to get rid of the hairs that have appeared, you can use only a regular razor. Shaving has no effect on hair growth rate or hair density. You cannot use wax and even ordinary tweezers, as they harm the hair follicle.

After the laser hair removal procedure for the next few weeks, you should exclude trips to the solarium, sauna, bath, pool, open water, and also do not expose your skin to direct sunlight. It is better to refuse scrubbing for a few days.