By Laura
Do you get excited and scared simultaneously when you think of laser hair removal at home? The thought of making your skin hairless and soft like butter at an affordable price makes you all happy.
However, at the same time, the risk of burning your skin or damaging sensitive areas makes you rethink your choices. Well, you can do laser hair removal without burning yourself.
So, let us share what to do before and after laser hair removal at home in this article.
Table of Contents:
- Part 1: Why is it Necessary to Do Pre- and Post-Care for Laser Hair Removal at Home?
- Part 2: What to Do Before Laser Hair Removal at Home?
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Part 3: What to Do After Laser Hair Removal at Home?
Part 1: Why is it Necessary to Do Pre- and Post-Care for Laser Hair Removal at Home?
Although there are several reasons why it is mandatory to follow a precise skincare routine before and after laser, let us only discuss the two main points to keep the information concise.
To Ensure Skin Safety and Protection During at-home Laser Hair Removal
First of all, the better your skin barrier is, the lesser the chances of,
- Burning the skin
- Hyper or hypopigmentation
- Skin irritation
- Pain and discomfort
Also, precare of laser hair removal reduces skin tanning and brings the natural skin tone out. Consequently, it becomes more compatible with your skin. So, at-home laser hair removal is safer when your skin is healthy and pre-care of the skin improves its health.
To Improve the Results of At-home Laser Hair Removal Devices
Pre-care of the skin enhances the safety of at-home laser hair removal and post-care helps provide better results. Also, it enhances the comfort. For example,
- Hair shedding after laser is increased
- It helps in skin preparation for the next session
- You can resume your everyday routine sooner
- It reduces the risk of ingrown hair and strawberry legs
Part 2: What to Do Before Laser Hair Removal at Home?
Below are the 6 pre-care essentials for laser hair removal at home.
1. Remove the Hair You Want to Get Rid of
First things first, you cannot just use an at-home laser hair removal device or IPL directly on thick, coarse hair as it will singe the hair and burn the underlying skin. So, prepare the treatment area. You can do so by,
- Shaving the hair you want to get rid of, a few hours or immediately before your treatment session
- Avoiding any hair removal method that impacts the roots like plucking, waxing, and threading
- Also, depilatory creams are not recommended for skin preparation
2. Pause Your Skincare Routine with Actives
While preparing your skin for laser hair removal, you have to use gentle ingredients and avoid anything that can irritate the skin. The skincare ingredients to avoid include,
- Chemical exfoliants with AHA, BHA, Glycolic Acid, and Lactic acid
- Retinoids including tretinoin and adapalene
- Skin brightening ingredients like vitamin C and Kojic acid
- Tones with alcohol
Also, you have to avoid this for 1 to 2 days before the laser.
3. Take Good Care of Your Skin
While avoiding the skincare ingredients mentioned above, you do not have to stop your skincare entirely. Rather use mild and gentle products that hydrate and nourish your skin.
Experts recommend,
- Gentle facewash with ingredients like aloe vera
- Enriched moisturizer containing ceramides, shea butter, and hyaluronic acid
- Serums with niacinamide and essential oils
- Sunscreens without any irritating chemical filters
That is not all, you have to protect your skin from sun rays and tanning as well. For this,
- Apply a good amount of sunscreen on all body areas exposed to the sun
- Stop using any artificial tanning lotions and creams
4. Make Your OTD Comfortable During Your Treatment Session
Yes, you can dress well and elegant whenever you want. But, the D-Day of your laser hair removal at home is not a good day to wear tight or uncomfortable clothes. This is because,
- You won’t be able to reach the hidden treatment areas
- Clothes touching the skin after laser aggravates the after-effects of laser
Therefore, go for clean, soft, and loose clothes. You can wear your pajamas or cotton shorts.
5. Focus on Your Diet and Hydration
Your gentle skincare routine can do nothing if your diet is bad. So, the ultimate way to ensure that your skin has a healthy barrier is to treat it from the inside out. The steps to take good care of your skin from the outside are already discussed. For inside,
- Eat protein-rich meals like eggs, meat, and fish
- Incorporate fruits and vegetables in your diet as well because they have vitamins and minerals
- Drink at least 2 liters of water every day and take fresh juices
The things to avoid while preparing your skin for laser include,
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
- Smoking
This is because they cause dehydration.
6. Ensure That Your Skin is Clean and Free of Dead Cells and Accumulated Oils
Laser hair removal works best when its target is clear. A layer of dead skin cells, impurities, and oils on the skin can affect the efficacy of laser by interfering with the path of rays to hair follicles.
Therefore, exfoliate your skin a few days before the treatment day. Afterward, a simple cleansing of the treatment area is enough immediately before the at-home laser hair removal session.
Part 3: What to Do After Laser Hair Removal at Home?
As we have already mentioned it is the post-care of the laser that plays an important role in results. Here is what to do after you are done with your at-home laser hair removal session.
1. Calm Your Skin Down
As laser hair removal is light rays converting into heat at the level of the hair follicles, the skin is hot and tender after the session. Moreover, this can cause skin redness.
So, the first thing you need to do is apply a cold compress to balance the heat on your skin. For this,
- Take ice cubes and clean clothes
- Wrap the cubes in the cloth
- Apply it on the treatment area for a few minutes
If this seems difficult, you can buy a cold compress from the store as well.
2. Pamper the Skin
Let us talk about some tips to pamper the skin after your at-home laser hair removal session.
- Apply a body or face lotion with skin-soothing ingredients on the treatment area
- Only cleanse your skin with a mild cleanser post-laser and use lukewarm water for it
- Ensure that your skin stays dry and free of moisture and sweat
- Apply sunscreen while going out
3. Keep Your Hands Off the Treatment Area
It is natural to feel itching in the treatment area after an at-home laser hair removal session. It can make you scratch the treatment area for temporary relief. However, let us warn you that you should not touch your skin, especially scratch it, no matter what.
Scratching the skin can lead to more redness, irritation, and even infection. Applying a cold compress helps with it. Furthermore, you can apply a prescription cream on it.
4. Avoid Anything That Increases Your Skin Temperature
Again, at-home laser rays have already increased the temperature of your skin. So, you do not have to add to that. Therefore, we suggest you avoid anything that can elevate your body temperature or make you sweat.
Some of such things to avoid include,
- Shower or bath with warm water
- Saunas, steam rooms, and spas
- Exercise
- Exposure to excessive sun rays
5. Do Not Go Anywhere Near Chemicals
Just like you avoid products with harsh active ingredients before your laser hair removal session, you have to avoid some chemicals after it as well. Only for 24 to 48 hours, here is what to do,
- Do not wear makeup as it can clog pores
- Do not apply deodorant or perfume
- Do not go swimming as it contains chlorine
6. Do Not Remove the Shedding Hair
Last but not least, all of your hair won’t be removed in one session and you will need multiple sessions of at-home laser hair removal on alternate days. During this period, you will experience shedding of the hair.
Remember that the shedding occurs from the killed hair follicles spontaneously. You won’t have to do anything. Let the hair shed on its own and only shave the skin if you want to groom the treatment area.
This is because plucking or waxing can stimulate hair follicles to produce more hair and might make laser ineffective because it will remove the target hair from the follicle.
Furthermore, be consistent with your at-home laser hair removal routine.
Conclusion
The benefits of at-home laser hair removal are time worth the minor risk you have to take. But who says that you cannot do laser hair removal without any risk? If you follow the treatment guidelines for laser hair removal, you can easily avoid any side effects.
This article discusses the things you should and should not do before and after laser treatment to help you achieve the best results with minimal aftereffects.
