Preparing For Your First Laser Hair Removal Appointment
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During your time before laser hair removal appointment, especially your very first one, the strain and excitement can make you forget something. Here is a handy checklist:
A month or more in advance
Consider if you want to take photographs of the areas of the body you are having treated to have a visual record of your progress. The clinic may do this but even so you may want to take your own.
Stop epilating, waxing, using depilation creams, sugaring and tweezing at the latest 2 weeks before treatment, and ideally a month or more in advance. These depilation methods interfere with the follicle that the laser hair removal treatment needs to blast.
Lose the tan! The paler your skin is when you get your laser hair removal treatment, the more impactful and permanent the results from removal of hair by laser are likely to be.
Broach the subject of pain management with your hair laser removal clinic and decide on whether to use topical or oral pain relief, or both.
There are topical anesthetics such as EMLA, which you apply to the skin. These products are very good if you are worried about discomfort during the treatment, however do be cautious if you are putting it on large areas of skin as the chemicals are absorbed into the bloodstream. Ensure you follow the instructions with care.
During the week of your appointment
Consider reserving time off work if you are having laser hair removal on the face and think you might be embarrassed about the red skin that is likely to be present directly after the laser hair removal treatment. For other areas of the body, you can usually go directly back to normal activities after the appointment for laser hair removal.
The last 24 hours
Now is a ideal time to shave the areas of the body you are going to have laser hair removal carried out on. If you shave within 24 hours of the procedure you will experience less pain and it can also be more impactful because less of the laser energy is used ineffectively on burning the hair above the skin, meaning more of it is directed where it is needed, at the follicle, to kill it off.
On the morning
If you are having your underarms treated, give the deodorant a miss. Just wash the underarms with soap and rinse well. If it’s really hot and there’s a danger you might get too sweaty before the appointment, you could use unperfumed baby wipes to prevent any smells.
For any areas of the body, don’t put creams or lotions on before removal of hair by laser.
20 minutes to go
It’s time to take two Tylenol – there’s no need to feel more discomfort than you have to when experiencing laser hair removal.
Good luck with your hair laser removal treatment!