Good preparation makes a real difference to how a laser hair removal session goes. Most of it is simple, and none of it takes much effort once you know the reasons behind each step. Below is the guidance we give clients at Summer Skin in Birmingham, with the why behind each part, so that when a step feels fussy you know what it protects. When you book, we'll send you the full list for your appointment, and that list is the one to follow.
Why preparation matters at all
The laser is looking for pigment. It's meant to find the dark pigment in the hair and travel down into the follicle, where the heat does its work. Anything that gets in the way of that, or adds pigment where we don't want it, makes the session less effective or harder on your skin. Almost every prep step comes back to that.
In the weeks before your session
Stop waxing and plucking
Avoid waxing, plucking, threading and epilators for a few weeks before your appointment. Those methods pull the hair out by the root, and the root is exactly what the laser needs to reach. If the follicle is empty on the day, there's nothing there for the laser to act on.
Shaving is fine. In fact, it's what we want. It cuts the hair at the surface and leaves the root in place.
Keep the area out of the sun
Keep the treatment area out of the sun for around two weeks before your session. A tan adds pigment to the skin, and that makes it harder for the laser to tell your skin from your hair. Just back from somewhere sunny? Tell us. We may suggest moving the appointment, which is far better than treating tanned skin.
This is one reason so many people start in the cooler months. We wrote more about that in why fall and winter are the best time to start.
Skip the self-tanner
Self-tanner and bronzing lotions count too. They darken the surface of the skin, and the laser responds to that pigment the same way it would a real tan. Let it wear off completely. Then skip it for around two weeks before your session.
Mention any changes
If you've started a new medication, or anything about your skin has changed since your consultation, let us know before your session. Some medications make skin more sensitive to light, and we'd rather adjust the plan than find out afterwards.
The day before
Shave the area the day before your appointment. A close shave means the laser's energy goes into the follicle rather than into hair sitting on the surface, which would just get warm against your skin. Shaving the day before, rather than the morning of, gives any small nicks or razor irritation time to settle.
If the area is hard to reach, like your back, it's fine to ask a partner to help. Tell us when you book if that isn't possible and we'll talk through options.
On the day
Come with clean skin. Wear clothes that make the area easy to get to. If anything on the prep list has slipped, such as a weekend in the sun or a wax you forgot about, tell us when you arrive. We'd always rather reschedule than go ahead on skin that isn't ready.
During the session, most clients describe the feeling as a quick, warm snap against the skin. Our laser has cooling built in. Sessions are short, and we'll check in with you as we go.
After your session
Mild redness afterwards is common and typically settles within a day. That's normal.
Stay out of the sun, and wear sunscreen
Keep the treated area out of direct sun after your session, and use sunscreen on it between sessions. Treated skin is more sensitive. Staying untanned also keeps you ready for the next one.
Take a day or two off the heat
Skip hot showers, saunas and heavy workouts for a day or two. Heat and friction can aggravate skin that's already warm from treatment. A lukewarm shower and a walk instead of a hard run is plenty.
Let the hair shed on its own
In the days and weeks after a session, you may notice some treated hairs working their way out of the skin. It can look like regrowth at first. Leave them be. Keep tweezers and wax away from the area for the whole series, because pulling hair out removes exactly what the next session needs to target.
Common questions about prep and aftercare
Can I shave between laser sessions?
Yes. Shaving is the right way to manage hair between sessions, because the root stays in place for the next treatment. Waxing and plucking aren't.
What if I got some sun before my appointment?
Call us at (248) 302-3206 before you come in. Depending on how much sun and how recently, we may move the session back. Short call. Worth it.
Why do I need more than one session?
Hair grows in cycles, and the laser only affects hair in its active growth phase. At any one time, only some of your hairs are in that phase. Sessions spaced several weeks apart catch more of them. How many sessions you'll need depends on your hair, your skin and the area, and we set out the expected number at your consultation. Results vary from person to person.
Ready when you are
Clients come to our studio on Old Woodward from Birmingham, Beverly Hills, Franklin, Troy and around Oakland County. New to all this? Our post on what a first visit at Summer Skin looks like covers the consultation and patch test, and the treatment page lists every area we treat.
To book, call (248) 302-3206 or request an appointment online. We'll send your prep list once you're booked.