How To Recover from Laser Hair Removal

Know what to expect. After you have laser hair removal, you need to have realistic expectations of what your skin will look like. It won't be perfectly smooth and glowing like you want it to be - at least, not in the beginning. In fact, the area where you've just had laser hair removal will be red (and may even be bumpy). This is a direct result of exposure to the energy from the lasers. The redness should die down in a couple of hours, although the area will still be sensitive for several weeks afterwards.

Stay out of the sun. Your skin has just been subjected to intense energy from a laser, so it's going to be quite sensitive after your laser hair removal. You need to avoid doing anything to irritate the area further. So stay out of the sun, or at least, don't expose that specific area to the sun for at least a month. In addition, you should be using sunblock on your entire body while your skin recovers from laser hair removal. You should still be able to apply makeup as usual, and compete in your regular daily activities. Just take extra precautions to keep those specific areas out of direct sunlight.

Give it time. Your recovery from laser hair removal won't be instantaneous, as you know. It will take a few weeks for your skin to return back to normal and for you to see the results of the laser hair removal. Be sure to give your skin at least 2-4 weeks before judging whether or not there is less hair in that area. Sometimes it takes at least this long for the hairs that have been treated by the laser to grow up to the surface and then fall out. Don't expect your skin to be hair-free any sooner than 4 weeks after your laser hair removal procedure.

Stay away from harsh products. As mentioned, your skin will be quite sensitive in the first few weeks following your laser hair removal procedure. The last thing you want to do is expose it to any type of personal product that is going to irritate it and slow your recovery. So stay away from dyes for at least 2 weeks after your laser hair removal. And don't shave or wax the area either. Ideally, you should keep perfumed products and lotions away from your entire body until your newly-lasered area has had a chance to properly heal.

Schedule a follow-up appointment. In general, you should return to visit your laser hair removal technician in the month or two following your procedure. At this time, you can discuss the possible need for further treatments (which is very common). It often takes a complete treatment series to laser or treat all of your growing hairs in a certain area. And be forewarned -- you will need to recover from your laser hair removal after each of these procedures.