Can I Shave Before I Have my IPL Hair Removal?

Thanks for your question. It is ok to shave, but I would recommend not shaving for 4-5 days prior to your procedure. You were right on and have a good understanding of what to do. Not shaving for 4-5 days prior to the procedure allows you to have some hair growth in the follicular bulb that will serve as a target for the IPL.

I tell my patients that for the initial consult they should not shave so that I can see where the hair growth is, then a few days prior to the procedure, they can shave. It is good to see some hair growth so that the IPL can be targeted appropriately.

It is ok to shave before IPL treatment for hair removal. In fact, having the dark hair roots in place makes them better targets for successful IPL or laser. The hairs sticking above the surface don't add any benefit. They only distract the IPL or laser light, and take away from the treatment success. Shave two days before, not the day of, so there is no irritation in the area. Waxing is a no-no before these treatments because if there is no hair root in place, the laser or IPL... more

We disagree with both answers given so far. While it is true that you do not want to wax or pluck while undergoing IPL hair removal treatments, you absolutely want to shave the day of or the day before the treatment. The reason you should shave the same day of treatment or the day before is that any hair above the surface of the skin can absorb energy from the IPL and thus increases the potential for a surface blister or burn. DEFINITELY SHAVE THE SAME DAY OR THE DAY BEFORE IPL HAIR... more