What Should I Do About my LHR Tech?

My LHR tech prefers me to NOT shave before my appts to see my progress since I am having terrible results. (I am light- skinned with dark hair and have been treating my full face and underarms for 3 years, and still not close to being hair-free.) She asseses, then shaves for me. Frequently I notice after my treatments, she does not shave closely and most of my hair is still ABOVE skin as stubble. Is the treatment ineffective beacuse of this? Or will the laser still hit the pigment at the root?

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3 Doctor Answers | Asked by bella620 in Framingham, MA

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How to Get the Best Results from Laser Hair Removal

First make sure your treating physician has experience and the proper laser for treating your skin color. We use the GentleMAX laser by Candela which has many treatment options for most skin colors. 1. Prior to laser treatment, it is important to shave the area. Otherwise hair gets pressed to the surface of your skin. When the hair shaft is destroyed by the laser it can injure the surrounding skin. Shave a day prior to your appointment, so if you nick yourself, the area will not be... more

LHR Tech and what to do

Your technician is most likely trying to give you the best treatment possible. He/She is trying to access where the hair is, to make sure he/she can position the laser correctly. As long as he/she is not doing a close shave, your skin should be OK to be treated. If the hair is above the skin level, that is OK, unless you are experiencing burns or any other complications after the treatment. After 3 years of LHR you shouldn't need anymore treatments. At this point, I... more

Philip Young, MD

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Bellevue Facial Plastic Surgeon

"Should you shave before Laser Hair Removal?"

I do not recommend shaving for 1 - 3 days before laser hair removal, depending on rate of hair growth. One main reason is for avoiding burning! When you shave, you inadvertently remove loose layers of dead skin cells that are protective during the lasering process. On the other hand, I do not recommend that the hair be allowed to grow out too long either. Long hairs will get too hot during the laser treatment, and potentially allow too much heat to accumulate on the... more