When to Stop Shaving Before Laser Hair Removal?

When having Laser Hair Removal, we want you to be as clean shaven as possible. We recommend doing it in the morning before you come. If you shave immediately prior to the laser, you can possibly have increased inflammation/redness after the treatment. Dr. Grant Stevens

We use the Laserscope laser in my office. The technique is painless as long as the laser does not encounter hair above the skin. So, my patients are advised to shave or use depilatories just before the appt time. No later that the night before. We don"t take the time to shave you. That is something that the patient is expected to do before their appt. Good luck!

Laser hair removal relies on transmitting energy to the hair follicles to destroy them. It only works with dark hair because the laser targets the pigment in the follicle. If there is hair above the skin, the light energy will be absorbed by the hair and not the follicle and the treatment will not be effective. The best bet would be to let the physician shave the treatment area just before your treatment.

With laser assisted hair removal, the hairs must be in the skin so the laser has a target to destroy. Usually I recommend patients shave either the day of treatment or the day before if they need to leave a little bit of stubble so it is easier for the laser operator to see all areas where hairs are located. I would not leave the hairs too long, however, as this may increase the risk of a burn as the relatively longer hair shaft may burn the surface of the skin as it is heated.... more

I recommed shaving at home the day of your laser treatment.  However, if the area you are doing is patchy or difficult to see then you should leave it so that the laser technician can see the area that needs to be treated.