Going into the sun after 3rd laser hair removal treatment?

Question

I have light brown skin but I get tanned really fast once I am in the sun. I am currently doing laser hair removal for half of my legs, my underarms and my bikini area. I am going into the sun 9 days after my 3rd laser hair removal treatment. I will be surfing in Sri Lanka so I will be exposed to the sun all day during 2 weeks approximately. However, I will be spending ALL of my time in the sun? Is it safe if I use sun screen every hour and a hafl? Or should I cancel my appointment? Thank you

Steven F. Weiner, MD · Answer

I don't care how careful you are with sunscreen, it won't be effective enough to prevent complications. I tell my patients that a 3 week window of no sun exposure on either side of the treatment is needed to avoid problems. The risk is PIH, particularly since you have a darker skin type by your description. I would reschedule your appointment to at least 1 month after you return from your trip.

Tianna Tsitsis, MD · Answer

It is recommended to have at least 1 week of buffer time between sun exposure and laser treatments, both before and after.  If you are tan when you return and are still tan when you are scheduled for your next hair removal session, I would postpone the hair removal since you may burn.  Keep the sunscreen on none the less during your fabulous sounding vacation though as that is always a good idea.

Mark A. Blair, MD · Answer

Hello, thank you for your question.  In our practice we recommend avoiding the sun a week prior to and a week following laser hair reduction treatments.  Sun screen is a good idea, regardless if you are doing laser hair reduction or not.  You should not have any problem with exposing yourself to the sun 9 days following your treatment.  The thing that needs to be considered when coming back for your 4th treatment is that the correct wavelength/energy is used for your now "darker" skin type. The laser technician should be able to make these adjustments with the device and can determine if you are a good candidate for the next treatment. I definitely would wait at least a week after sun exposure before you resume any additional treatments.

Going into the sun after 3rd laser hair removal treatment?

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Going into the sun after 3rd laser hair removal treatment?

Answers (3)

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Everything you need to know about Laser Hair Removal

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.