Can I shave after laser and how soon will I effect results if I shave?

Question

I am getting laser hair removal and was told not to shave for 7 days. I had already shaved 2 days after laser, so I was worried I had effected my results. When looking online many say shaving anytime after is fine, another site really pushes waiting 10 days due to hair shedding, yet another place said wait 4 days only to avoid more trauma. Seriously, what is the real answer...are there studies that would make any of you agree...and how serious is the effect on the results???

Anna Avaliani, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. The real answer is that shaving is perfectly fine if your skin is not irritated after the laser treatment. Shaving when your skin is bympy or raised after the treatment may irritate your skin even more or cause skin cuts .  That is the only reason why shaving is not advisable after laser hair removal for a few days. If your skin is normal and not irritated at all, you can shave even the same day.  Shaving does not affect your results in any way and the laser affect the hair root and not the hair itself. Hope this relieves some of your anxiety :) . I always tell my patients to call/text/email with any questions they have after their treatments as it took me about 10 seconds to answer this question that probably took you a few hours of research. Hope this helps. Best, Dr.Avaliani

Monika Soni, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. In
the six weeks leading up to your treatment, avoid plucking, waxing, bleaching,
and electrolysis treatments. Plucking or
pulling hair out
by the roots means there won't be any hair for
the laser to
target. To manage hair growth
before your treatment, shave or
use depilatories that only remove the hair above
the skin. Best of Luck!

Hardik Soni, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. In
the six weeks leading up to your treatment, avoid plucking, waxing, bleaching,
and electrolysis treatments. Plucking or
pulling hair out
by the roots means there won't be any hair for
the laser to
target. To manage hair growth
before your treatment, shave or
use depilatories that only remove the hair above
the skin. Best of Luck!

Fadi Nukta, MD · Answer

Shaving the hair prior to Laser Hair Removal Treatment is completely fine, you can shave the night before or the day of your treatment. Shaving post Laser Hair Removal is perfectly fine also, as long as the skin is not irritated. Therefore; shaving prior or post treatment doesn’t affect the outcome of the treatment.

Laurene DiPasquale, MD · Answer

Shaving after laser hair removal is fine!  It will not alter your results.  I always tell my patients that if their skin is a bit irritated to wait a few days before shaving.  While you are going through these treatments, you need to be comfortable!  If shaving makes you comfortable, that is fine!  Another option I give my patients is using a small scissor to cut the longer hairs.  Waxing, threading, and tweezing will affect your treatment.  Hope that helps!  Dr. D.

Teresa Mann, MD · Answer

Hello,
It is fine to shave after your laser hair reduction treatments.  I advise my patients to avoid shaving after treatment if they are experiencing any irritation in the treated areas and to wait until the irritation subsides.  Shaving will not negatively affect the outcome of your results.  Regards,

Summit Kundaria, MD · Answer

meishere1,
Thanks for the question.  It is usually fine to shave after laser hair reduction as long as the skin is not irritated.  Sometimes, after a laser hair reduction treatment, people can get some skin irritation, so shaving is not advised.  I find this to be the exception rather than the rule, so I tell my patients it's ok to shave unless their skin gets irritated with treatments.  The laser has "done its job" already at the level of the hair follicle (below the skin), so shaving (or anything you do to the superficial aspect of the hair) should not affect the result of your treatment.

Renata Wix-Harris, MD · Answer

If your skin is a bit irritated after the laser treatment, shaving could cause more irritation. However it has no effect on the effectiveness of the laser treatment and we put no restrictions on shaving anytime before or after treatment for our patients.

Dennis Gross, MD · Answer

Shaving after laser hair removal is perfectly fine and will have zero effect on the final result. If your skin is irritated from the procedure I would advise you to proceed with caution, as the shaving could increase irritation. The laser works by damaging the follicle which will cause shedding but the "damage" is already done so the hair that is going to shed will do so regardless of whether you shave or not.

Pablo Prichard, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. It is always best to follow the post care given to you by your provider. Shaving will not effect the long term result of laser but can cause unnecessary irritation on the skin. Best Wishes, Pablo Prichard, MD

Can I shave after laser and how soon will I effect results if I shave?

Answers (10)

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