How to Prepare the Bikini Area Prior to Laser Removal?

Preparing the skin prior to laser hair removal involves elimination of surface growth.  You should shave with the grain to avoid more ingrown hairs, or use clippers.  Otherwise, hair above the surface will absorb the laser energy and maintain heat on the surface which can risk burning the skin and creating darker pigment or lighter color.  If you  pluck or wax, the hairs may be removed from the follicle, and there won't be a target to absorb the laser's energy in the hair follicle and the follicle won't be destroyed. Ensure that the physician that treats you has the appropriate laser of the correct wavelength to treat dark skin, such as the 1064nm. laser.  Often test spots can be done to check your individual reaction prior to the onset of a full treatment. Then your response can be observed over several weeks. Better to see that a small area was checked and passed the test prior to embarking on a full treatment that might cause long term coloration problems or scars.

Thank you for your question.

Prior to laser hair removal in our San Francsico Bay Area practice we instruct all patients on the following:

Shave the day before or the day of treatment. Shaving does not affect the follicle therefore does not decrease the effectiveness of laser treatment.

Do not wax or pluck the hair for two weeks prior to treatment. Waxing and plucking remove the hair from the follicle and make laser treatments less effective.

Keep your skin protected from the sun for at least two weeks prior (and two weeks after) to treatment, including avoiding tanning beds. Sunburned skin is not safe to be treated and sun exposure after treatment can lead to increased skin damage.

Additionally it is recommended that your provider be experienced at safely treating your skin type as the risk of permanent discoloration is greater the darker your skin is.

I hope this helps.

Thank you for your question! First, make sure the machine being used can treat your skin color. Using the improper machine can leave scarring and pigmentation changes. The preparation you would take before getting laser hair removal would be no waxing or tweezing three weeks before treatment and in between treatments. You may shave bleach or use Nair. Shave the day before or morning of treatment. You do not want hairs visible on the skin as it may lead to them being burnt to the skin. You should not tan one month before or during treatments. Best of luck!

Laser hair removal is a very good way of treating in-grown hair.  If you have dark skin you may develop discoloration from the laser treatment.  This can occur after the third or fourth treatment, even if you were fine with the first or second one.  Your practitioner should use lower settings and you can get a prescription for hydroquinone, which inhibits pigment forming cells in the skin, to use for two weeks prior to each treatment.

First, make sure the machine being used can treat your skin color. Using the improper machine can leave scarring and pigmentation changes. The preparation you would take before getting laser hair removal would be no waxing or tweezing three weeks before treatment and in between treatments. You may shave bleach or use Nair. Shave the day before or morning of treatment. You do not want hairs visible on the skin as it may lead to them being burnt to the skin. You should not tan one month before or during treatments.