I have shaved 24 hours before in prep for laser hair removal and already have pimples. Can I still get laser?

Question

Will I still be able to get the laser hair removal done (Brazilian) if I have pimples already from the shave preparation? I think it's because I have never shaved!

Paul Flashner, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. If you have a few small blemishes on the area resulting from razor burn / shaving, it is safe to treat with laser hair removal. However, if the skin is broken and the blemishes are large / painful, I would advise to wait until the area is less sensitive before you are treated. As always, have your trusted skin care professionals take a look at the area prior to treatment, to make sure the area is safe to treat. Thanks again and good luck!

Laura A. Katz, MD · Answer

Hi there. You are probably correct. You got a folliculitis because you have never shaved before. When you break out with pimples after shaving, it has a couple possible causes: your skin was too dry and therefore irritated too easily or your razor left broken hairs and uneven surface defects in your skin which allowed your surface strep or staph bacteria to get into those defects. Thus the pimples form. Pimples and bacteria respond to heat. Thus, the heat from the laser could actually make things worse and spread or worsen the inflammation/infection. It is best to wait until your skin calms down first. Your best option is to shave a couple days before your treatment and let just enough hair growth so that you have a few mm of stubble visible. It allows time for your skin to calm after shaving and this allows for better visualization by the laser and your practitioner. It also makes sure the hair is not so long that the laser cannot penetrate to the root.

Russell S. Gornichec, MD · Answer

Officially when you have any type of lesion in the area to be treated you should proceed cautiously because this area is more sensitive to light energy and the burn risk increases. Saying that if your provider is using IPL, then make them aware of the lesions and they can adjust the settings. I have found that IPL has actually reduced pimples and accelerated the time to their resolution as well as maintaining effective hair loss. Hope that helps

I have shaved 24 hours before in prep for laser hair removal and already have pimples. Can I still get laser?

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I have shaved 24 hours before in prep for laser hair removal and already have pimples. Can I still get laser?

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.