What Should Be Done Between Hair Removal Treatments?

You want the hair shafts,which are the target for the laser energy, to be present. If you do waxing, the laser energy won’t be absorbed in the best area and the follicle would have a better chance surviving. It is best not to wax for two to four weeks prior to laser hair removal depending on the rate of your hair growth. You would like to see the hair just starting to point out of the epidermis as it grows back to have effective treatment.

Between laser hair treatments the best thing to do is either shave or trim closely.  The laser needs to see a small hair present to detect hair pigmentation.  While its ok to wax early between sessions you should not wax or pluck as your next session gets close.  When your session is approaching it is best to have some minimal hair growth. 

In terms of hair removal, your options are leaving the hair alone, shaving, or trimming. It is not recommended to pluck, wax, tweeze, use depilatory creams, or bleach. The hairs must be in the shaft in order to be effectively treated by the laser. You should definitely avoid sun exposure and sunburns to the treated area to reduce side effects and risks with future treatments. Immediately after the treatment, you should be gentle with the area and avoid scrubbing or rubbing the area for a few days, as well as avoid any irritating products. 

You can shave as often as you would like between laser hair removal
sessions. It is important that you avoid
waxing, plucking and/or any depilatories throughout your treatment process and
for 3-4 weeks prior to initiating laser hair removal, in order for your
treatment to be effective. To avoid unnecessary complications it is also
important to keep the treatment area out of the sun. This includes tanning beds, tanning lotions
or anything that can change the natural skin color.

Do not pluck, wax or otherwise remove the hair other than shaving. Removing the hair from the follicle (such as waxing) means that the target for the laser (dark color in the hair) is no longer present in the skin. This is why waxing or plucking during laser hair removal treatments will lead to poor results.

When you are getting laser hair removal treatments, it is essential not to do any waxing, electrolysis or plucking throughout you course of treatment.  These options remove hair at the root and leave nothing for the laser to "see." It is ok to shave between laser treatments, ideally the day or two before the treatment.  You want to have just enough hair that it is just poking through the epidermis/skin surface by no more than a few mm so that the laser can penetrate enough to destroy the root.

Thank you for your question! Laser hair removal should keep you hair free for weeks at a time. If you need to eliminate hair between treatments you can shave. There is no need to grow hair out. Shave between treatments and ultimately there will be no need to shave. Best of luck!

I recommend to all my patients not to wax or tweeze three weeks before treatment. Tweezing and waxing removes the hair roots the laser targets. Patients have the option of shaving, bleaching or using Nair in between sessions. 

With continued treatments, most patients do not have to worry about excess hair growth between treatments. However, if you do need to remove hair, it is imperative not to wax or tweeze. The laser energy targets the hair root, and waxing and tweezing eliminate the root. It is fine, however, to shave between treatments. In fact, if your hair is long, shaving before a treatment can allow for a more effective treatment.

Laser hair removal should keep you hair free for weeks at a time.   If you need to eliminate hair between treatments you can shave. There is no need to grow hair out. Shave between treatments and ultimately there will be no need to shave