Summer is a hot time for body hair removal, including the use of laser hair removal. But with a light therapy like that, what is the protocol for after care during the sunniest time of the year?
Laser hair removal is a highly popular method of removing unwanted body hair from legs, arms, face, and more. However, due to the fact that the treatment can make your skin photo-sensitive—that is, sensitive to the sun—it’s hard to determine what exactly you should do after your session during the summer months.
While you should do your best to avoid the sun after a laser hair removal appointment, there are ways to be safe following laser hair removal, even during the summer. Here are five tips to follow if you have a laser hair removal session during the summer.
Stay Away from Direct Sun
The advice after laser hair removal is always to try to avoid direct sunlight. The sun can drastically damage your skin in the best of times, but that is far more likely when your skin has been treated with the laser hair removal laser technology, which can make it more sensitive to the sun.
You could experience hyperpigmentation, scarring, or severe burns on your skin. In the summer, it can feel unavoidable at times to stay out of the sun. Do your best for the weeks going up to your appointment and for those that follow.
Just try to keep yourself in shaded or interior areas for several weeks after your laser hair removal treatment. You can also follow the other tips in this post to ensure you keep your skin safe from permanent damage following your appointment!
Use an SPF All Over
This is a tip you should follow all the time, especially in the summer, regardless of your hair removal method of choice. Applying an SPF all over your body, and particularly in the area that received laser hair removal, should be a non-negotiable in the summer. A high-level SPF—typically one of SPF 50 is recommended—will keep your skin protected from the sun and can reduce the amount of harm or scarring to the skin.
It also keeps your skin looking youthful, fresh, and free from dark spots or other visible signs of aging. Make sure you wear SPF even on overcast days where you’re not sure you will even be exposed to the sun directly. A proper SPF product will protect your skin from both UVA and UVB rays: two harmful rays that come from the sun.
Avoid Tanning
While it’s understandable to want to sport a bronzed glow on your skin in the summertime, if you’ve had laser hair removal, it’s best to resist. Tanning in a tanning bed or outside naturally can open your skin up to harsh damage after being treated with laser hair removal lasers.
You should also avoid sunless self-tanners. This doesn’t mean you’ve got to wear long pants all summer—just be sure that you’re not intentionally tanning and that you wear your powerful SPF sunscreen each time you leave the house.
Moisturize and Hydrate Skin
After doing a laser hair removal session, it’s important to take proper care of your skin, especially in the area where you received the removal. Applying a moisturizing and hydrating lotion, cream, or body butter can help protect it from damage and discomfort.
It also may help reduce any of the itchiness or burning you experience after the laser hair removal procedure. For at least a few days after the removal appointment, babying your skin with moisturizers and avoiding physical stressors like swimming pools or a heavy sweat at the gym can go a long way in keeping your skin safe.
You should also avoid exfoliating your skin for two to three days after your appointment, just to be sure you are giving your skin all the time it needs to fully heal and recover from your laser hair removal.
Safe Laser Hair Removal at SEV
If you want to stay safe and hair-free during the summer, it’s important to choose a vetted and respected medical spa for your sessions. SEV’s laser hair removal Hermosa Beach location staffs the best of the best when it comes to skilled estheticians and practitioners of body care like laser hair removal, filler, and more.
Plus, they have locations across the U.S. Your laser hair removal service at SEV will be accompanied by expert advice on after care and what to expect during the sunny summer months.