Do you know why the cooler months are considered laser season?
First off, it can take a few months to complete laser hair removal – on average clients visit 6-9 times to achieve the best results. This is because our hair grows in cycles. There are 3 phases in the cycle and the laser can only eradicate hairs in the anagen phase. Did you know we have around 300 hair follicles on average per square inch on our bodies? Sounds like a lot, right? Not all our hairs are in the anagen phase or even active at one time. Because of this, it is expected that you will see some continued hair growth between treatments, especially in the earlier stages of your treatments. Don’t worry, this typically reduces as you proceed with your treatments! Since everyone is different, the rate of reduction varies from individual to individual. That said, on average, 6-9 treatments will ultimately achieve the smooth results you’re looking for with far less upkeep than you’ve had to do in the past. In the meantime, we recommend avoiding hair removal methods like waxing and tweezing in between laser treatments for optimal results. This is because laser energy targets the hair root, and those methods eliminate the root – no bueno! For that excess hair, we recommend shaving between treatments for the best laser results in the long run.
Laser hair removal also requires 2-6 weeks before and after treatment WITHOUT sun exposure, which is much easier to accomplish when the beach and pool aren’t beckoning you! When it’s cold outside, we tend to dress a bit more conservatively, therefore your sun exposure is limited. It’s easy to think that if you aren’t laying out poolside, you’re not getting any sun but even if you’ve just walked from the grocery to your car in shorts, that counts! This time of year, you’re far less likely to inadvertently spend too much time in the sunshine and get tan. Why does this matter? Because laser hair removal can’t be performed on sunburned or tanned skin. It isn’t even recommended for skin that’s ever so slightly sun-kissed! Not to mention, your skin needs time out of the sun to recover post-treatment too. Get your party started now so that when the warm weather returns, you’re ready!
And don’t forget, it’s important to keep up self-care in the colder months when for many of us, the blues can set in. Setting aside time for yourself and your needs is a good way to keep the seasonal blahs away. As you can see, the fall is an ideal time to begin the laser hair removal process, which typically takes a few months to complete. By the time you finish your last session, you’ll be smooth and hair-free just as the warm weather rolls in.
