SKN BAR Rx

How to Prepare for Laser Hair Removal

Laser hair removal is your best bet for a semi-permanent approach to hair removal. However, scheduling your first appointment can be intimidating when you don’t know what to expect. We’ll walk you through all your burning questions now.

At SKN BAR, it is our mission to ensure that you are receiving optimal results that are both safe and effective. We all love having smooth-looking and feeling skin, but the upkeep can become exhausting. Whether you shave, wax, or use other hair removal products, it is still a consistent and never-ending effort.

If you are tired of the constant upkeep of removing hair and still having issues relating to razor bumps and ingrown hairs, then you may want to consider laser hair removal. This treatment is non-invasive and uses pulses of laser light with heat to target the pigment of the hair follicle to help prevent new ones from growing.

What Do I need to know about laser hair removal?

Laser hair removal is often talked about but not always in depth about what you should prepare for, how many treatments you should get, and what the benefits are. Let’s dive into the details:

Treatment Areas

You can receive laser hair removal treatment on any part of your body that grows unwanted hair. The laser targets pigment, meaning it will have little to no effect on grey, white, and blonde hair follicles.

We always recommend coming in for a complimentary consultation to ensure that the laser hair removal treatment will provide you with benefits before scheduling the service. For treatments at SKN BAR Rx, we break down the areas of the body in various sizes in terms of surface area. For example, laser hair removal on your legs will take a longer amount of time than on the upper lip. The areas we treat are:

Extra Small Area

Areola
Navel
Partial Face
Toes
Knuckles

Small Area

Underarms
Bikini
Abdomen

Medium Area

Full Arms
Partial Legs
Brazilian
Full Face
Chest

Large Area

Full Back
Full Head
Full Legs

Extra Large Area

Full Leg + Bikini

Full Body

Full Body + Face

During your consultation, your aesthetician will go over your ideal goals as well as a realistic expectation to achieve those goals. This conversation will be done at your comfort level and before your service to ensure you both are on the same page with treatments and expectations. As an added benefit with SKN BAR RX, we offer laser hair removal packages with various pricing and special offers.

What Does Laser Hair Removal Feel Like?

Laser hair removal is a relatively quick and painless treatment depending on the size of the area being treated.

SKN BAR Rx Pewaukee is a proud user of the Sciton Forever Bare BBL Laser. Our Shorewood location uses the Lumenis – Splendor X Laser Hair Removal System. With these special lasers, patients will feel little to no pain. Each pulse is accompanied by cooling air to eliminate any pain laser hair removal normally causes.

WHO SHOULD GET LASER HAIR REMOVAL?

Laser hair removal is perfect for someone looking to reduce unwanted hair, smooth out the skin, and avoid ingrown hairs. However, this treatment is not for everyone. For the laser to be effective, the hair needs to have pigment. The darker and coarser the hair, the better the results. Laser hair removal does NOT work on red, blonde, grey, or white hair. However, we can treat all skin types.

In addition, you may not receive laser hair removal if you fall under the following categories:

You are pregnant
You are breastfeeding
You recently got a tan or used self-tanner
You are on Accutane or other photosensitizing medications

What are the benefits of Laser Hair Removal?

Laser hair removal offers several benefits as a popular and effective cosmetic procedure, including the following:

A long-term solution to getting rid of unwanted hair
Quicker and more efficient than waxing, tweezing, and bleaching
Smoother-looking skin
Less irritated skin from not having to shave
Increased confidence

How Do I prepare for Laser Hair Removal?

WHAT SHOULD I DO PRE-TREATMENT?

Remember these important skincare tips before your laser hair removal appointment:

Shave before your treatment. The cleaner the shave, the better. We advise shaving 24 hours before your appointment; if you shave any less than this, the laser may have trouble targeting the hair follicle.
Avoid waxing, plucking, tweezing, bleaching, and electrolysis 6-8 weeks before your treatment.
Do not use retinol for 1 week before any treatment on the face.
Avoid sun exposure, and do not use self-tanning products on the treated area. If there is any tanned or burnt skin from the sun, the laser hair removal treatment cannot be performed due to potentially burning the skin.
Arrive at your appointment with the treatment area clean.
Avoid deodorant or lotion the day of your treatment.
Stop any type of body oil or facial oil 72 hours before your treatment.

WHAT SHOULD I DO POST-TREATMENT?

After laser hair removal, the treated area may feel like a slight sunburn sensation. That will subside within 30-60 minutes post-treatment. Aloe can be applied post-treatment to relieve any discomfort. Avoid hot showers, hot baths, saunas, and hot tubs.

It is perfectly normal to see your hair follicles ball up and fall out. You may notice pink or redness to the treated area for about 2-3 days post-treatment — this is normal and will subside.

To achieve optimal results, it is recommended to be consistent with your laser hair removal treatments, coming in every 4-6 weeks at each stage of the hair growth cycle. After your laser hair removal treatment series is complete (we recommend receiving anywhere between 6-12 treatments) maintenance may be required depending on regrowth and ending result. You may need anywhere between 2-3 maintenance treatments a year. Hormones, skin type, and genetics all play a role in your treatment outcomes. Your provider will discuss maintenance options with you, as well as any other related recommendations.

The Best Laser Hair Removal in Milwaukee

At SKN BAR Rx, we believe in offering you safe and effective treatments. Much of your skin’s maintenance is recommended during the fall and winter months to protect your skin from sun damage and other environmental factors. If you are looking to achieve smoother-looking and feeling skin, then book your complimentary laser hair removal consultation today.

Call SKN BAR Rx at 414.488.7900 to learn more about how laser hair removal can benefit you!