Any laser hair removal professional will preach the importance of sun safety. As we cover in our pre-treatment guide, a natural skin tone must be maintained with your skin free of topical products for safe and effective treatment.

Equally significant is sun safety following each treatment. Ultraviolet rays from the sun can impact the health of your skin after a laser hair removal treatment. To protect from those UV rays, use sunscreen daily to protect against UVA and UVB rays.

Potential complications enter the picture if those important steps are ignored. UV rays can damage your skin and lead to irritation, redness, swelling, and even hyperpigmentation. It’s always important to remember that even if your skin doesn’t appear tan or burnt, it is still being exposed to UV rays.

Sun Protection Strategies for Laser Aftercare

Prolonged sun exposure can extend the amount of time required between treatments. If a client has experienced excessive sun exposure or used a tanning bed prior to treatment, the next treatment may be postponed until the client’s natural skin tone returns. The amount of time it takes to get back to baseline skin tone is different for each person.

The good news is many helpful tactics can protect your skin from the sun's harmful rays following laser hair removal, including:

• Sun Avoidance: The sun can’t impact your hair-free journey if you aren’t exposed to its rays. Keeping treated areas away from the sun will maintain your skin’s natural tone with no threat of irritation. 
• Sunscreen: Wearing sunscreen daily is good for the health of your skin any day, but it’s especially important for laser hair removal aftercare. Wear sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays and reapply at least every two hours.
• Protective Clothing: Clothes made of unbleached cotton, polyester, and even silk contain materials that act as UV absorbers, providing an extra layer of protection from the sun.
• Tanning Bed and Tanning Product Avoidance: Tanning beds should be avoided throughout laser hair removal, as baseline skin is required for safe treatments. While tanning products following laser hair removal are safe, the skin must be back to baseline prior to the next treatment.