Some clients are understandably curious why shaving is necessary before laser hair removal. But the fact is it’s a matter of safety and pivotal to keep your hair-free timelines on track.

Shaving the day of or before your appointment is essential because the follicle below the skin’s surface needs to absorb the laser energy. That way, the follicle can be destroyed, preventing future hair growth in the area and leaving only smooth, hair-free skin.

What Happens If You Don’t Shave Before Laser Hair Removal?

If hairs are unshaven, the laser energy will be absorbed by the hairs above the skin’s surface. This leads to ineffective results and an increased risk of burning or irritating the skin.

“We’re always going to do whatever we can within the time frame that we have; if they come in unshaven, for smaller areas, it’s easy to just help them with a quick touch-up shave,” said Milan Laser Clinical Support Nurse Anne L. “It’s not really going to impact the treatment time at all.

“This is also an opportunity to provide them with education on the importance of shaving before treatment. It’s best if they come in cleanly shaven because we want to safely and effectively treat that whole area to get them the results they want and deserve.”

Potential Consequences of Skipping the Shave

In addition to adding more steps to your hair-free journey, not shaving before laser hair removal comes with some potential consequences.

Reduced Effectiveness

Without a shave, hair still present above the skin’s surface will be the laser’s focus during treatment instead of the follicle under the skin. Addressing non-shaved hair instead of the follicle will result in an ineffective treatment with a follicle still intact.

Increased Discomfort

If the laser energy is absorbed by the hair above the skin surface, the likelihood of a potential complication increases. This can lead to discomfort, skin irritation, or a possible burn that could leave a mark on the skin.

Clinic Shaving

For the sake of maintaining your treatment timelines, laser hair removal professionals may offer to shave clients if they’ve failed to do so before their appointment. Make sure to check with your clinic if this service is provided. And always remember if the skin is cut or irritated after a shave, you might not be treated for your own safety

Rescheduling

If a client forgets to shave or is in a rush to shave before an appointment sustains a cut, they may be asked to reschedule to a later date. Any reputable clinic puts client safety first. If hair is visible above the skin surface or a cut or irritation appears in the area, delaying treatment is the best option.

Alternative solutions

Forgetting to shave might make one count on alternative methods to make sure your appointment is kept, but the reality is, that there really isn’t a great substitute for shaving. These alternatives could include:

• Trimming: You might think getting the hairs extremely close to the surface is acceptable. But trimming can still leave hair above the skin surface and lead to an ineffective treatment.
• Waxing: The follicle needs to be intact for effective laser hair removal treatment. Waxing won’t work before laser hair removal because the follicle is uprooted.
• Depilatory creams: The chemicals in depilatory creams break down the hair to be wiped away. This won’t work because the creams compromise the health of the follicle and can irritate the surrounding skin.