Laser hair removal is a popular treatment that many people opt for in the run up to summer. It lets you enjoy those relaxing sunbathing moments on the beach or by the pool (or in your garden if you’re choosing to stay close to home this year) without having to worry about unsightly hairs being on display. It can also save you a lot of time and effort!

After just a few sessions, you can see a significant reduction in your body hair, which means you spend much less time shaving or waxing and more time enjoying your summer holidays.

But if you’re left wondering if sunbathing before or just after your laser hair removal treatment is a bad idea – we’re here to help.

Here’s what you need to know about sunbathing and laser hair removal – before and after treatment.

Sun Exposure Before Laser Hair Removal

In general, the advice is that you should avoid sunbathing before undergoing laser hair removal treatment and limit your sun exposure as much as possible. This is because laser hair removal works best on un-tanned skin and hair that has not recently been sun-bleached.

But don’t worry, you can still venture out in the summer, it’s just important to make sure you are protecting yourself with suncream with a high SPF for at least the week before your treatment and avoid prolonged sun exposure. This will also help to prevent the risk of your skin burning. In fact, wearing suncream is something you should get into the habit of doing at all times – not just when preparing for laser hair removal.

Laser hair removal cannot be performed on sunburnt skin, as the light energy transfer from the sun requires the skin to heal. The laser treatment transmits strong energy into the hair follicles, and this will seriously aggravate the sunburn. So, ensuring you avoid the sun before treatment will minimise the risk that your appointment needs to be moved due to sunburn. (Remember, prolonged and repeated exposure to the sun could also be a lifestyle habit that is aging you…)

If you are tanned, consider waiting until it has faded before opting for laser hair removal. The laser works by being attracted to dark pigmented hair, so having tanned skin makes it harder for the laser to differentiate between skin pigment and hair pigment. So, avoiding a tan will help ensure you get the best results from your laser hair removal sessions.

Sun Exposure After Laser Hair Removal

After having laser hair removal, your skin will be sensitive and will need time to heal. If you expose your skin to too many UV rays right after treatment, you run the risk of damaging your skin. So, it is highly advisable that you avoid sunbathing after laser hair removal.

Make sure you apply suncream with a high SPF when you go out, choosing quality products that protect you against both UVA and UVB rays. If possible, keep your treated areas covered up for at least a week to help them to heal properly.

Once you have healed from treatment, you should take care of your skin, do not try to regain your tan very quickly with excessive sun exposure or tanning beds.

Laser Hair Removal from Aesthetic Skin Clinic

Laser hair removal works by exposing the skin to pulses of laser light that destroy the hair follicle. At the Aesthetic Skin Clinic, we use the most advanced laser hair removal techniques to provide pain-free, incredible results to eliminate almost all hair types from desired areas.

Soprano Ice

One method we use is Soprano Ice, one of the most popular and advanced hair removal treatments on the market. It is loved for the comfort of the treatment and the effectiveness of the results.

The handheld device is passed over the treated area, and the melanin pigment in the hair absorbs the energy released. The gradual build-up of heat damages the structures of the hair, which falls out over two to three weeks after the session. The follicles’ ability to grow hair becomes compromised, so hair growth will not reoccur, significantly reducing your overall body hair growth.

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)

IPL uses the controlled flashes of light absorbed by the hair follicles beneath the surface of the skin. This obliterates the hair at the root, significantly reducing hair growth in the treated area.

Laser hair removal is easier on darker hair types due to there being more pigment to absorb the energy of both treatment types. However, we can apply an artificial pigment to the hair to also offer treatment to lighter hairs.

Aside from common areas like legs and underarms, we can also provide you with facial hair removal. Our gold-standard laser hair removal can treat a wide range of patients, skin, and hair growth types.

With no downtime, you can expect incredible results with just six to eight sessions, providing significant hair reduction in the long term. We will perform a patch test on all patients at least 48 hours before your initial consultation to ensure you do not react to the laser treatment.

If you would like to learn more about laser hair removal in Guernsey, Belfast or Jersey, do not hesitate to contact us.

And if you’re still undecided on whether laser hair removal is right for you, then you can read our article to help you make a more informed decision.