Journal

Short answer: Shave the area the day before, avoid sun and self-tanner for two weeks, and pause waxing or plucking for four weeks. Those three steps give your first laser session the conditions it needs, because the laser needs a hair root to target and calm, untanned skin around it.

Why shaving helps and waxing does not

The laser targets the pigment in the hair root under the skin. Shaving leaves that root in place while removing the hair above the surface that could absorb heat and irritate the skin. Waxing and plucking pull the root out, leaving nothing for the laser to find.

Things to tell us before your session

• Any recent sun exposure, tanning beds or self-tanner
• New medications, especially antibiotics or acne treatments
• A history of cold sores if we are treating the upper lip
• Tattoos or darker moles in the treatment area

Step by step

1. Four weeks before: stop waxing, plucking and threading
2. Two weeks before: avoid sun and self-tanner
3. Day before: shave the area cleanly
4. Session day: arrive with clean skin and no deodorant on underarms

At a glance

Area	Session length	Typical spacing
Upper lip	10 minutes	4 weeks
Underarms	15 minutes	4 to 6 weeks
Bikini line	20 minutes	6 weeks
Full legs	About an hour	6 to 8 weeks

Typical ranges for illustration. Individual results vary.

“The first session is mostly about learning how your skin responds. We test, we note the settings, and we build from there.”

Danielle OkaforLaser & Light - Planning

Questions we hear

General information only, not medical advice. Illustrative demo. Individual results vary. Pricing shown is illustrative.