Laser Hair Removal FAQ’s

We want you to get the best results from your laser hair removal sessions at Romeo & Juliette Laser Hair Removal in New York City. To achieve them, we advise that you prepare for each session accordingly. Suggestions to follow throughout your treatment program include:

• Avoid sun exposure. This can help prevent unnecessary irritation. To prepare for laser treatment, get diligent about your use of broad-spectrum sunscreen. Apply sunscreen to the treatment area every day starting weeks before you begin your program.
• Do not apply self-tanning lotions, creams, or other products. We want as much contrast between your skin tone and hair color as we can get.
• Do not use any antibiotics or medicine that may cause sensitivity towards light or sun. 
• Be mindful about the products you apply to the area of interest. If you want laser hair removal on your arms, for example, do not apply harsh skincare ingredients to that area. We can help you if you have questions about which products you should and shouldn’t use. The general rule is, if it has an acid or creates photosensitivity, don’t use it.
• Twenty-four hours before your sessions, shave the treatment area. Having shorter hair can minimize the thermal effect of laser light. Essentially, it will make you more comfortable during your treatment. Keep in mind, though, that you cannot wax or pluck hair in the treatment area!
• Dress comfortably for your appointment and come to the office with clean skin. Do not apply products to the skin on the treatment area.

If you are looking for a low-maintenance way to remove hair on your body or your face, laser hair removal might be the right treatment for you! In the early days of its technology, laser hair removal was most beneficial for people with pale skin and dark hair as the laser targets darker pigments. However, with updated technology, laser hair removal can work on all hair types and skin tones.

If you experience razor burns, cuts, bleeding, or ingrown hair due to shaving or other hair removal procedures at home, laser hair removal may hugely benefit you. This treatment is recommended for patients in overall good health who do not have an underlying health condition that makes it difficult to heal from wounds or burns.

If you are pregnant, on medication to treat acne, have genital herpes, or are prone to cold sores, this treatment is not recommended. Patients who have or have had skin cancer may also experience complications from laser hair removal. Speak to your Medical Provider and get clearance prior to laser hair removal.

There is no downtime associated with laser hair removal, as there might be with other laser treatments. After your appointment, the goal is to maintain comfort and avoid exaggerated inflammation in the skin. You can expect some itchiness and redness in the treatment area. You may feel slightly sunburned. If the heat within your skin becomes uncomfortable, you can apply cool compresses to the area for a few minutes, several times a day. If you have any questions, please contact us. After the first 24 hours, you should notice a significant improvement in comfort. After your very first treatment, you may notice some shedding. The strands of hair that were in the follicles at the time of treatment will slough over a few days, revealing smoother skin right away. Sometimes, small particles of hair may look like blackheads. Just continue to shower and gently dry your skin as usual, the sloughing process will eventually eliminate tiny spots.

Recovery and aftercare tips for laser hair removal include:

• Exfoliate the skin in the treatment area after a week to ten days, but do so gently. You don’t want to exacerbate the natural inflammation that occurs after laser treatment. Again, contact us with questions.
• Shave as needed. Do not pluck or wax. Also, remember to shave the night before subsequent laser hair removal treatments.
• Apply sunscreen diligently. It is important to continually protect your skin from sun damage until you have completed your course of treatment.
• Only use the gentlest skincare products after laser hair removal. Avoid acidic ingredients like salicylic acid, as well as vitamin C, retinol products, and anything that can create photosensitivity.

It is necessary to complete your recommended number of laser treatments to achieve your desired outcome. Laser hair removal works only on the “growing” hairs at the time of treatment. These are hairs that are in the anagen phase of the growth cycle. Hairs that are in the other phases, catagen, telogen, and exogen, will not be affected by laser energy. At any given time, you have multiple hairs in multiple different stages of the growth cycle. This makes it impossible to target all hair in the target area in a single treatment. Your laser hair removal treatments are scheduled at intervals that enable us to affect hair follicles as they are in the anagen stage of the cycle. Undergoing just one or two sessions would have very little long-term effect, if any.

Usually 6-8 sessions are recommended spaced 6-8 weeks apart.

While laser hair removal is a safe procedure, and there have been no long-term effects linked to it, patients may experience a few temporary side effects during and after their treatment. These can include:

• Burning
• Stinging
• Redness
• Swelling
• Itching
• Sweating

If done improperly, laser hair removal can leave behind scars from burns. However, under the care of the team at Romeo & Juliet Laser Hair Removal, we provide high-quality laser hair removal services so that these complications can be easily managed and avoided.

Many benefits come from investing in laser hair removal, but at the top of the list is the fact that leaving your hair maintenance to professionals can make your life easier. Not only will laser hair removal eliminate the need to shave every day, but you also will experience fewer of the complications that can come from shaving or waxing at home. Say goodbye to razor burn and ingrown hair. As laser hair removal targets hair follicles, patients can experience ease and more comfort while removing their hair.

Each treatment is precise and low maintenance. Overall, laser hair removal is a long-term solution for getting rid of hair. If you are someone who has thick, dark, coarse hair, this treatment can also help with improving the skin tone and pigmentation of your treated area.