The Endless Smooth: Managing Hair Regrowth with Post-Laser Care Strategies

The silky smooth skin right after removing body hair gives you a luxurious feeling. 

But without proper care, it's impossible to feel smooth skin for over a week. After laser treatment, some regrowth occurs naturally and needs additional care.

By following home care advice and returning periodically for touch-ups, you can significantly extend the benefits of laser hair removal as it targets hairs in the growing phase. 

Keep reading to learn the proper post-laser care process.

Understanding the Laser Hair Removal Process

After getting advanced laser hair removal technology at Donna Bella, Ashburn, you may wonder how to care for your skin to get the best treatment result. 

But before jumping to the post-laser care strategies, you should first understand the hair removal process.

Selective Photothermolysis 

Laser hair removal relies on a principle called selective photothermolysis (SPTL). Here's how it works:

• Lasers emit light with a specific wavelength to damage the hair follicles. The light uses different wavelengths depending on the material's absorbing capability. 
• Hair follicles contain melanin, a pigment that absorbs light energy.
• Once the laser light is absorbed, it turns into heat and destroys melanin in your hair follicles.
  
  

The Hair Growth Cycle and Laser Timing

Generally, after the first laser session, growing hair back on the skin may take 3 to 4 weeks. Hair goes through distinct growth phases after having your laser done. 

According to NCBI, there are 3 stages of body hair regrowth such as

• Anagen (growth phase) is the active phase when new hair grows. Lasers are most effective during this phase because the hair follicle is actively producing hair and has a good concentration of melanin.
• Catagen (transition phase) slows down hair growth, and the follicle detaches from the blood supply.
• The telogen (resting phase) is the stage of hair shedding. The hair follicle remains dormant until the next anagen phase.
  
  

Why Multiple Treatment Sessions Are Necessary in Laser

The number of laser sessions required varies based on the coarseness of your body hair and the area being treated. 

Since hair follicles cycle through different phases, not all will be affected in a single session. The initial laser treatment primarily targets hairs in the anagen phase.

Moreover, some follicles may regenerate and produce finer hairs even after being treated. 

Therefore, multiple laser hair removal sessions are essential to achieve long-lasting results. By continuing with these sessions, you can ensure more comprehensive coverage and effectiveness.

Additionally, to complement your enhanced appearance, consider following the well-known metaboli-rest method for a fit and healthy body. This holistic approach can help you maintain a well-rounded, attractive look.

Ideal Strategies for Post-Laser Care Essential

After your laser treatment is over, we apply cool compresses in order to treat swelling, redness, and irritation. However, irritation is a rare occurrence.

Still, we use a cool water soaked cloth and keep it over your skin for 10 to 15 mins for this step.

Later, you need to be consistent in taking care of your treated area to avoid pigmentation. 

What we recommend as an ideal post-laser care strategy is given below:

Use a Gentle Face Wash

Do not use harsh cleansing facewash or soap at all. Go for mild cleaners and fragrance-free ones. Additionally, use soft tissue, or a soft and clean towel to gently dry the area.

Apply a Soothing and Calming Moisturizer

Moisturizing is a MUST. You should look for soothing and calming ingredients that will help you get the best results. While searching for moisture, check the ingredient list carefully. 

Some of the recommended ingredients are:

• Ceramide
• Hyaluronic acid 
• Emollient 
• Vitamin E
• Lanolin
• Propolis
• Centella Asiatica
• Shea butter 
• Vitamin C
• Panthenol

You can also apply petroleum jelly or aloe vera gel to the treated area (make sure you're not allergic to aloe vera gel).

Do Not Skip Sunscreen

Sun protection is the key to your post-laser care. Exposure to the sun or heat can cause damage to the skin and increase hyperpigmentation. 

Therefore, you must wear sunscreen, even if you are indoors. You can choose a good brand of sunscreen that offers up to SPF 30+.

Exfoliating

Exfoliating skin usually removes dead skin cells and buildup from the skin. One of the side effects of laser treatment is ingrown hair, and exfoliation will prevent the issues of having ingrown hair. 

You can either choose AHA or salicylic acid according to your convenience. However, remember that good skin can’t be achieved unless you take care of your diet. If you have an alcohol habit, get rid of it with safe detox treatment.

How to Manage Regrowth Between Sessions

Generally, most professionals suggest using exfoliators to manage regrowth. But not everyone likes to use an exfoliator in their treated area. 

Therefore, we have some other alternative options to recommend for managing ingrown hair in between:

Trimming

You can use an electric trimmer to trim the regrown hair. However, be careful not to cut close to the base of ingrown hairs. For better results, you may trim it once a week.

Use Tropical Products

You need to be cautious in this step about the ingredients of the tropical products. 

Gels or creams with retinoids or other keratolytic ingredients can help with dead skin and slightly slow hair growth when applied 1-2 times per week. 

Don't forget to perform a patch test and moisturize the skin before using.

Shaving

Though we don’t recommend shaving, if you can use a good skin-protective cream, you shouldn’t have any skin issues with shaving. You can also seek professional help if you think your treated area needs special care.

FAQs

Why does hair grow back? 

Some hairs were not properly targeted by the laser or may regenerate from dormant follicles. No hair removal is 100% permanent.

What are touch-up treatments? 

Brief follow-up sessions help treat hair remnants. They maintain smoothness between full treatment packages.

How often should I get touch-ups? 

Most experts recommend touch-ups every 6-12 months to consistently cope with regrowth. Results may fade faster if touch-ups are skipped.