Thinking About Laser Hair Removal for Summer? Here's Your Guide for a Smooth Experience

Brett Baker
·6 min read

Courtesy of Brett Eliz Batten

bhg - 26 Available at Hush

bhg - 9 Available at Vitacost

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After being cooped up and socially distanced for a crazy-making year and a half, I'm all about the pool parties and cookouts this summer. While I may need to re-learn how to have a face-to-face conversation with an actual human after months of Zoom calls and Facetime, one thing I'm not sweating is razor burn. I'm a certified laser technician, and I can tell you that laser hair removal is the gift that keeps on giving (or doesn't, rather). Unlike waxing or shaving, the goal of laser hair removal is more permanent. After your sessions or package are through (more on that below), you should only have to return for touch-ups, and far less frequently than with other hair removal techniques.

As a laser tech, there's nothing that says "summertime is just around the corner" like a schedule full of bikini and Brazilian laser hair removal clients. I am doling out the smooth bikini lines and Brazilians from sun-up to sundown these days, it seems. My clients most often come to me frustrated with how frequently they have to shave and deal with post-shave irritation. Unfortunately, those pesky bumps and ingrown bikini hairs are hard to avoid. "The architecture of the hair in the pubic area lends itself to problems. It's a curlier, coarser texture than the hair on the other parts of your body, so it tends to grow back into the skin rather than straight out," explains Corey L. Hartman, M.D., board-certified dermatologist and founder of Skin Wellness Dermatology in Birmingham, Alabama. A laser is a great option because you just get rid of the hair completely.

The way that laser hair removal works is by targeting the pigment in the hair, creating heat that damages the follicle. After multiple treatments, this prevents the hair from growing back (or causes it to grow back thinner). The thicker and darker the hair down there, the better it should respond to laser hair removal. Laser targets pigment and melanin, so it will not work on fair hair like light blonde, white, or light red hair, notes Christian Karavloas, owner of Romeo & Juliette Laser Hair Removal in New York City.

Skin tone is another important factor to consider. There are lasers that work better for fair skin tones and technology that works better for melanin-rich skin tones."The target that the laser is going after is the pigment in the hair. If you have dark pigment in the hair and dark pigment in the epidermis, the laser can get confused, and you end up with blistering and discoloration, redness, and peeling," Hartman says. That's why it's important to find a technician with the technology and the skill to choose the settings that are best for you and your skin in order to have the best results and to avoid burns or other injuries.

The quest for smooth, hairless skin doesn't happen overnight, though. If you're hoping to have the best results, one session isn't going to cut it. Because the laser needs to catch the hair in the active phase of its growth cycle, it's important to have at least five sessions of laser hair removal spread about one month apart from each other. These packages may cost you anywhere from $1,200 to 2,000 on average, more if your particular hair and skin type are more stubborn. Curious about the pain factor? Laser hair removal isn't exactly a pleasant sensation. As the laser interacts with the pigment, the heat can cause some discomfort. Most of my clients say it's like a hot rubber band. It's not terrible, but not something you'd be able to kick your feet up to and enjoy, either. But don't worry. Here are some products that I have loved to use and recommend that can help with all that and more.

Numbing Gel

Before your treatment, apply this numbing gel. Again, heat creates irritation, and you may experience some discomfort. Not to fear, this gel has lidocaine to numb the skin and aloe to soothe it. This product is more commonly used for tattoos and permanent makeup, but I love it for our purposes, too. Apply a layer of gel onto the skin about an hour before your appointment, and you shouldn't feel much of anything!

Buy It: Gel with Lidocaine ($26, Hush)

Aloe Vera

After your appointment, use this aloe vera gel. Most drugstore aloe gels are full of fillers and synthetic ingredients. I love this one because it contains real aloe vera. You can expect redness and even swollen follicles for 24 to 48 hours after your appointment. Hartman suggests pure aloe to his patients and points out, "It's a naturally occurring anti-inflammatory agent," making it a safe and effective way to soothe the skin.

Buy It: Real Alo Inc. Aloe Vera Gel ($9, Vitacost)

Body Scrub

I love, love, love this stuff. It's gentle and biocompatible skincare that helps keep the skin in a balanced state while encouraging the dead follicle to push the hair out. Wait for four days after your laser hair removal to start using a gentle exfoliant. I prefer sugar over salt as the granule is more round, making it less abrasive to the skin. Your dead hair should begin to fall out in a week to three weeks after your treatment, and it could be sooner if you use a product like this one!

Buy It: Drunk Elephant Sugared Koffie Almond Milk Body Scrub ($28, Sephora)

Sunscreen

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, you need to use SPF if you'll be in the sun while you're being treated for laser hair removal. Any amount of extra sun and color on your skin increases the likelihood of a burn from the laser, and it could also affect your results. It's most important to follow these rules right before and right after an appointment, but Karavloas recommends that you should always use sunscreen with SPF of at least 30 pre- and post-laser.

Buy It: CeraVe Hydrating Sunscreen Body Lotion SPF 30 ($18, Ulta)