Laser Hair Removal Pre & Post Care

Laser Hair Removal Pre & Post Care

PRE-TREATMENT INSTRUCTIONS

Permanent Choice limits the procedures that are offered to women who are pregnant. If you are currently pregnant or become pregnant during your course of treatments please let us know in advance. We may need to modify or postpone your treatments until after you give birth.

For all hair removal treatments, if you have not seen hair regrowing in the treatment area please contact us a minimum of two days in advance of your appointment to reschedule. We will push your appointment one to two weeks into the future inorder to wait for the new growth to appear.

Laser Hair Removal

It is very important that you check all medications for a light sensitivity or sun sensitivity warning. Sun sensitizing medications including high dose antibiotics. Z-Pac (used to treat various infections including sinus, tooth, bladder, etc) and prescription topical creams cannot be used or taken within 10 DAYS of your laser treatment. Clients will be denied treatment if a light sensitizing medication is last used within 10 days of your appointment.

Extra pigment in the skin will always negatively impact the success of laser treatments and light based treatments. It is important to be at your lightest skin color possible to ensure the most success during the course of your sessions (and completion of sessions in a reasonable number of treatments). Each time you come in for your laser session you need to be the same color in skin tone as your last appointment or lighter. If you are on maintenance treatments you cannot have any extra pigment present in the areas we are treating.

For all treatments at the Permanent Choice, with the exception of electrolysis, clients are required to use a Broad Spectrum UVA/UVB 30 SPF or greater. Sunscreen must be worn at least three weeks prior to your first laser session. The sunscreen must also continue to be worn during the course of your treatments in any area(s) where you are having treatments if exposed to UV light. It is recommended that the sunscreen contain Zinc Oxide. Reapply every two hours when in direct sunlight. If you need a sunscreen recommendation please let us know.

For maximum effectiveness laser treatments should be repeated every 6-8 weeks. Going off schedule for more than one session WILL result in an increased number of treatments to complete your laser sessions. A typical female client over the age of twenty years old will typically need about 6-8 laser treatments. A male client will generally need about 7-12 laser treatments for the body and 8-15 laser treatments for the face. For more information please email us at info@permanentchoice.com. It is always recommend to speak in person with your technician regarding any of your laser hair removal questions but we encourage you if you have any immediate questions to contact us at 952-898-1111.

Day Before The Procedure:

If treating the legs, Benadryl should be taken right before your laser treatments (if Benadryl does not make you drowsy) or the night prior to your appointment before you go to bed (if Benadryl does make you drowsy). Benadryl (diphenhydramine) is an antihistamine which helps prevent or reduce the histamine reaction of the heat and hive response. Another effective active ingredient is pseudoephedrine which can be found in: SudoGest, Suphedrine, Wal-Phed D, and Claritin D to name a few.

Shaving at home the night before your treatment will help the skin to be more tolerant of the heat delivered in treatment.

Do not workout or expose the area to intense heat two hours before the treatment (i.e. hot shower, sauna, steam room, etc.) Avoid applying lotion to the area a few days before treatment.

Hydrate by drinking at least eight 8 ounces of water several days in advance of your appointment. Alcohol naturally dehydrates and thins the blood and should be avoided prior to any treatment.

As long as there is no allergy to latex or pineapple, taking bromelain up to three times a day several days in advance of a procedure has been shown to decrease bruising and prevent an inflammatory response.

First Appointment:

Please arrive fifteen minutes early to fill out the laser consents for treatment. Your paperwork will be set out for you and please begin filling it out when you arrive. If you would prefer to have the laser consents emailed to you in advance of your appointment to be filled out and brought to your treatment please let us know.

Day Of The Procedure:

For laser hair removal, please come with the area shaved (for the bikini come with the area shaved to the look that you want).**

For large body areas such as the full back, chest and legs, there is an additional $25 fee if we need to shave the area in the appointment. If you are unable to shave, please let us know when you schedule so that we can add additional time to your appointment for shaving.

Clients should arrive to appointments with clean skin, free of lotions, sprays, or creams in the treatment area or deodorant if having the underarms treated.

If you have a history of cold sores, electrolysis and laser around the mouth may trigger an outbreak. If you would like to take preventative action or feel a cold sore developing, we are able to prescribe you an anti-viral prescription such as Acyclovir or Valtrex.

**If you are on maintenance treatments and only need random hairs treated please come in with at least one weeks worth of growth. If a majority of the area needs treatment please shave the area the night before your laser session.

If applicable, apply numbing cream 30-60 minutes prior to treatment. Your technician will remove the product prior to treatment.

Seven (7) Days Prior To Your Treatment Avoid The Items (In The Treatment Area) Listed Below:

Alpha Hydroxy (Glycolic or Lactic Acid)

Benzoyl Peroxide

Beta Hydroxy (Salicylic Acid)

Retinol Products

Microdermabrasion, Facials, & Chemical Peels

Three (3) Weeks Prior To Your Treatment Avoid The Items (In The Treatment Area) Listed Below:

Tanning Beds

Self-Tanners

Extended Sun Exposure

Discontinue tweezing, waxing, epilating, or threading the area(s) to be treated (any method that removes the hair by the root). The root of the hair must be present to treat.

Adverse reactions are very rare and can be unpredictable. Due to this, we will not perform a procedure three weeks prior to a special event (e.g. wedding, reunion, interview, etc).

Once you begin sessions you can no longer tweeze, wax, epilate, or thread the area being treated.

Six (6) months prior to your treatment you must have been off Accutane. We cannot treat if you have been on Accutane in the last six months.

Two (2) weeks post treatment you may be slightly more light sensitive. During this time period we highly recommend using a Broad Spectrum UVA/UVB SPF of 30 or greater, reapplying at a minimum every two hours when in direct sunlight. Also, avoid strenuous exercise and sweating for 24-72 hours post treatment.

See our laser hair removal aftercare form for additional post care instructions.