One of the mandatory things to avoid immediately after laser hair removal is avoiding anything that irritates your skin as mentioned in what to do after laser hair removal. And one of the things that can irritate the skin is showers, particularly hot showers and saunas.
However, the shower and hygiene routine post-laser hair removal can be a bit confusing. Therefore, are you wondering if can you take a shower after laser hair removal?
Furthermore, do you want to know how soon can you shower after laser hair removal? If yes, stay tuned and find your answers here.
Table of Contents:
- Part 1: Can You Shower After Laser Hair Removal?
- Part 2: How Soon Can You Shower After Laser Hair Removal?
- Part 3: Can You Take a Hot Shower After Laser Hair Removal?
- Part 4: Managing Discomfort and Sensitivity
- Part 5: Long-Term Aftercare of Laser Hair Removal
Part 1: Can You Shower After Laser Hair Removal?
Theoretically speaking, yes, you can shower after laser hair removal as the laser leaves the skin intact. However, practically, showering immediately after the procedure is not recommended. This is because the hair follicles are swollen after the treatment, and the skin is inflamed, sensitive, and irritable as well.
Furthermore, the broken hair strands shed off and there are some dead skin cells stuck to the living cells as well. Under these circumstances, water flowing on your skin can make you feel discomfort. Using soaps, loofahs, and scrubs can irritate the skin.
Additionally, the effectiveness of the laser hair removal session is reduced if you do not give the skin enough time to heal. The response of your skin to the treatment also plays an important role in determining if you can shower after laser hair removal.
People with healthy and normal skin, need only a few hours of downtime while people with sensitive skin require a longer time.
Part 2: How Soon Can You Shower After Laser Hair Removal?
You can shower 6 to 8 hours after your laser hair removal session. However, the ideal recommendation is to wait for at least 24 hours before taking your first shower. During this time, moisturize your skin and use cold compresses to calm the treatment area.
Your shower can be 15 to 30 minutes long. Do not go beyond it as too much water interferes with the results of the treatment and dries the skin out. Furthermore, use cold water for your first shower and slowly increase the temperature of the water in the subsequent baths.
Also, be as gentle as possible, use mild body wash, avoid mitts or any cleansing fabric, and apply a moisturizer immediately after the bath.
Part 3: Can You Take a Hot Shower After Laser Hair Removal?
No, you cannot take a hot shower immediately after a laser hair removal session. Neither can you take steam, go to saunas, swim, exercise, or do any activity that will make your body hot and your skin sweat. Even if you take a bath within 10 hours after the treatment, do not take a hot shower for at least 2 days.
The skin and hair follicles after laser hair removal are inflamed, rinsing the body with hot water will add to the inflammation by raising the temperature. It adds to the redness and irritation of the skin after laser and can give rise to laser burns, blisters, and delayed healing.
Part 4: Managing Discomfort and Sensitivity
A shower after laser hair removal can feel uncomfortable on the skin. Here are some tips to enjoy bathing without skin irritation.
Take Cold Showers:
Cold showers feel soothing on the skin while hot showers irritate it. So, always go for cold showers to avoid discomfort, redness, and skin irritation.
Use Gentle Cleansers:
Ditch your regular body soap or face wash for a few days and embrace gentle cleansers designed for sensitive skin types. Also, be gentle while using mild body washes. Do not rub or treat your body rashly.
Avoid Loffah, Mitts, and Scrubs:
Only use a cleanser to take a shower. Do not use any physical scrub, loofah, mitts, or towel during or after shower.
Limit the Time of the Shower:
Do not stay in the bathtub or under the shower for hours. Rather limit this time to 30 minutes maximum and reduce it if you feel irritation.
Use Post-Shower Skincare:
Although you should avoid your regular multi-step skincare products, do not give up on moisturizer and sunscreen. After the shower, use your moisturizer or aloe vera gel to hydrate the skin, and apply sunscreen if you are going out.
Part 5: Long-Term Aftercare of Laser Hair Removal
The aftercare of laser does not end with avoiding hot baths and there is a long way to go. Thus, here are some long-term aftercare tips for laser hair removal.
- Gentle Cleansers: Use gentle body and face washes to cleanse your body after laser hair removal.
- Regular Moisturisation: Use hydrating and lightweight moisturizers as recommended in Best Moisturizers after at-home laser hair removal.
- Sunscreen and Avoiding Sun Exposure: Always protect your skin from sun after laser treatment with the tips mentioned in tips to skin safe in the sun.
- No Harsh Products: These include AHAs, BHAs, retinol, self-tanners, and any harsh product you might have.
- Scrub the Skin after a Week: As hair is shed off after laser, you can use a scrub about one week after the treatment to remove the stuck hair.
- No Skin Pricking or Itching: Laser hair removal can make your skin itch. But never give in to the urge and itch or prick your skin.
- No Hair Plucking: Throughout your treatment, always shave the unwanted hair off rather than plucking it. Also, shave any stray hair you might come across after the completion of your full treatment sessions.
- Follow Your Doctor’s Instruction: Lastly, your doctor may recommend skincare according to your skin type.
Conclusion
Laser hair removal involves the destruction of the hair follicles with heat as the light reaches the follicles. It makes skin sensitive. Therefore it is recommended to avoid showers for at least 6 to 8 hours after the sessions and hot showers for at least 48 hours.
Furthermore, you should follow the post-treatment care tips to prevent and reduce the side effects of laser, boost recovery, and achieve the best results.
