It’s time to say goodbye to razors, tweezing and waxing with laser hair removal. Why pay monthly (or in some cases bi-weekly) for hair removal services like waxing and sugaring when you can undergo laser hair treatment to keep the hair away for good.

At Baywood Clinic, we have over 15 years of experience performing laser hair treatments on all skin types. Of course, we also provide a wide assortment of other services.

Not only have we removed hundreds of tattoos in our laser clinic, but we also offer cosmetic treatments like skin fillers and Botox. We’ve been treating patients since 2001 and are committed to helping our clients restore their confidence.

We proudly provide vein, cosmetic and laser treatments that are long-lasting and performed by professionals. With over a decade of experience performing laser hair removal treatments, we consider ourselves experts in the procedure.

That said, there is a lot you may not know about the process — which is why it’s important to educate yourself before you go ahead with your procedure.

Here is everything you need to know about laser hair removal from how to prepare for your treatment, what to expect during, and precautions to take afterwards:

Before Laser Hair Removal:

When you opt for our laser hair removal services, there are some things that you’ll need to know before you go in for your first session:

 Shave

It’s important to shave the day before your appointment so that the laser can do its job properly! Since the laser cannot penetrate hair, it can actually burn your body hair. Save yourself the time and shave beforehand.

Don’t Wax

While it’s suggested that you shave before your session, it’s asked that you don’t tweeze or wax before the procedure because it impacts the pigment of the hair follicle. Typically, you should refrain from waxing for a good month before your session.

Go Makeup-Free

When you wear makeup like foundation or concealer during laser hair removal treatment, it can cause pigment changes. You’re better off going to your session bare faced — you won’t regret it.

Stay Out of the Sun

The sun will tan your skin, which impacts your pigment — this makes laser hair removal less effective. The laser is supposed to identify the pigment in your hair follicles so that it can target that pigment. If the pigment changes, the laser has a harder time doing its job.

Additionally, according to Shape, having a tan can actually increase your risk of burns — the laser can get confused when identifying your hair versus your skin.

During Laser Hair Removal:

The most important thing about laser hair removal is understanding the process and exactly what you can expect from the treatment.

The Protection: The doctor performing your laser hair removal procedure will be wearing eye protection during the treatment, and so will you. This is because the lasers used are powerful and can significantly damage your eyes.

The Process: The laser’s light is emitted through the pigment in your hair. This light is then converted to heat, in turn damaging the hair bulb and follicle to prevent further growth. We use a long-pulse alexandrite laser that emits a cooling spray minutes before the laser is activated to reduce the discomfort of the laser.

The Cooling Device: Our laser has a dynamic cooling device (DCD) which is what releases the cryogenic cooling spray onto your skin milliseconds before the laser comes into contact with your body.

The Pain: In reality, there isn’t much discomfort that comes with laser hair removal. It’s no more uncomfortable than waxing — it just lasts longer!

The Time: The length of your laser treatment session is dependent on what area you are removing hair from. That said, laser hair removal sessions can vary anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour.

After Laser Hair Removal:

Although the laser hair removal process is quick and doesn’t call for any recovery, there are some things to be aware of after your treatment:

No Plucking or Waxing

Be sure that you don’t wax either before or after your procedure. Waxing and plucking between sessions will derail your process — but don’t worry. After a few sessions, you’ll barely need to wax or shave your hair at all!

Side Effects

The side effects of laser hair removal are rare and minimal. The most common side effect is subtle skin irritation like redness and swelling, which typically goes down after 48 hours or so.

There is also a very slight chance of hyperpigmentation with laser hair removal, but creams can rectify any small light or dark spots.

Exercise

According to Cosmopolitan, the heat from the laser takes a day to leave your skin. You will want to avoid the gym for a few days after your treatment — that is, unless you want the added heat from exerting yourself to cause bacteria and give you spots.

Avoid Heat

To be honest, you’re going to want to avoid heat all together after laser hair removal — that means no saunas or hot showers. Again, this heat and moisture can cause bacteria to form and give you spots.

This also means you shouldn’t go back into the sun too soon after your treatment. The heat will inflame the area, which definitely won’t be fun for you.

Sunscreen

Naturally, if you are to avoid the heat, you are also going to want to protect your skin from UV rays. The best way to do that? SPF, and a lot of it.

Goodbye Ingrown Hair

In addition to removing unwanted hair, laser hair removal can help you to remove stubborn ingrown hairs that have irritated you for years. Laser hair removal is able to achieve this because the treatment helps your hair to grow out straight, instead of inwards.

Laser Hair Removal at Baywood Clinic:

At Baywood Clinic, we’ve been offering laser hair removal services in Toronto since 2001. When you choose us for laser hair removal services, you can trust that we only use state-of-the-art lasers that are operated by board-certified physicians.

Our clinic even boasts a Certified Laser Safety Officer who ensures that our facilities and lasers are in compliance with standards set by the Department of Consumer Affairs. We operate our treatments with the comfort and safety of our patients in mind.

Get in touch today to book a complimentary consultation. We’re happy to answer any and all of your laser hair removal questions.