How To Prepare Your Skin for Laser Hair Removal

We love these products, and we hope you do too. E! has affiliate relationships, so we may get a small share of the revenue from your purchases. Items are sold by the retailer, not E!. Prices are accurate as of publish time.

If you are tired of plucking, shaving, and waxing the unwanted hair on your body, it may be time to turn to laser hair removal. Yes, it can be expensive and it's far from a comfortable experience, but the possibility of permanent hair reduction is worth It. Aside from mental preparing for the not-so-fun sensation of a laser zapping your skin, you can get your body ready to maximize the results from your appointments. There's no need to be intimidated because of lot of the preparation actually involves things you should not be doing instead of adding to your to-do list.

Let's be honest: laser hair removal can be expensive. Don't let your time and money go to waste. Prepare your skin to maximize your comfort and results with these tips based on my personal experiences.

Stop Waxing and Tweezing

Unfortunately, you have to choose between laser hair removal and waxing. The follicle needs to be intact for laser hair removal to work effectively. You should also avoid tweezing and hair removal creams. Thankfully, that does not mean you're stuck with hair in between laser appointments since you are allowed to shave the area.

Shave

You are not supposed to shave before waxing, but shaving at the right time is important for a successful laser hair removal session. Ideally, you should shave 24-48 hours before laser hair removal. The laser targets the root of the hair, so you don't want some hair to be present.

This is a great razor. You can buy this start kit, keep the handle, and just buy the refills when you need. It has 11,200+ 5-star Amazon reviews.

Avoid Sun Exposure and Faux Tanning

You should only do laser hair removal on your natural skin tone. You cannot get laser hair removal if you just experienced sun exposure or if you have a fake tan lingering. Laser hair removal works best when there is a contrast between the hair color and skin tone. A tan reduces that contrast.

When you get in the shower, enjoy the warm water for about five minutes. Do not put any soap on your body yet. You want to create friction, which is tough with smooth, oily body washes and soaps. After about five minutes use that exfoliating mitt all over your body. You will see a lot of dead, bronzed skin coming off. It's a gross yet, satisfying feeling. If you love the sensation of pulling off a pore strip, you'll enjoy using this exfoliating mitt, for sure.

This exfoliating mitt has 24,600+ 5-star Amazon reviews.

If you need additional help with faux tan removal, this is a great product. I leave it on for 20 minutes. I have played around with using this for different lengths of time, and through many self-administered experiments, this has been the most successful for me.

E! Shopping Editor Insights: You can apply it with your hands, which is fine since you want to get the tanner off your hands anyway. Or you can use a mitt or another applicator. This product has 1,400+ 5-star Amazon reviews.

Exfoliate

Exfoliation is important to slough off dead skin. Don't overdo it though. You should exfoliate 24-48 hours before your appointment. You don't want to give your skin any additional irritation or sensitivity on the day you laser. However, it is smart to exfoliate the area 2-3 days beforehand. 

This scrub has salicylic acid and it's formulated with the intent to prevent ingrown hairs, razor burns, and clogged pores, per the brand. It has 1,500+ 5-star Amazon reviews.

Get Rid of the Ingrown Hairs and Bumps

Prevent ingrown hairs and bumps with this solution that's great to use pre-wax and post-wax. Waxing irritated, ingrown skin is a disaster. Taking care of your skin in between waxes is a definite must. This solution is a miracle worker, in my personal experience. 

This ingrown hair solution has 38,100+ 5-star Amazon reviews