Skin is often sensitive after laser hair removal, and tightening it can lead to more irritation and redness. Instead of squeezing, it's best to let the hair follicles shed naturally over time. This can take 10 to 14 days. You should not pull out loose hair after laser hair removal.
Laser hair removal focuses on the hair follicle to permanently remove hair from the body. For satisfactory results, the follicle must be present so that the laser can direct it. Laser hair removal works by directing specific beams of light on hair follicles. This light energy is absorbed by the melanin (pigment) in the follicle, which is then heated.
This heat travels through the hair follicle and is radiated to damage the hair bulb, the bulge, and the vascular supply. With repeated treatments, hair follicles will progressively weaken and hair growth will be thinner and sparser. Over time, hair is damaged to the point where it stops growing. It's best to leave them alone until they fall out; as you undergo a laser hair removal procedure, thick, dark hairs will grow finer and be easier to remove. The laser can only destroy hair during the anagen phase, but only about 15% of the hair would be at this stage during a laser session.
So why doesn't hair fall out after a laser hair removal procedure? In one session, a laser device may only be able to treat around 15% of the hair that falls out on its own later, around 5 days or more after the procedure. The goal of laser hair removal is to damage the structures that produce hair to the point that the hair stops growing. Some patients may be concerned that all of the hair in the treatment area did not come off after the laser session. Patients may think it's hair growth, but it's actually the body that pushes the hair to the surface and pulls it out of the skin to remove it. Gently polish the treatment area in circular motions with a vegetable sponge or soft cotton towel to remove dead hair. While you shouldn't pull your hair out hard, you can scrub or shave your hair shorter to speed up the shedding process.
With the Soprano Ice Platinum system and the Soprano Titanium, some of the hairs may fall out 2 to 4 weeks after treatment, so shaving will help exfoliate these hairs. However, other methods of hair removal, such as threading, waxing, or tweezers, may affect treatment and are not recommended while treatment is ongoing. It shows signs of success in laser hair removal, since once the hairs are shed naturally, the follicle is dead, meaning that the hairs will not grow back. If you've decided to invest your time and money in a laser hair removal course, you'll want it to be as effective as possible. Many patients expect to see their hairs fall out almost immediately after a laser hair removal session. However, this isn't always possible due to how long it takes for the hairs to shed naturally.
