How to Care for Your Skin After Hair Removal

The skin is the largest human organ, and 95% of its surface is covered with hair. This equates to over 5 million hair follicles, each of which can grow approximately 20 hairs per follicle during a human lifespan. While most of these hairs are vellus hairs (i.e. fine, short hairs that help regulate body temperature and protect the skin), some areas of the body are covered by terminal hairs (i.e. coarse, thick hairs) that are targeted for removal for various reasons including personal preference, social norms, and personal hygiene purposes to name a few.

Why Do Some Opt For Hair Removal?

While the reasons for practicing hair removal is largely a personal choice, some associated benefits to this practice include:

Improved Hygiene

The removal of unwanted hair can help to prevent body odour, as sweat and bacteria may be trapped in body hair over prolonged periods.

Increased Confidence

Removing unwanted body hair can help boost confidence in a person’s overall appearance, as it may be a source of embarrassment for some people.

Improved Comfort

The removal of body hair can help one to stay cooler and more comfortable, as the hair could be a source of discomfort when engaging in physical activity or in humid environments.

Practicality

Removing unwanted hair produces aerodynamic benefits, such as reducing drag and elemental resistance when engaging in sports. It also aids in speeding up emergency treatment and wound recovery periods for those with a highly active lifestyle.

Better Skin Health

Removing unwanted body hair reduces the risk of skin infections, and improves the efficacy of skincare products.

Types Of Hair Removal Treatments

From shaving to laser treatments, the multitude of hair removal options available can be confusing for some, making it difficult to find the best approach for each individual. Some common methods include shaving, waxing, and laser such as Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) or Super Hair Removal (SHR) treatments. In most cases, the efficacy of some methods can depend on various factors such as skin tone, location of unwanted hair and the desired length of the resulting hair-free period.

The quickest way to remove hair is by shaving, but this method typically leads to razor burns and skin irritation, and is most likely to cause ingrown hairs. Since the hairs are not removed by the root, hair regrowth is very quick, typically within 1-2 days, resulting in the constant need for frequent shaving.

Waxing leads to slower regrowth (typically within 4-6 weeks) as the hairs are removed by the root, however a brief sting is experienced during the process and in some cases, slight skin irritation may be observed. Given the hair is removed from the root, the probability of ingrown hairs is significantly lower compared to shaving.

Laser treatments provide the longest-lasting hair removal results through the use of light energy to target the hair follicles, ensuring slower regrowth over multiple treatment sessions.

Regardless of one’s chosen method of hair removal, its impact on the skin should not be neglected. As such, appropriate after care measures should be taken into consideration to soothe the skin and aid in its recovery.

After Hair Removal Care

Keep The Area Clean

As with any type of skin irritations, rinsing the skin with cool water and keeping the area clean will prevent infections and other complications after hair removal.

Treat Folliculitis

An aftercare kit for post-laser hair removal sessions should include products that work on preventing folliculitis and blackheads, while soothing skin irritation or inflammations caused by the heat produced during laser treatment procedures.

Calm And Soothe The Skin

An essential step to keeping the skin smooth and healthy after hair removal, is to invest in proper skincare that helps prevent potential infections, and soothes any lingering irritations to the skin that may be caused by the chosen hair removal method. Alternatively, applying aloe vera or any type of gel that contains soothing, cooling ingredients will also help to alleviate discomfort.

Be sure to avoid high temperatures, such as saunas and hot showers or baths for a few days after hair removal to reduce any signs of redness or swelling.

Prevent Ingrown Hairs

Applying creams with an ingrown hair-reducing, or exfoliation effect to remove dead skin cells and prevent hair follicles from clogging will help defend your skin. Creams, such as Outgrown, that also consist of anti-inflammatory properties will calm down any inflammation and itch, often a signal of ingrown hairs, whilst the antioxidants help repair cell damage caused by any inflammation to help provide more comfort. Likewise, exfoliating a few days after waxing can also help prevent a build-up of dead skin cells that can cause the growth of ingrown hairs.

Moisturise And Repair The Skin Barrier

A rich barrier defence cream filled with ceramides and peptides should be used regularly to help rebuild the skin’s natural barrier, and stave off the risk of infections post hair removal. Using a rich cream that boosts the skin’s natural collagen producing abilities will also help to lock in moisture and keep the skin cool and hydrated post hair removal for a speedier recovery. This is especially helpful after waxing, tweezing or threading. Additionally, avoid using harsh products and cosmetics to refrain from further agitating the targeted area.

Ensure Adequate Sun Protection

In most cases, people are encouraged to avoid sunbathing and tanning, as well as tight clothing to avoid aggravating the skin, especially after laser hair removal treatments as the skin is now more sensitive to the sun. Be sure to put on a layer of sunscreen before leaving sheltered areas.

Refrain From Additional Hair Removal In The Area

Between sessions, avoid waxing, plucking or shaving new hairs in the treated area to prevent damaging the hair follicles and causing inflammation. Additional hair removal can also reduce the efficacy of ongoing treatments.

Overall, an effective treatment plan relies not only on the hair removal procedure itself, but also on the support of a suitable after care regimen to ensure the skin is nurtured and primed for subsequent treatments.

Aftercare Sets

Specially Curated For Post-Treatments Care To Address Your Skin Concerns And Ensure Healthy Skin