Doctor-led · CQC-registered · Prepare and recover well

Laser Hair Removal: Preparation and Aftercare

Good preparation and aftercare protect your skin and help you get the most from laser hair removal. This guide covers how to get ready before your sessions at KONCEPT® in Kingston, and how to look after your skin afterwards.

Book a consultation About laser hair removal

CQC-registered clinic
GMC-registered doctors
Patch test 48 hours before
All skin types I to VI

Before your sessions: how to prepare

Your journey starts with a consultation and a patch test. After you book, we email your pre-care instructions and a short pre-treatment questionnaire to complete. At the consultation a doctor reviews this with you, and once approved a test patch is carried out with your consent, with a 48-hour wait before your first full session.

In the two to four weeks before

Stop waxing, plucking, threading and epilating for about 4 weeks before. The laser targets the hair root, so it needs to be in place. Shaving is fine.
Avoid sun, sunbeds and fake tan for about 2 weeks before, and avoid a tan on the treatment area. Tanned skin is treated more cautiously.
Pause strong actives (retinoids and acids) on the area for a few days, and tell us about any medication, including recent acne treatment, that can affect the skin.

On the day

Shave the area about 24 hours before, unless we ask otherwise.
Come with clean skin with no makeup, deodorant, lotion, oil or perfume on the area.
Bring your questionnaire and any questions. Tell us about changes since your last visit.

After your session: aftercare

For the first 24 to 48 hours

Some redness, warmth or small bumps around the follicles are normal and usually settle within hours to a day. To help your skin recover:

Cool the area with a cool compress or aloe vera gel if it feels warm.
Avoid heat: hot showers, baths, sauna, steam rooms, heavy exercise and swimming for 24 to 48 hours.
Protect from the sun and use SPF on exposed treated areas. Avoid sunbeds and fake tan throughout your course.
Keep it simple: no perfumed products, scrubs, exfoliation or active skincare on the area for about 48 hours.

Over the next week or two, treated hairs shed and can look like regrowth. This is normal, do not pluck or wax it. Between sessions, shave only. Space your sessions as advised, usually 4 to 6 weeks for the body and 6 to 8 weeks for the face.

When to contact us

Get in touch if you have blistering, broken skin, a lasting change in skin colour, or signs of infection such as spreading redness, swelling or discharge. Call 020 8129 1011 and we will advise.

Preparation and aftercare by area

The same principles apply across the areas we treat, with a little more sun protection on the face and gentler aftercare on sensitive areas. See the area you are treating:

Frequently asked questions

How do I prepare for laser hair removal?

Shave the area about 24 hours before, and do not wax, pluck or epilate for around 4 weeks beforehand, because the laser needs the hair root in place. Avoid sun, sunbeds and fake tan for about 2 weeks before. Come with clean skin, with no makeup, deodorant, lotion or perfume on the area, and complete the pre-treatment questionnaire we email you. Tell us about any medications, including recent acne treatment, that can affect the skin.

What should I do after a laser session?

Some redness or small bumps around the follicles are normal and usually settle within hours to a day. Cool the area, avoid heat for 24 to 48 hours (hot showers, sauna, steam, swimming and exercise), avoid sun and use SPF on treated areas, and skip perfumed products, scrubs and active skincare on the area for about 48 hours. Shedding over the next 1 to 2 weeks is normal.

Can I shave between laser sessions?

Yes. Shaving is fine and is the only hair removal method to use between sessions. Do not wax, pluck, thread or epilate between sessions, because the laser targets the hair root, which those methods remove.

How long before treatment is the patch test?

A patch test is carried out at least 48 hours before your first session, so any reaction has time to show. The £50 patch-test fee is redeemable against your first treatment, and a fresh patch test is needed if it has been more than about 12 months since your last laser.

Further reading:

Ready to start, or have a question

Book a consultation and patch test, or call us with any questions about preparing for laser hair removal.

Book online Call 020 8129 1011

46 to 48 Wood Street, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 1UW · info@konceptmedicalclinic.com

KONCEPT® Medical Clinic is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for the regulated activities provided at our Kingston upon Thames premises. Our clinicians are on the GMC register. This guide is general information and does not replace the advice given at your consultation. Our public information is written to be factual and verifiable in line with the CAP Code and ASA rules for medical advertising.