If you’re sick of shaving or waxing during summer to bare your legs, bikini line, back or chest, maybe it’s time you invested in a winter of laser treatments to solve the problem once and for all.
Summer in Melbourne is the best time to be hair-free; therefore, we at ENRICH Clinic believe hair removal is best done in winter and by a specialist dermatology clinic.
Why laser hair removal is better in winter
It’s hard not to get even a tiny tan in summer.
It’s easy to get a little bit of colour as you hang out in the summertime in Australia, but this isn’t great for laser treatments. Lasers are best not mixed with tan lines or very tanned skin. Fake tan is also a no-no when undergoing laser treatments of any kind.
Laser hair removal works using the pigment in the hair shaft, so having excess pigment – real or fake – can create an additional risk of burns or pigmentation problems.
You need to avoid swimming in a pool or spa after treatments
Laser hair removal treatmentsextra skin damage
You’re less likely to get too hot post-treatment
Your treatments cause your skin to become hot, so avoiding extra heat afterwards can be part of your aftercare routine. Imagine getting a sunburn, then adding more heat to the skin. We want to prevent the skin from becoming overheated and inflamed after treatments to avoid excess redness and hotness. Being cooler is much easier in winter when the blazing sun can’t get you.
You’re less likely to cancel or delay treatments in winter
It can be difficult to attend your treatments on time throughout summer when there are events and holidays, but treatments on time matters when it comes to laser hair removal. Timing is everything because of the hair growth cycles. These cancellations or delays could increase the cost of laser hair removal.
Each follicle runs on a 4-6-week growth cycle. The hair grows, then falls out, then it all starts again. We treat a collection of follicles at a time, but not all – follicles are not all active at once, or every hair growth cycle, we’d be bald for a while. You can expect between treatments, hair will grow back, but after several treatments, the hair will be thinner and thinner until it doesn’t grow back at all.
Catching these hairs in the critical part of their growth phase every time is key to a treatment that marches ahead of schedule. Missing a treatment means delaying the result for another 4-6 weeks.
You will need 6-10 sessions, so consider what that looks like when spread across the calendar. It can be longer than a year for a treatment plan to be finalised, so starting in winter means the bulk is complete by summer. You’ll still need top-up treatments.
There are pros and cons to laser hair removal treatments, but we love it and think it’s worth exploring!
You can avoid sweating post-treatment
If you get caught out in a hot car, a sunny patio or a humid carpark, sweating can be unavoidable. After your treatments, you want to avoid getting sweaty if possible, so your skin has time to cool down and become less inflamed after treatment. Anything that makes your skin hotter is not on the recommended list.
You’ll need to stop waxing
If you’ve decided to take the plunge and move on from waxing, the transition period might be an issue because you’ll need to stop waxing. You won’t need to stop shaving, but if you’ve been waxing a long time, shaving might seem like a lot of hard work for such a short time.
For the laser hair removal to work, the hair shaft needs to be present in the follicle. Waxing removes the full hair from the follicle, leaving it empty. The laser simply won’t do anything if it has no hair to treat. The hair acts as a conduit for the laser’s thermal energy, which travels down the hair shaft to damage the follicle at the root.
If you plan your laser hair removal in winter, you can hide in your long pants as your hair grows out and skip the shaving altogether.
Your hair will take time to fall out
After your treatment, the hair does not fall out immediately. As the follicle takes stock of its damage and gives up, the hair remains in place, slowly moving out of its follicle.
You are allowed to shave during this time, but the less you have to do, the better. If it just falls out in its own good time while you enjoy the couch and trackies, all the better.
What if I’m going on holiday to a hot place during my treatments?
If you plan a trip away to a hot climate where you expect to get a tan or sunburnt (even by mistake), you’ll need to take a break from your treatments or plan it another time. Keeping the momentum is vital for optimal outcomes, and this means planning.
When you book in for your laser hair removal, you’re booking in for the whole thing, not just one session. We book you ahead of time for the 4-6-week mark at regular intervals when the hair growth cycle is peaking.
Becoming hair-free
If you’re not sure what the next best step for you is, get in touch and come in for a consultation. Our expert laser hair removal specialists will have you hair-free in no time.
ENRICH Clinic
*With all surgeries or procedures, there are risks. Consult your physician (GP) before undertaking any surgical or cosmetic procedure. Please read the consent forms carefully and be informed about every aspect of your treatment. Some surgeries have a mandatory seven-day cooling-off period to give patients adequate time to be sure of their surgery choice. Results may also vary from person to person due to many factors, including the individual’s genetics, diet and exercise. Before and after photos are only relevant to the patient in the photo and do not necessarily reflect the results other patients may experience. Ask questions. Our team of dermatologists, doctors and nurses are here to help you with any of your queries. This page is not advice and is intended to be informational only. We endeavour to keep all our information up to date; however, this site is intended as a guide and not a definitive information portal or in any way constitutes medical advice.
