FAQs

What preparation do I need to do before my laser hair removal appointment?

Please shave all areas being treated the day prior to, or morning of treatment. Any hair that is above the surface of the skin will absorb light that is intended for the hair follicle.

We also ask that you please remove any deodorant, lotion, make up etc before your appointment.

If I've been out in the sun, use a tanning bed, or use sunless tanning products; can I be treated with a laser?

Because the target of our Candela Medical Laser is melanin, we advise that patients avoid ANY sun exposure, tanning beds, and sunless tanning products for at least 2 weeks prior to treatment and 2 days after.

Can you perform laser treatments and a chemical peel the same day?

We highly recommend you do the individual treatments on different days. We recommend at least 2 weeks between laser therapy & chemical peels.

Can you perform laser treatments and microdermabrasion on the same day?

We highly recommend that each treatment be treated separately and on different days. We recommend at least 2 weeks between laser therapy & microdermabrasion.

Does shaving activate an anagen cycle?

Shaving does not activate an anagen cycle. The mechanical action of shaving is to remove the hair above the skins surface. It has no effect on the hair follicle or surrounding structures.

Should I pre-treat an area prior to laser treatments for pigmented lesions?

It is not absolutely necessary, however if there is any concern regarding the surrounding skin response a hydro-quinone (bleaching cream) can be used. Please let your clinician know if you have used any medicated lotions.

Why is there a need for multiple treatments?

The number of treatments may vary as we are all individuals. For hair, there are several cycles of hair growth and a certain number of hairs may only be growing at a particular time. For vessels, they may need to be shrunk/flushed over a number of treatments.

Can patients exercise before or after treatment of leg veins?

Please avoid exercise the day of treatment and for 5 days after the treatment of leg veins. Also avoid excessively hot baths and showers, steam rooms or saunas, alcohol, and any medications that may thin the blood after laser therapy.

Photosensitivity and Topical Meds: how long should medications and topicals be avoided prior to and after laser treatments?

It depends on the medication and the topical being used by the patient. Patients should be off of Accutane for at least 6 months prior to laser treatments. Other medications should be examined and a test spot be performed if there is any concern of an adverse reaction. Retinoids should also be ceased 3-5 days prior to laser treatment as they can create excessive redness.

We recommend you review a list of photosensitising drugs and discuss with your doctor or skin specialist before treatment.

What should be applied to the skin post treatment?

There are many different things that can be applied to the skin after a laser treatment. Most common are aloe vera, cold compresses, and most importantly a 30+ spf sun block.

How long should a patient wait before applying make up, deodorant, etc?

We recommend you leave the skin for 2-3 hours before applying anything to allow the skin to cool.

What happens to the skin after treatment?

Common endpoints are erythema or redness, and edema or swelling.

Is it normal to have welts after treatment?

It is quite common to experience welts. This is usually a good sign of an inflammatory response that can indicate the laser hair removal treatments is working. If you experience welts, we recommend a cold compresses and/or an over the counter anti-inflammatory drug per standard of care if necessary.

Is there any downtime after being treated with lasers?

Erythema (redness) and slight edema (swelling) are very normal after having a laser treatment and usually resolve after a day or two. However, patients receiving treatment for benign pigmented lesions and ‘laser peels’ may experience micro crusting or even sloughing of the skin for a week to ten days.

Why are my lower legs to itching and red after my laser hair treatment?

It is common for this to happen when legs haven’t been shaved the day prior. We recommend you shave your legs the day prior to having laser hair treatment to alleviate any irritation to the lower legs. Shaving the day of treatment will likely increase the likelihood of itching, swelling and red welts.

If you do experience this, you can apply cool compresses and take an antihistamine to resolve the issues.

How long does it take for a hair to shed once it has been treated?

Hair can take up to two weeks to shed after treatment of the GentleMax Pro.

Why is my hair is growing thicker for a few weeks after the treatment?

Some people may experience a phenomenon where all present hair follicles will become ‘in phase’ and grow at the same time. This should reduce throughout your treatment plan.

When should a patient be retreated for hair reduction? Pigment? Vascular?

Hair reduction

Re-treatment will be dependant on the area being treated. The face, axilla, and bikini areas are treated every 4-6 weeks; Trunk (chest/back) every 8-10 weeks; and extremities 10-12 weeks.

Benign Pigmented Lesions

Re-treatment is recommended at 4 week intervals.

Vascular Treatments

Re-treatment is dependant on the area being treated. The face and upper body is typically every 4-6 weeks and for lower extremities or leg veins, every 10-12 weeks.

How much hair will remain after completing a series of treatment? In other words, is there a guarantee?

Unfortunately there are no guarantees in laser hair removal. There are clinical studies showing improvement of up to 80-90% but that every patient will respond with different amounts of efficiency. Results will vary from patient to patient.

What's the difference between IPL and newer laser hair removal?

Laser hair removal, IPL or otherwise, works by converting light energy into heat energy that damages the hair follicle by targeting the melanin in that hair follicle.

The difference between newer technology and IPL is in the wavelength and the IPL results. IPL laser hair removal uses an array of different light wavelengths. Only some of these wavelengths will be ideal for hair removal, but some will not be ideal. So while IPL laser may be cheaper per session, the IPL results are not as effective due to a percentage of your treatment being ineffective, leading to more treatments in the long term.

Unlike the IPL, laser technology uses a single, precise wavelength, to target the melanin the hair follicle exactly, so there is no 'hit and miss'. This exact wavelength leads to a more effective treatment than IPL hair removal and therefore fewer treatments in the long term.

How deep does the laser penetrate into the skin?

The depth of penetration will be dependant on the laser's wavelength. The longer the wavelength, the deeper the penetration into the skin. Your clinician will work with you to create a bespoke treatment plan to determine the correct depth for your treatment.

How close to the eye can be treated?

We avoid treating anywhere inside the orbital rim. See a full list of our treatment areas on our pricing page.

What are the potential side effects from laser treatments?

While adverse side effects are quite rare, the possibilities are erythema, edema, bruising, welting, hyper or hypo-pigmentation and blisters.

Why are some lasers approved for some indications and other lasers approved for others?

Because each laser has their own specific wavelength, they each are attracted to different chromophores or targets.

Learn more about our technology here.

What exactly is happening during the treatment?

Hair

The laser light is attracted to the melanin in the hair follicle; particularly in the bulb and bulge. Heat is collected there damaging the cells lining the hair follicle with the potential to also damage the vascular matrix preventing future hair from growing.

Leg Veins/Facial Telangiectasias

Depending on the modality in use the vessel will either be ruptured, coagulated, or luminal stenosis.

What is the interval between laser treatments?

Typically most treatments are 4-6 weeks apart. However, this depends on what is being treated and where on the body the treatment is being performed. Treatments on the torso are typically 8-10 week intervals and extremities are typically 10-12 weeks.

Can patients that are pregnant be treated with lasers?

ANSI Standards do not address this concern and there are no known studies about the risks therefore we recommend you defer laser treatments during pregnancy; particularly laser treatments in the abdominal and pelvic areas.

There are many factors such as hormone changes, vascular proliferation, fluid retention and excessive hair growth that could also effect the effectiveness of your treatment.

We recommend consultation with and approval by the physician or healthcare practitioner managing the pregnancy if you wish to proceed.