Your first laser hair reduction appointment, step by step
What happens at your first laser hair reduction visit, from the consultation and patch test to shaving, the session itself and aftercare at home.
Booking your first laser hair reduction appointment can feel like a bigger step than a wax or a facial. You may be wondering what the room looks like, how much skin you will need to show, whether it hurts and what happens if your skin reacts.
This guide walks through each stage, so you know what to expect from the moment you book to the weeks after your session.
Step 1: Booking and the questions we ask
When you request an appointment, we ask which area you would like treated. Before your first session we also ask about your health, any medicines and supplements, your skincare and your recent sun exposure. These details change how skin reacts to light, so they are part of keeping you safe, not paperwork for its own sake.
Please tell us if you:
- are pregnant, trying to conceive or breastfeeding
- take any medicine, including short courses
- use vitamin A creams, exfoliating acids or other strong skincare
- have had a tan, sunburn or fake tan in the last month
- get cold sores, if you are treating the upper lip or face
- have a skin condition, tattoo or mole in the area
If you are unsure whether something matters, mention it anyway.
Step 2: The consultation
At your first visit, your therapist will look at your skin and hair in good light. She will work out your Fitzpatrick skin type, which describes how your skin reacts to sun on a scale from 1 to 6. She will also look at your hair colour and thickness, because laser targets the pigment in the hair.
This is your time to ask questions. A good consultation should cover:
- whether your hair is likely to respond well
- roughly how many sessions you might need
- how far apart sessions should be
- what to avoid before and after
- what side effects are possible
Dark, coarse hair usually responds best. Fair, red, grey and very fine hair has little pigment and responds poorly. Results vary from person to person, and laser is hair reduction, not permanent removal.
Step 3: The patch test
Every client has a patch test before a first laser treatment. We treat a small area of the skin you want treated, then wait before the full session so any reaction has time to show. The test lets us confirm your skin tolerates the settings we plan to use.
For olive and deeper skin, and for anyone with a history of pigment changes, the patch test is especially important. It is a small step that protects you from a much bigger problem.
Step 4: Preparing for your session
The right preparation makes treatment safer and more effective.
Two to four weeks before
- Avoid tanning and strong sun on the area.
- Stop fake tan.
- Do not wax, pluck, thread or use hair removal cream. The laser needs the hair root in place to work.
The day before
- Shave the area closely. This lets the light travel down to the root without burning hair sitting on the surface.
- Avoid exfoliating the area.
On the day
- Come with clean skin. No deodorant on underarms, no makeup on the face, no body lotion on legs.
- Wear loose, comfortable clothing over the area.
- If you have long hair and are having the face or neck treated, bring a hair tie.
Step 5: The session
Your treatment takes place in a private room with the door closed, with a female therapist. You only undress the area being treated and stay covered with a towel throughout. For a Brazilian, disposable underwear is provided.
You and your therapist both wear protective eyewear. The therapist cleans the skin, checks the area has been shaved, and may mark it into sections so nothing is missed. Then she treats the skin in small passes, with cooling before, during and after.
Most people describe the feeling as a quick snap or warm flick, like a rubber band. The upper lip and bikini line usually feel sharper than the legs. Tell your therapist if anything feels too strong and settings can be reviewed.
How long it takes depends on the area. An upper lip or underarms takes only a few minutes. Full legs or a full body take longer.
Step 6: Straight after
Mild redness and small raised bumps around each follicle are common for a few hours. They are a normal sign of the heat reaching the hair root. Your therapist may apply a soothing gel and remind you about sun protection before you leave.
Step 7: Aftercare at home
For the next day or two:
- Avoid heat: hot showers, saunas, steam rooms and hard exercise.
- Skip deodorant on underarms for 24 hours if the skin feels tender.
- Do not exfoliate or use strong actives on the area.
- Use SPF 50+ daily on any treated skin that sees the sun.
- Do not pick or scratch.
Over the next one to three weeks, treated hairs will shed. It can look like regrowth at first. Gently exfoliating after the first few days, once the skin has settled, can help them fall away. Do not pluck them.
Contact us straight away if you notice blistering, crusting, spreading redness or dark patches.
Step 8: Planning the course
Hair grows in cycles, and laser only affects hairs in the active growth phase. That is why you need a course of sessions. Most people need around six to eight. Face sessions are usually spaced four to six weeks apart, and body areas six to eight weeks apart. We will set a schedule for you at your first visit.
When to see your GP
If you have new, sudden or heavy hair growth, or you have a rash, spot or mole in the treatment area that has not been checked, see your GP first.
Ready for your first visit?
A first appointment is mostly about getting to know your skin. Read more about laser hair reduction, or look at risks and recovery before you book an underarm session. A consultation and patch test come first, and results vary from person to person.
