Autumn is the best time to start laser hair removal. Less sun means safer treatments, and if you start now, you will fit in several sessions before summer. At our clinic in Osielsko we work with an 808 nm diode laser, and with laser hair removal the calendar really matters. Here is why October and November are the perfect time to begin.
The laser works on hair that is actively growing at the time of treatment. Light energy is absorbed by the pigment in the hair and transferred to the follicle, which becomes damaged. Hair in the resting phase is invisible to the laser, so we need a series of treatments at the right intervals to catch the next hairs as they enter the growth phase. A series usually consists of 3 to 6 treatments.
The intervals depend on the area, because hair grows at a different pace in each part of the body. On the face we repeat treatments every 4 to 5 weeks, underarms and bikini every 2 months, and legs every 3 months. Starting in October, we can fit in three leg treatments before summer and several on the underarms, bikini area or face. If you start in May, you will only be at the beginning of the journey when holiday season arrives.
The second reason is the sun. A diode laser targets pigment, and tanned skin contains more of it, so it absorbs part of the energy meant for the hair. This increases the risk of irritation, burns and pigmentation, and it also forces more cautious settings that work less effectively. In autumn and winter there is little sun, so the skin returns to its natural colour and the treatment can be both safe and effective.
This matters most on the face, especially for upper lip hair removal. The skin of the upper lip is very sensitive and prone to pigmentation, which is then difficult to remove. That is why I prefer to treat this area precisely in the months when the sun is not an issue.
If your skin is still tanned after the holidays, the treatment needs to wait. In the meantime it is worth using peels that help exfoliate the darkened outer layer, so the skin returns to its natural colour more quickly. Do not use self-tanner before your treatment either. We decide whether the skin is ready during the visit, by assessing its colour on the spot.
It is worth preparing for your first visit. For 4 to 5 weeks before the treatment, do not remove hair with wax, an epilator or tweezers, because the laser needs the hair with its root in the follicle. A few days before the visit, put the razor aside as well, because I shave the skin myself at the clinic and at the same time assess the colour and thickness of the hair. This allows me to choose settings for you, not for a chart.
After the treatment, skin exposed to light is protected with SPF 50 cream, even in autumn. In winter this is especially easy, because legs, underarms and the bikini area are covered by clothing anyway, and any redness after the treatment goes unnoticed.
If you have been promising yourself for years that this is the year you will finally start, this is the moment. I invite you for your first visit at our clinic at ul. Botaniczna 5 in Osielsko. Bydgoszcz is only about fifteen minutes away by car, so getting here is easy.
Can I start laser hair removal in winter? Yes, winter is just as good a time as autumn. The earlier you start, the more treatments you will fit in before summer.
Can I have a treatment if I am still tanned? Not straight away. You need to wait until your skin returns closer to its natural colour, and peels can speed up this process.
How many treatments are needed? Usually 3 to 6, depending on the area and on the colour and thickness of the hair.
Katarzyna Gwizdal, MSc, cosmetologist, Skin Laser