The 48 hours after your first laser session.
The first two days decide how comfortable the rest of the week feels. The protocol is short: cool the skin, avoid heat for 24 hours, hydrate, and let the treated follicles shed naturally. Most clients have mild redness for a few hours and nothing else. The list of what to avoid matters more than the list of what to do.
Cool the area, then leave it alone.
The skin will feel warm — a sunburn-like sensation that fades within 30 minutes to a couple of hours. Apply a cool compress for 10 to 15 minutes if it helps. Aloe vera gel kept in the fridge is ideal. No ice directly on the skin and no harsh cooling products.
If we've treated your face, leave makeup off for the rest of the day. The skin barrier is briefly more reactive; it'll settle by tomorrow.
No heat, no friction.
Avoid hot showers, baths, sauna, steam room, the gym, hot yoga, anything that makes you sweat heavily. Lukewarm rinse only — let the water run off, don't scrub. Pat dry, don't rub. Sleep on clean cotton bedding; freshly washed pillowcases for facial treatments.
No tight gym leggings or wool over treated bikini or leg areas. Loose cotton clothes for the first day. If you've had underarms done, leave the deodorant off for 24 hours.
Hydrate, shade, no actives.
Moisturise gently — anything you'd use on healing skin (Cetaphil, La Roche-Posay Cicaplast, Avène Cicalfate). SPF 50 on any treated area that sees daylight, every day. The treated follicles are temporarily more pigment-sensitive; one sunny lunch break without SPF can cause post-inflammatory pigmentation on darker skin tones.
No exfoliation, no retinol, no glycolic, no salicylic, no vitamin C serum on the treated area until day 7. These aren't dangerous — they just sting more than usual and slow the surface settling.
Back to normal — except waxing.
Resume your full skincare routine. Shaving between sessions is fine and is the only hair-removal method permitted during a laser course. Don't wax, pluck, thread, or use depilatory creams — those remove the follicle, which is what the next laser session needs to target.
Around days 7 to 21, you may notice treated hairs being pushed out — what looks like razor stubble. This is shedding, not regrowth. Let it happen; don't pick or scrub.
The short list.
Stick this on the fridge for the first week.
Do
- Cool the area with aloe or a damp compress if needed
- Drink water and keep the skin moisturised
- Wear SPF 50 every day on exposed treated areas
- Sleep on clean cotton bedding for facial treatments
- Shave between sessions when regrowth shows
- Call us if anything feels wrong (see below)
Don't
- Hot shower, bath, sauna, steam, or heavy sweat for 24 hours
- Sun, sunbed, or self-tan on treated skin for 2 weeks
- Wax, pluck, thread, or epilate for the full course duration
- Apply retinol, acids, or vitamin C on treated skin for 7 days
- Pick, scrub, or exfoliate the shedding hairs
- Skip the next session because of light redness — that's normal
Call us if you notice any of these.
Most reactions settle on their own. A small number need a quick look. Call rather than wait if you see:
- Redness lasting more than 48 hours, or worsening on day 2 or 3
- Raised welts, blistering, or skin that feels wet rather than warm
- White patches in the treated area within the first week
- A bruise-like darker patch appearing on darker skin tones in the days after
- A burn that feels different from a sunburn — sharp, persistent, localised
None of these are common, but all of them are easier to manage on day 2 than day 7. Photograph the area in good light and call us — 020 8109 7007 — or message on WhatsApp.
→ 020 8109 7007 · WhatsApp: 07960 881 061Common questions.
How long will my skin be red after a laser session?
Can I shave between sessions?
Can I exercise the day after laser?
I see small dots like razor stubble a week later — is that normal?
Can I wear makeup after a face laser session?
A patch test, a chat, no commitment.
A 30-minute consultation and a patch test. Free. We'll talk through your skin, your goals, and whether laser is the right move for you.
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