Laser hair removal and antiperspirant: before and after a session

How a laser differs from shaving

A razor cuts the hair at the surface, while a laser heats the hair bulb so the hair stops growing. After a session the skin reacts to that heat: according to the AAD, there is usually redness, swelling and discomfort similar to a mild sunburn, which settle within 1–3 days.

One session is rarely enough. The AAD says most people need 2 to 6 treatments spaced 4–6 weeks apart, and the first one reduces hair by 10–25%. So it helps to work out in advance how to combine the course with antiperspirant rather than deciding again every time.

Before a session

How to prepare the hair, including whether to shave the day before, is up to the clinic: the requirements depend on the device. The AAD’s general rules concern the sun and medicines.

• Do not tan outdoors or in a tanning bed, and do not use self-tanner. When you go outside, apply a broad-spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen.
• Tell the doctor if you have taken isotretinoin for acne or take any other medicine, including aspirin.
• Mention any tendency to scarring, keloids or cold sores.
• The clinic cleans the area before the procedure. If you use OKEY, its residue is washed off in the morning anyway, as the instructions say; ask the clinic whether an extra break is needed before a session.

After a session: when to go back to antiperspirant

The OKEY instructions say: do not apply the product right after shaving, depilation or other procedures that can make the skin more sensitive, and wait up to 48 hours for the skin to recover.

Laser hair removal is exactly that kind of procedure. While the skin is red and sensitive, any product with aluminium salts, alcohol or fragrance may sting. If the clinic has given its own aftercare advice, it takes priority over general tips: the AAD also asks you to follow your doctor’s instructions after treatment.

• First days: a cool compress for discomfort (as the AAD advises), loose cotton clothing, and patting the skin dry after a shower rather than rubbing.
• Protect the treated skin from the sun and avoid tanning beds, which is also an AAD recommendation.
• The skin is ready for antiperspirant when there is no redness, swelling, burning, crusting or tenderness. If the redness has only half gone, wait another evening.
• Make the first application after the break in the evening, in a thin layer, on completely dry skin. If another session is planned, ask the clinic how many days before it to pause.

Will you sweat less after a laser?

You sometimes hear that underarms sweat less after laser hair removal. The evidence is contradictory. In a pilot study by Letada and colleagues (2012), one underarm of six people with hyperhidrosis was treated with a 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser at ordinary hair-removal settings and the other served as a control; the treated side sweated less, in some participants for at least nine months.

In a study by Aydin and colleagues (2010), the same type of laser had the opposite effect and increased underarm sweating, and the authors write that the effect did not wear off. Both studies are small, so laser hair removal should not be seen as a way to treat sweating. If sweating gets in the way of your life, treatment options are covered in “Hyperhidrosis: what treatment options are there?”.

When to see a doctor

The AAD lists rare but possible complications: blisters, cold sores, infection, scarring, and lightening or darkening of the skin. See a doctor if you get blisters or pus, the pain or swelling gets worse, you develop a fever, or the redness lasts more than a few days. The AAD advises having laser hair removal done by a dermatologist or a doctor with in-depth knowledge of lasers: in inexperienced hands the procedure can cause harm.

Bottom line: calm skin first, antiperspirant second

The laser deals with hair; sweat remains the antiperspirant’s job. Between sessions the rule is simple: give the skin time to recover after a procedure, then return to your usual routine of an evening application in a thin layer on dry skin.

If your underarms sweat heavily, it helps that OKEY does not have to be applied every day: the instructions say that for a reliable effect it is enough to use it 1–2 times a week or as needed. That makes it easier to work around session and recovery days.

OKEY is a long-lasting, fragrance-free antiperspirant for women and men in a 35 ml roll-on bottle. It suits all areas prone to excessive sweating. According to the instructions, it is applied in the evening before bed in a thin layer to clean, completely dry and intact skin, and any residue is washed off in the morning. OKEY is available on Kaspi for 7990 ₸ with a 14-day bottle return. Regular customers can buy it on our website okeystaydry.com for 6990 ₸ with free delivery to a Flip pickup point, without a return option. The buy button is below.