Arrive with a same day shave.
Avoid tanning and UV exposure on treatment areas.
Avoid lotions and topical products on treatment areas.
If you don’t shave the area, we can’t laser the area. If you skip an area shaving, we also must skip over it.
Unfortunately electric clippers or similar devices don’t achieve a close enough shave. We suggest using a new razor every visit for the closest shave possible. Unlike waxing, our lasers treat the hair bulb underneath the skin. For safety concerns, hairs should never be visible or feel stubbly.
If you’ve been waxing, plucking, epilating, depilating, bleaching or using hair dissolving creams on any hairs in the treatment area, or receiving electrolysis (any method besides shaving) please refrain for a minimum of 4-6 weeks prior to your first session. Shaving is the only approved method of hair management before and during laser hair removal treatments.
Shave as little or as much as you’d like between your sessions.
If you’re having a hard time seeing your bikini area or other places on your body, we recommend using a mirror while you shave in order to get every hair.
Our Candela GentleMax Pros are considered the most comfortable lasers in the world, hence why they’re called the GentleMax! In the past, laser hair removal has been stigmatized as extremely painful, but our new lasers are comfortable and move quickly- even faster than shaving.
With Candela GentleMax Pro lasers, people with a low pain threshold can tolerate laser hair removal without the need for topical anesthesia. All of our lasers have a built-in cooling for a comfortable treatment. Most of our clients describe laser hair removal as less painful than waxing and we do our best to put you at ease during your treatment. Most treatments are very quick unless treating multiple areas.
We cannot predict exactly how many sessions you will need, but 6-12 sessions is the starting point for all areas on the body.
Because everyone is different, the number of treatments required varies depending on the individual, hair volume, genetics and the area to be treated. Some areas, like the underarms, bikini area, and facial areas tend to require additional sessions, as those hairs are more affected by hormones.
Anywhere between 1-2 years of treatment may be required to reach clearance and effectively treat multiple anagen hair phases.
If you’ve been diagnosed with PCOS, taking birth control (IUD, implant), or transitioning you may need ongoing maintenance on hormonal areas due to the steady stream of hormones entering the body, creating new hair growth.
You may be left with lighter or finer hairs at the end of a series. At this point, most people end up only needing to shave once every 3-4 weeks to have hair-free, silky skin! The very few hairs that grow back have been weakened by the laser and grow much slower.
Our body produces different hairs at different stages of our life that vary in location and color. Dark, coarse hairs are the easiest to treat, as the laser can easily find the melanin in the hair and neutralize the follicle.
The growth of hair is controlled by numerous factors, including age, genetics, hormones, diseases, childbirth, and medications like IUD and birth control. You may require more sessions on areas that are more hormonally charged, like face, underarms, and the pubic region. These hairs tend to be more difficult to treat.
Also, laser hair removal is only successful for hairs that are currently in the anagen phase of growth; at this time the laser can permanently neutralize the hair follicle. Unfortunately, our hair is more often in the shedding phase, and follicles that are in the process of shedding cannot be neutralized. To address these, a series of treatments will be required. We can only reduce 10-15% of active growth per session.
Laser hair removal cannot remove 100% of hairs, but we can reduce up to 95% of hairs. No laser, topical, or medication to date can make that claim. Hairs can be greatly reduced, but will not entirely disappear; like pores, they are part of the skin and have a bodily function.
That said, our laser hair removal service offers a significant reduction that most our clients are ecstatic with their results. They come to us for smooth silky skin with the intention of shaving a lot less and eliminating the need for waxing and sugaring forever (which damages the skin and can cause scarring). With our service, you can eliminate or reduce ingrown hairs and folliculitis, help alleviate Hidradenitis Suppurativa, and potentially prevent a Pilonidal Cyst from recurring again after surgery. We frequently receive Doctor’s referrals for management of these conditions.
Yes! We can safely treat everyone for laser hair removal. We have six different lasers suitable for every skin complexion.
We are Certified Advanced Estheticians and in the state of Oregon you must be a CAE, nurse, or a doctor to operate a class IV medical laser. We are trained to evaluate each client thoroughly and select our laser parameters based on your Fitzpatrick scale, medical history and medications. Our lasers have the Fitzpatrick scale built into its settings to prevent adverse effects, making it extremely safe and comfortable.
Clients with a higher Fitzpatrick number, aka more melanin in the skin, require a 1064 nd:YAG laser to safely treat melanin rich skin without burning or blistering the skin. But don’t worry! Luxe Laser is one of the few places in Portland with a 1064 nd:YAG laser and we are experts in treating deeper skin types. Due to the nature of the 1064 nd:YAG laser, more treatments may be needed than what we recommend for our 755 Alexandrite clients, and 10-12 treatments may be needed.
We offer complimentary consultations and test pulses to determine which laser we will be appropriate for your skin and hair type.
Laser hair removal takes a great deal of detail and technical experience to achieve the appropriate clinical endpoint, permanently disabling the hair shaft without over-treating, under-treating, or incurring any adverse effects. We are HIPAA-compliant, and we document and chart each treatment. We’ll analyze your hair growth pattern at every visit and select optimal treatment settings for you, because this gives us the best opportunity to give you the silky-smooth skin that you desire.
Irresponsible or untrained practitioners who tell you that you must burn or blister in order for this treatment to work are absolutely wrong. If someone tells you this, leave! You do not need to burn in order for laser hair removal to work.
In fact, it is considered an adverse event, and a report would have to be documented in the case of a burn or blister.
Erythema (redness) and perifollicular edema (which looks like a rash or bug bites) is our clinical endpoint. Both of these conditions typically dissipate within 24 hours or less. In the rare occurrence of a reaction, please contact our office to schedule a thorough evaluation within 48 hours of treatment.
It is our goal to deliver safe, comfortable and effective treatments to all of our clients. Burning and blistering are not part of that plan!
Nope! Lots of local medispas market their IPL (Intense Pulse Light) treatments as laser hair removal. IPL is not a laser. IPL is less effective and requires many more treatments and is referred to as a semi-permanent solution for hair removal. Our lasers are FDA-approved for permanent hair reduction of up to 90%. IPL is also the most common culprit of burns and blisters, due to the wavelength not being the appropriate depth to penetrate the hair shaft, causing damage to the skin.
Are you shopping around for laser hair removal treatments at different medispas? Be sure to ask if their machine is IPL or a real laser and ask what wavelength they use. We have six different lasers and have all three wavelengths to guarantee the best results and to safely treat all complexions.
Be sure to ask how old the laser is-technology has changed a lot over the past decade in the cosmetic laser industry! Newer generation lasers are more safe, effective and comfortable and they’re quicker in the treatment room!
Avoid direct heat on the area for 24 to 48 hours; for example, no hot tubs, hot yoga, intense workouts, saunas, etc. No swimming for 24 hours.
Avoid sun exposure and tanning beds for four weeks prior and two weeks after your treatment. Ideally you stop all forms of tanning under our care or we may need to postpone treatments. Laser hair removal makes the skin photosensitive.
Avoid any additional laser treatments or chemical procedures in the treatment area for two weeks. Abstain from fragranced lotions or products for 48 hours after treatment to avoid a chemical reaction or infection to the treated hair follicles.
Please wear breathable clothing, like cotton, over the treatment area on the day of your treatment in order to prevent overheating the treated follicles and heightening the risk of adverse effects. For facial hairs chose a day you have off of work if a mask is required.
We space your treatments 1-2 months apart to ensure the greatest effectiveness. For facial hair, we schedule a session every 4 weeks. Underarm and pubic hair will be treated every 6 weeks, while other areas below the neck will be treated every 8 weeks.
Results are not instant!
Facial hairs: 1-2 weeks after a treatment.
Body hairs: 3-4 weeks after a treatment.
Approximately 5-10 days after each session, your body will begin the shedding process. Shedding of the surface hair may appear as new hair growth. This is not new hair growth; it’s the hair shaft below the skin being expelled.
It may take 7-14 days for the hair shafts to be fully expelled, with noticeable results appearing within 5 days to a month. The hair growth will be stunted and slower, the hair may be finer and lighter, and patchiness begins to be visible where there are not hairs present. Patchiness will increase after each session until it reaches up to 95% reduction of hairs. The amount of patchiness after a session varies by the individual and the amount of anagen hairs that were present at the time of treatment.
All areas of the body will respond a little differently, some areas may respond better than other areas. We assess each area to verify the probability of success, typically fine and/or light pigmented hairs will not result in an efficacious treatment.
The laser works best on dark, thick hairs, as the laser energy is not attracted to light or fine hairs. Laser hair removal only works on terminal hairs not vellus hairs AKA baby hairs.
Our first session always includes a complimentary consultation to ensure that you’re an ideal candidate, and this appointment will take the longest amount of time.
The length of your appointment also depends on the areas of coverage. Upper lip, chin, and underarms take less than five minutes. Full brazilian takes between 6-12 minutes.
Larger areas like legs take between 20-50 minutes. More time will be needed to treat multiple areas, but with our new Candela GentleMax pro lasers, the laser moves quickly across the treatment areas at the same speed or faster as you would use a razor shaving thoroughly. We can laser many areas in one session safely.
Bikini line treats hairs that are outside a standard bikini, we laser a palms width of inner thighs and the top two inches of pubic mound. We offer custom prices for an up charge on coverage that extends outside the bikini line or you may opt to add on upper legs to bikini line.
Extended bikini includes the bikini line, features a custom patch of pubic hair on the pubic mound (champagne flute/martini glass are more popular shapes) and includes the hair from the labia and the “tailfeathers” AKA the backside.
We offer a true brazilian at Luxe Laser where all pubic hair is removed, front to back and includes the bikini line. No hairs are left behind.
Please arrive fully shaved with a same day shave or we skip areas or reschedule the appointment, our Candela GentleMax Pro lasers cannot laser over any hairs outside the skin or visible stubble.
No, unfortunately. All lasers for this purpose are attracted to the melanin, or pigment, of the hair shaft. The hair must have melanin present for the laser to work. As a result, the darker the hair, the better the result.
Brown or black hairs are required!
The hair will need to have at least a medium brown pigment to deliver a safe and efficacious dose of light energy to the hair attached to the bulb below the skin past the dermis.
Red, white, blonde, and gray hairs are too light in pigment for the laser to find and disable permanently and will likely result in an unsuccessful treatment. If you’re not sure, please request a complimentary consultation, and we can perform some test pulses to see if the treatment will yield desirable results for you.
Yes! At Luxe Laser, we will treat you when you are on your period as long as you wear a tampon or menstrual cup like a DivaCup. Being on your period will not influence the treatment.
Our brazilian only takes approximately 10 minutes or less, if you’d prefer to reschedule your appointment, please give us at least a 24 hours notification to avoid short notice reschedule fees.
Laser hair removal is not recommended for anyone. Those with the following conditions are not eligible for laser hair removal:
- An immune system disorder
- Hypertrophic scarring or keloid formation
- Unhealthy psychology with unrealistic expectations
- Abnormal blood coagulation
- Light energy-sensitive skin
- Diabetes mellitus
- Active skin cancer
- Psoriasis
- Eczema or dermatitis in treatment area
- Active herpes simplex in treatment area
- Oral Prescription Vitamin A use within previous six months
- Unwilling or unable to follow pre/post treatment instructions
- May be pregnant or breastfeeding
