MANSCAPED: The Gentleman’s Guide to Laser Hair Removal
The ritual of shaving is culturally considered to be an initiation into manhood. Branded on all our brains are iconic images of a kid standing over the sink, with a thick layer of shaving cream slathered on, and good ole’ dad teaching us the ropes of shaving. However, the cost, inconvenience, and frustrating skin disorders like folliculitis barbae and chronic ingrown hairs present an unpleasant side effect to this quintessential aspect of male grooming. Fortunately, with laser hair removal, we can eliminate much of this unpleasantness.
At Luxe Laser, the question “Do you treat men?” is met with an enthusiastic YES from us! Not only do we treat men, but we believe men are awesome candidates for our laser hair removal in Portland.
While most men want a cleaned-up look, many also embrace the idea of a low-maintenance self-care strategy. With laser hair removal, you’ll be free of unwanted body hair, tapering down the time needed to get out of the door in the morning.
We can treat most areas of the body, but, at Luxe Laser, our most popular treatment areas for men tend to be the following:
- Back (upper or lower)
- Chest
- Chest and Abdomen (full front of the torso)
- Full back
- Shoulders
- Small of the back
- Neck (front or back)
- Unibrow
- Brazilian, Extended, or basic bikini “below the belt” hairstyles
Best of all, many of these treatment areas feature an add-on discount when paired with another treatment!
What Are the Benefits of Laser Hair Removal for Men?
In a word – CONFIDENCE! Whether you’re looking to make the best first impression possible during a handshake with a new acquaintance, feel great running out the door in the morning, look sleek and sexy at the beach, or feel like the best version of yourself during intimate moments, laser hair removal at our medspa in Portland eliminates the unwanted hair that prevents you from feeling like the best version of yourself.
Our basic criteria for laser hair removal will be the same in a male-bodied individual as it would be for anyone else. We encourage you to take our laser hair removal quiz to determine if laser hair removal is right for you.
Laser Hair Removal – Before Your First Appointment
The prerequisites are the same for everyone. You’ll need medium brown hair or darker, you need to hang back from tanning (this includes spray tanning or self-tanning), and you’ll need to shave before your appointment.
Another important consideration is hair texture. Laser hair removal favors thicker, “terminal” hairs, in other words, hairs that would feel stubbly if you were to shave them. Thin, fine, soft and downy “vellus” hairs do not receive a good result with laser hair removal, so before you shave, inspect the hair texture to get a better idea of what areas will achieve a good result.
How To Prep for Laser Hair Removal Service
- Find someone to help you with “the big shave” if you need assistance!
- Get a new pack of razors if you need to.
- Find a sunscreen that you like and consider buying multiples for the car and by your front door.
- Get an exfoliation tool! This should be a product that is textured, unscented, and convenient for you. (We recommend following the following exfoliation protocol. Three days after your service, start exfoliating three times a week. This will aid in the fallout of the hairs; it feels awesome and prevents the rash that comes with having dead hairs sitting under the surface of the skin, trying to eject.)
“The big shave” is a major hang-up for many of our clients-to-be, but it doesn’t need to be as complicated and embarrassing of a task as it’s made out to be. Laser Hair Removal on the Candela GentleMax Pro requires a fresh, same-day shave within 8 hours or less of your scheduled appointment.
If you have a friend, partner, or roommate around to help you shave the back or the back of the neck or other hard-to-reach areas, this will make the process much easier. If that is not an option for you, razor extenders can help as well as utilizing a cleverly placed mirror and working in special position or poses to assist in the shaving process. Visiting your nearest barber also is an option to consider.
We are very serious about your pre-appointment shave! We do offer a touchup shave service, but we do not perform a full shave and recommend trying your best before you arrive for your appointment. If we have to perform a shave for you, this significantly cuts into your appointment time. Clients who require too much assistance shaving for the time frame we have allotted, (in other words – clients who have missed too many areas) may be turned away.
Don’t use lotions, creams, deodorants, makeup, oils, or any other topical right after your “big shave” and before your appointment. Topicals like this are tough to remove completely and may present interference for the laser, creating a burn. If you have any questions about your unique skincare routine, feel free to reach out!
For more information on how to prepare for a laser hair removal treatment, check out this blog.
Laser Hair Removal – Post Care
Post-care is the same for everyone. Do not apply anything hot or warm to the area for the first 48 hours or so after treatment. This also means avoiding anything steamy or sweaty for a day after your treatment. Skip the gym, the sauna and the steam room for 48 hours. You can resume normal habits the day after that.
Again, for the rest of your day following your laser hair removal service, avoid the following:
- Moist, steamy, high heat activities. This means no hot shower or bath, no sauna, no workout. Take it easy for the rest of the day!
- Fragranced lotions, creams, and oils. Be careful about deodorant if you’re treating underarms. Avoid any type of scrubs, especially in the treatment areas.
- Avoid excess friction in the treatment area.
Testosterone & Laser Hair Removal – What to Expect
Humans are hormonal creatures, and testosterone is heavily responsible for hair growth. This is especially true of hair growth that comes in as a secondary characteristic – think face, chest, back, underarm, pubic hair and the buttocks. You may also be experiencing hormonal hair growth on the ears, an increase in growth on the arms and legs or somewhere else.
Often, as testosterone continues to course through the body, the hair will continue to grow, whether we’ve lasered the area or not. This hormonally motivated growth can only be tamped down by taking a testosterone blocker, although many of our male-identifying clients are opposed to this option.
It can be an ongoing battle for some to reel in their unwanted hair while receiving hair removal services in hormonal areas. In some cases, clients who are getting laser hair removal treatments in a hormonal area like the beard line that travels into the neck, will undergo an initial series, then plan for maintenance treatments a few times a year or more, depending on your hormones and regrowth rate.
Meanwhile, between sessions, the client will likely have a few hairs pop up as hormones continue to trigger regrowth, but the hairs will be much more manageable and strikingly fewer in number.
If you’d like to have a conversation about hormones, laser hair removal or any of our services, the team at our medspa in Portland is available to discuss these issues via phone call during business hours, 7 days a week. We also recommend touching base with your doctor for more info about laser hair removal and hormones if you’re considering taking any sort of blockers for your testosterone.