Following up on our last post about PCOS and facial hair, many women express discomfort or horror at the idea of shaving their face if they are getting facial hair treated. This is understandable, as it’s a new idea for women to have to deal with putting a razor to their skin in a place that usually doesn’t see one!
However, if you are getting treated with lasers to remove hair on the lip, chin, cheek, sideburn, or neck area, you DO need to shave. You only need to shave the area which you are getting treated, and you do not need to worry that the hairs will grow back thicker or darker- this is a proven MYTH!
We all have vellus hairs on our face. Vellus hairs are the fine, light hairs that everyone has. These hairs do not get darker, thicker, or longer if they get shaved off. They will return to their normal state in a few weeks. These hairs do not get picked up by the laser and cannot be removed.
The coarse hairs on our face will not grow back darker or thicker either! When we shave, we are giving hair a blunt edge, which makes it feel “stubbly”. During this stage the hair can appear darker or thicker, but it isn’t.
As we ask all of our clients to shave the evening before getting lasered, it is okay to put a razor to the area and lightly run it across. If you are afraid of irritation, then go in the direction of the growth of the hair, and that should help the issue.
What are your thoughts on shaving? Let us know in the comments!