After a long session of your full body laser hair removal, you will likely be instructed by your aesthetician to avoid going in the sun as much as possible and if you must, wear sunscreen, how will that help you tan, especially now that you feel ever so comfortable in showing off your skin. The only solution that remains is self-tanner.
Self-tanner popularity is mainly attributed to a safer and more convenient option than sunbathing, but the real question is how safe are they really? Are they safe enough to use after a laser hair removal and if so how long should you wait?
Table of Contents:- Part 1: Can You Get a Spray Tan After Laser Hair Removal?
- Part 2: Can I Do Laser Hair Removal After Fake Tan?
- Part 3: What Happens If You Laser After Tanning?
- Part 4: How Long After a Spray Tan Can You Get Laser Hair Removal?
- Part 5: Can You Do IPL Hair Removal with Fake Tan?
Part 1: Can You Get a Spray Tan After Laser Hair Removal?
A spray tan that gives you that natural sun-kissed glow despite not being out in the sun at all has many ingredients. But the key ingredient that is responsible for the tan often goes by as Dihydroxyacetone (DHA); it is usually not harmful and its reaction is only limited to the outer layer of the skin.
So while a spray tan, for the most part, contains safe ingredients, it is recommended to wait at least 48-72 hours after your laser hair removal session. Your skin may be a little irritated after the sessions and applying any kind of activities to it immediately, is never a good idea.
Part 2: Can I Do Laser Hair Removal After Fake Tan?
Just as it is widely not recommended to apply an active immediately after laser, applying active ingredients before Laser hair removal session is just as discouraged. Tanning products, whether spray or self-applied, create a layer that can interfere with the laser's ability to target hair follicles, which could then proceed to result in burns, skin discolouration, or reduced treatment efficacy.
Part 3: What Happens If You Laser After Tanning?
It is widely not recommended to do self-tanning or even natural tanning after a laser hair removal session for several reasons and suppose you choose to ignore them and go ahead and self-tan, anyway, you put yourself at risk of burns, hyperpigmentation, and other skin damage.
The laser is attracted to pigment, so a tanned surface may cause the energy to scatter, reducing the treatment's effectiveness and potentially harming your skin and when it heals, you either face the consequences by getting scars or hyperpigmentation.
Part 4: How Long After a Spray Tan Can You Get Laser Hair Removal?
Any kind of active ingredients are strictly discouraged as you are about to get your laser hair removal procedure done as it can hinder the process and lead to many risks including burns and pigmentations. And just as spray tan tends to have active ingredients in it, it is usually recommended to wait at least 7-10 days after applying the tan to get laser hair removal done.
To be on the safe side, it is best to use a gentle exfoliator to exfoliate the skin before the laser hair treatment to get rid of any lingering residue of the fake tan. Which scrubbing be as gentle as you can and if the tan doesn’t come off, you may delay your procedure for the time being because its better safe than sorry.
A good rule of thumb would be to do patch test first, and if you skin doesnt react harshly to the laser, you may proceed with the treatment.
Part 5: Can You Do IPL Hair Removal with Fake Tan?
IPL works by targeting the pigment of the hair. And how does it separate the pigment of the hair from the pigment of the skin? Simple, by sensors that detect the contrast between the skin colour and hair colour. This ultimately means that for laser hair removal or even IPL to work at its best it is important that you have anywhere from fair to medium light skin tone and have darker hair. If it's otherwise, IPL may not work.
Now when you apply fake tan to the skin, the ingredients are not only active enough to absorb the light emitted from the IPL and laser but because of the tanned skin, you are no longer suitable for IPL or Laser anyway, as you skin tone surpass the max it should be for an effective laser or IPL session, risking you to get burns etc.
Bottomline
It’s more than understandable if you are eager to get in the sun or maybe get some colour to your skin so it doesn't seem as if you spend your days under your very well-insulated house all day long. However, it’s important to prioritize your skin’s health and recovery, especially after treatments like laser hair removal. Rushing into tanning, whether through direct sun exposure or spray tans, can compromise the treatment results and your skin’s integrity.
