Exercise, Alcohol, and Showers After Laser Hair Removal: When Are They Okay?

The basic rule after laser hair removal is to take a break from exercise, alcohol, and hot showers on the day of treatment, and resume them from the next day, once redness and heat have subsided, while watching how you feel. This is because raising your body temperature and skin blood flow further before the heat the laser left in the follicles has dissipated can prolong redness and swelling, and the combination of sweat and friction makes folliculitis more likely.

Why should exercise be postponed after laser hair removal?

Laser hair removal acts on hair follicles through heat produced when melanin in the hair absorbs light. The small bumps and redness around the follicles right after treatment are this heat reaction, and they usually subside within a few hours to a day or two. When you sweat during exercise, sweat and sebum collect in the pores where heat remains, and if workout clothes keep rubbing the treated area, irritation builds up. Areas that touch clothing, such as the armpits, bikini line, and legs, are especially affected.

When can I exercise, drink alcohol, and shower after laser hair removal?

• Rest from exercise on the day of treatment, and if there is no redness the next day, start with light walking and increase the intensity over 2 to 3 days.
• Alcohol widens blood vessels and can worsen redness and heat, so it's best not to drink on the day of treatment.
• You can take a light shower with lukewarm water even on the day of treatment, but avoid hot water, body scrubbing with an exfoliating towel, and scrubs.
• Saunas, jjimjilbang (Korean bathhouses), and swimming pools combine heat with irritation from disinfectants, so postpone them until your skin has calmed down.

At our Suwon clinic, we advise avoiding hot baths, saunas, strong friction, and exfoliation on the day of treatment, and keeping your skin moisturized.

Underarm laser hair removal in Suwon: is it true that you sweat more afterward?

See women's body hair removal details

If, after resuming exercise, pus-filled bumps increase in the treated area, blisters form, or redness and pain continue for several days, you must contact the clinic. If you have recently tanned or are taking medication that makes you sensitive to sunlight, you must let us know before treatment.

FAQ

Q. How many days after laser hair removal can I go to the gym?

A. Rest on the day of treatment, and if there is no redness or heat the next day, start with light exercise. Increase the intensity of high-intensity exercise that makes you sweat heavily over 2 to 3 days, and after working out, rinse off the sweat with lukewarm water and then apply moisturizer.

Q. Does drinking alcohol after laser hair removal change the results?

A. Alcohol does not directly change the results of the laser's action on the follicles. However, it widens blood vessels and can worsen redness, heat, and itching and make folliculitis more likely, so it's best to avoid it on the day of treatment and drink only after your skin has calmed down.

Q. Is there anything to be careful about when showering after laser hair removal?

A. You can shower even on the day of treatment, but keep it short with lukewarm water and don't rub the treated area hard. Don't use exfoliants or exfoliating towels until your skin has calmed down, and after washing, pat yourself dry and then apply plenty of moisturizer.