Before your appointment:

• DO NOT wax, tweeze or sugar the area to be treated
• DO NOT use cream depilatories on the area to be treated.
• DO NOT tan before your laser hair removal appointment. We highly recommend you avoid tanning at least two weeks before your laser hair removal appointment
• DO NOT use skin care products on the area to be treated. This includes moisturizers, oils, makeup, perfumes, deodorant, antiperspirant, or powder, depending on the area being treated. If you use any kind of topical medication on your skin, be sure to notify your technician during your consultation or when scheduling your laser hair removal appointment.

A few things you can and/or should do:

• DO inform your patient consultant of any medications you’re taking when you make the appointment. Some medications can interfere with laser hair removal, while others can make your skin more sensitive to the laser light. Remember to include topical medications, not just pills.
• DO ask your aesthetician about your medications when you come in for your appointment. It never hurts to double check to ensure your procedure goes as well as possible
• YOU CAN shave before your appointment. We recommend shaving a day before your treatment, so that the laser doesn’t target hair above the skin, potentially causing burns. With a clean shave before your treatment, the lasers will be able to easily locate your hair follicles without wasting energy on hairs that have already grown out. You also won’t have to worry about the lasers burning off your hairs either. You can leave a patch not shaved, and then the aesthetician can see the result and improvement of your previous session.
• YOU CAN take an over-the-counter pain reliever before your appointment. Some people find that this helps to reduce the already minimal pain that may be felt during the procedure.

• NO SCRUBBING. Skip harsh cleansers, facial exfoliants and shaving your face before your treatment. Men can shave the morning of their facial treatment.
• SAVE NEW PRODUCTS FOR LATER. Just clean your face following your usual cleansing routine. It’s best not to experiment with new products right before a facial so that your skin can be examined in its “usual” state. Using new products may have adverse reactions on your skin (i.e. over drying, inflammation, etc.), so it’s best to hold off until after your treatment.
• TO STEAM OR NOT TO STEAM. This is a personal preference that doesn’t positively or negatively affect your treatment. Some like to use a sauna before a facial to relax and open up pores. While this is an option, it’s not necessary since your face will be steamed and cleaned for an hour or more anyway.
• REMOVE MAKEUP. While estheticians will remove makeup for you before beginning your facial, you can arrive to the spa 5-10 minutes earlier and remove it yourself to save time. Or just arrive without makeup altogether.

Following the right pre-treatment instructions ensures that your treatment will go smoothly and helps minimize side effects.

Pre-Treatment Tips

• Try and book your appointment when you have a day or two off following the procedure as wearing a mask up to 24 hours after the treatment is not recommended.
• Avoid Accutane in the six months prior to beginning your treatment sessions.
• Do not use topical agents that may increase the sensitivity of your skin such as retinoids, exfoliants, topical antibiotics, AHA, BHA or acids 5-7 days prior to your treatment.
• Do not take anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen, Motrin, or Advil for at least 3 days prior to your microneedling session. These will interfere with the natural inflammatory process that is critical for your skin rejuvenation.
• Avoid IPL/Laser procedures, unprotected sun exposure, or sunburn for at least 2 weeks before and after your treatment.
• No fillers, botox 2 weeks before or after your microneedling treatment.
• No waxing, depilatory creams, or electrolysis to the area being treated for 5-7 days prior.
• Do not shave the day of the procedure to avoid skin irritation. If there’s dense hair present in the treatment area, shave the day before you arrive for your appointment.
• If you’re prone to cold sores, take an antiviral agent for 2 days prior to and the day of the treatment.
• Avoid blood thinning agents for one week prior because bruising is a common side effect of microneedling.

Day of Treatment

Knowing what to expect on the day of your microneedling treatment will make this procedure as comfortable and anxiety-free as possible for you.

What to Expect:

• Depending on the area of your face or body being treated and the type of device used (i.e. needle length), the procedure is well-tolerated and in some cases virtually painless, feeling only a mild prickling sensation.
• Your practitioner will apply a topical anesthetic to your skin prior to treatment to reduce any pain and discomfort.
• Your skin will be pink or red in appearance, much like a sunburn, for a couple of hours following treatment.
• Minor bleeding and bruising is possible depending on the length of the needle used and the number of times it is pressed across the treatment area.
• Your skin may feel warm, tight, and itchy for a short while. This should subside in 12-48 hours.

• Please arrive to your appointment with unwashed dry hair.
• Ensure you have eaten something 30 minutes prior to your appointment. You may experience lightheadness once the treatment is complete if you come on an empty stomach.
• Wear old clothing. Oil from the treatment will more than likely end up on your clothes. 
• Bring an extra towel to drape over your car headrest to protect it from the oil in your hair.