Why Your Clinic Asks About Sun Exposure, Holidays and Fake Tan

It sounds like it's not your business really. You came for hair removal and someone is asking you if you have been abroad, if you use self-tan and how often you sit in the garden.

This is a genuine cause, and one that can be understood, not bypassed. Remember your Laser Loves Pigment Tans, sunbeds, or spray tan all go in the skin and add to the amount of pigment present and that then impacts the way the energy works on this. All laser skin clinic in Birmingham ask this similar question for the same reason, and the ones who do not be suspicious.

What a tan actually does

Your skin also has melanin, which is produced in response to UV. Laser is tuned to this to the same degree as the melanin in your skin on the day of the treatment, as the laser has to be absorbed by the hair follicle pigment but not by the skin around it.

Heated skin sets more surface melanin racing to that energy. And so may burn, blister, or develop blotches of skin darkening or lightening until okay over months.

So, it's not someone being awkward by delaying your appointment they are not prepared to treat skin in a different condition from the skin they examined.

Fake tan is a separate issue.

Self-tan it doesn't produce melanin, it coats the top layer of skin and it is that coating, which takes up all the laser energy.

Worse, fake tan wears off at different speeds, so what to your eyes looks a patch is still able to irritate someone with a sensitive allergy. Gradual tanning body or moisturising lotions are the most likely to catch someone out as your client will forget that they even contain a tanning substance.

Baby oil lotion moisturiser, body makeup, and all tinted products require removal, although those tend to wash away rather than needing weeks.

The timings to work to

These are the windows that most clinics do business, and it's more worth planning open for rather than wishing they never get uncovered.

Before treatment real sun and sunbeds: 4 weeks for the treatment area should be covered or protected.

FAKE TANNING before your appointment: a minimum of 2 weeks, fully faded with no progressive tanner in that time either.

Post treatment: avoid unprotected sun exposure to the treated area for approximately two weeks, and apply high SPF sunscreen to any area that will be exposed.

Sunbeds after a session: the same as before at a minimum, but it is better not to use sunbeds after a course.

Your clinic's windows may be slightly different, so ask and try to mimic theirs.

Planning a course around a holiday

Holiday we are currently revising content. Please check back shortly. This is probably what most people are here for.

Start from the date of your trip. The final session before you fly should be completed at least 2 weeks before your departure so that you have a settled skin before exposing it to the sun.

Then work forward from your return. Four weeks after you return before the next appointment, that is if you did manage to get sun at all. If you were in the sun continuously and really covered, a patch test might mean you can leave it until than but that is subject to the clinic.

Which really means a two-week holiday effectively sets you back six weeks of your course. A bit of a pain sure but you get more payback from a session burn.

If you have a holiday booked in the middle of a course, do tell the clinic at your first appointment rather than a week before. If the clinic is aware they can usually plan the spacing to accommodate it from the very beginning.

The Birmingham problem

This town is known for having about three absolutely roasting days, weathers can change suddenly. Customers book a session weeks in advance, sit in sun for an hour and return with a tan they had not expected.

If a decision is made to do this, let them know, they will either alter the settings, patch test or rebook. The worst thing you can do is to not comment and assume something may happen, they will otherwise see the irritation and you will be out of pocket.

Frequently asked questions

How long should I stay out of the sun before laser hair removal?

Approximately four weeks with the area must covered/protected. A tan increases the level of melanin in the skin that then competes with the hair follicle for the laser energy.

Can I have laser hair removal if I've got a fake tan on?

No although it can be slow, self-tan will be seen on the skin's surface as well as absorbing that laser energy. Leave as much as 2 weeks for it to fully fade.

How long after laser can I sunbathe?

Approximately 2 weeks on the treated area, with high SPF on anything that is uncovered. The skin on the treated area will be more sensitive to UV following the treatment.

Can I use sunbeds during a course of laser hair removal?

Not recommended. Minimum equivalent windows are the same as for real sun, four weeks before and two weeks after.

What happens if I catch the sun before my appointment?

Let the clinic know. They will change settings, patch test or reschedule your appointment. Forgetting to wear your SPF can result in burns and pigment issues.

How do I fit laser around a holiday? 

Complete a course of laser at least 2 weeks before your holiday take, and have a minimum of 4 weeks between returning and having the next course. Inform your clinic about all future holiday travel at your initial appointment.