If you're approaching your first laser hair removal treatment at a clinic like Calgary Vein & Laser Skin Care Treatments, you may be wondering about what you can expect in the first few days afterward. Your hair removal specialist will provide you with aftercare instructions that you'll need to follow, but here are some other tips that will help you to protect your skin after treatment.

Treating Itch and Irritation

For the first day or so after your treatment, you may find that your skin is sensitive, red and itchy. Apply an aloe lotion or a hydrocortisone cream to help soothe the discomfort. If the itching and irritation lasts longer than 24 hours, you should call your laser skin treatment specialist to be sure that there are no complications. People with particularly sensitive skin may have some discomfort longer.

Protecting from Sun Damage

After a laser hair removal treatment, your skin may be more sensitive to the sun. Apply enough sunscreen to thoroughly protect your skin before you go outside. Don't skip it—a sunburn on freshly treated skin can be very painful. Skip the tanning bed, hot tub and hot showers for the first two to three days after treatment as well. The intense heat after a laser treatment may irritate your skin.

Encouraging Hair Shedding

Over the next several weeks after your treatment, your skin will start to develop the appearance of blackheads. This is perfectly normal, and is a response to shedding hair follicles. To help the process along, use an exfoliating shower wash with a loofah or a sponge. Don't use anything too gritty, though, because your skin will still be sensitive for several days following treatment.

Dealing with New Growth

You may see some new hair growth after treatment. You may feel the urge to tweeze it—don't. You can shave or use a depilatory cream instead. This will leave the follicle in place so that your next laser treatment can still be as effective as it should. It needs the follicle in place to get rid of the hair. Just stop using your depilatory cream about three days before treatment to let your skin heal.

Laser hair removal can make dealing with unsightly hair growth easier than ever, but if you don't take care of your skin, it can also be uncomfortable. With the tips presented here, you can not only face your first treatment with confidence, but you can approach the aftercare knowing that you can give your skin what it needs to heal and be hair-free.