Laser and the Sun

[Mathea]

I recently decided to get rid of my beard growth and seek laser treatment. My facial hair is perhaps my most important source of dysphoria, and to get rid of it would be wonderful. And to think of the practical benefits of no longer have to spend hours every week shaving...

The problem is that spring is here. It has been very sunny these last few weeks, and summer is coming with 24-hour sunlight in that part of the world I will spending my time.

The laser clinic I wanted to use had a warning on its web page, requesting patients to avoid sunlight on the area to be treated for four weeks prior to treatment. That is absolutely impossible. Avoiding the sun throughout the summer also seem kind of a downer.

My question is, how serious is the warning? Do you recommend that I wait until autumn before starting treatment - come winter, I will have almost 24-hour darkness, so no problem with sunlight then. How soon would it be safe to start? Do I need to wait until all pigmentation from the summer sun has faded? How long does that generally take?

Thanks for your help.

[Casady]

If you spend a lot of time outside and are expecting a good summer (that far north?!) then it may be easier to wait for your perpetual darkness. Although, most laser hair removal programmes involve repeated monthly treatments over 6 to 9 months or more. I believe that the reason for avoiding the sun is two-fold, in part because laser works best on dark hairs against paler skin, but also in order to protect the skin after treatments. I did my course from January through September last year so it took me through an average British summer. I just applied SPF50 sunscreen to my face each morning and obviously didn't go sunbathing. If you do go after summer with a tanned face, then you'll have to see what your clinic says - normally a brief consultation and patch test are required before a treatment programme starts anyway.

[Maid Marion]

I live where there are plenty of cloudy days to work outside.  I also work in the shade rather than in bright sunlight when I can.  Wearing a wide brimmed hat can also help.  Too much sun ages the skin.

Yes, if you love summer avoiding the sun can be a bummer.  But, isn't the dysphoria worse?

[KathyLauren]

Estrogen can make the skin light-sensitive.  Look up melasma. 

I had done some laser sessions before starting HRT, which were painful but fine.  Then I had another one a couple of months after starting HRT.  The technician warned me at the end of my session that my skin was reacting to the laser.  She told me not to come back until at least the fall, if ever. 

I now have some new freckles on my face that weren't there before.  The biggest one is roughly the shape and size of the laser probe.

Nowadays, when I am out on a sunny day, I wear an SPF 50 sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat.  The freckles fade over winter, but come back in the spring.

[Mathea]

Thanks everyone.

I've not yet started estrogen and I had hoped to do laser before that. I've heard estrogen can cause some softening and lightening of the facial hair, which would make removal harder. Hope to avid electrolysis as far as possible.

Guess I'll have to wear a whole lot of sunscreen throughout summer. Uck... I'm going to get a lot of pimples...