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Summer is when many patients think about unwanted hair the most. It’s also the season when laser hair removal requires the most careful planning. Tennessee sun, lake weekends, beach vacations, self-tanner, and afternoons by the pool can all affect when it is safe to treat your skin.
You can get laser hair removal in summer. The treatment area needs to remain protected from tanning and direct sun before and after each appointment. If your skin is already tan, recently burned, or still changing color after sun exposure, your treatment may need to be postponed.
My rule is straightforward: I do not treat actively tanned or sunburned skin. Waiting is far better than increasing the risk of a burn, pigment change, or scar.
Laser hair removal works by directing highly concentrated light toward pigment in the hair. The hair shaft absorbs the laser energy and carries heat into the hair follicle, damaging its ability to produce future hair growth.
Dark hair against light skin creates a clear contrast between the target and the surrounding skin, but a recent tan adds pigment to the skin surface. That additional pigment can absorb some of the laser light intended for the hair, raising the chance of overheating the treated skin.
Modern laser systems allow experienced providers to effectively treat a wider range of skin colors, including darker skin. Naturally darker skin and recently tanned skin are separate considerations. Your provider can choose settings based on your established skin type. A temporary tan makes your current skin color less predictable and may continue developing after your appointment.
Safety depends on assessing the skin you have on treatment day.
I generally advise patients to avoid tanning and significant sun exposure for at least two weeks before laser hair removal treatments. Some patients need a longer break if a tan remains visible or the skin recently burned.
After treatment, keep the area out of direct sunlight for at least two weeks or for the period specified in your aftercare instructions. Freshly treated skin may be more sensitive to heat and ultraviolet exposure. Proper sun protection helps reduce irritation and unwanted changes in pigment.
Staying protected does not require spending the summer indoors. Use a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, wear protective clothing, and choose shade when possible. Reapply sunscreen regularly, especially after sweating or swimming. You should also avoid outdoor tanning, tanning beds, and sunless tanners during a laser hair removal series.
Covering the treatment area is often easier for the upper lip or bikini line than for the arms or legs. Your summer schedule should account for the location being treated.
Tell your provider about recent sun exposure, even if the color change appears mild. That includes time at the pool, a beach trip, outdoor sports, yard work, and tanning beds.
We will examine the treatment area and compare its current color with your natural baseline. Treatment may proceed with an adjusted plan if the skin is stable and the provider determines that it can be treated safely. A visible tan, peeling skin, tenderness, redness, or a recent sunburn usually means rescheduling.
Trying to fit in one appointment before a vacation is never worth forcing treatment onto compromised skin. A delayed session may shift your overall timeline, but it protects your skin and supports better long-term results.
Self-tanner does not create a true ultraviolet tan, but it changes the visible color of the skin surface. This can interfere with an accurate skin assessment and make laser settings more difficult to select.
Stop using self-tanning lotions, sprays, drops, and professional spray tans before your appointment. The product should be completely gone from the treatment area before laser treatment. Fading time varies by formula, application, and exfoliation, so ask our team when you should stop.
Please tell us if any self-tanner remains. Scrubbing the night before treatment aggressively can leave the skin irritated and may create another reason to postpone the appointment.
Give the treated area time to settle before returning to the pool, lake, ocean, hot tub, or sauna. Most patients develop temporary redness or small raised bumps around the follicles. These reactions generally improve within a few hours to a couple of days.
I usually recommend avoiding swimming for at least 24 to 48 hours. Chlorine, salt water, bacteria, heat, and friction from a swimsuit can irritate recently treated skin. Hot tubs create added concerns because warm water and bacteria can aggravate sensitive follicles.
Wait longer if your skin remains red, warm, swollen, or uncomfortable. Your provider may give different instructions based on the treatment area and your response.
Laser hair removal requires several treatments because hair grows in cycles. Laser energy works most effectively when a hair is actively growing and connected to the follicle. Each session addresses another portion of active hair, gradually producing significant hair reduction.
Interrupting the series for a vacation does not erase your progress. It may extend the calendar needed to complete treatment. We can plan around travel, outdoor events, and periods when covering the treated area will be difficult.
Many patients begin in fall or winter because there is less incidental sun exposure and protective clothing is easier to wear. Starting in cooler weather can also put you farther along by next summer. Patients who begin during the summer months can still stay consistent with careful scheduling and sun protection.
Continue shaving during your treatment series unless your provider gives you different instructions. Shaving removes hair at the skin surface while leaving the follicle available for the laser to target.
Avoid waxing, tweezing, threading, or using an epilator before treatment. These methods pull the hair from the follicle, leaving the laser without its target. Hair color also matters. Black hair and dark brown hair usually respond best because they contain more pigment. Blonde, gray, white, and red hair may respond poorly because the laser has less pigment to detect.
A numbing cream is rarely needed for large common treatment areas, though it may be considered for a small or sensitive area. Only use one if your provider recommends it.
Laser hair removal can reduce unwanted hair on the legs, bikini line, underarms, face, upper lip, back, chest, and other areas of the body. It offers long-term hair reduction rather than guaranteed permanent hair removal. Some new hair may appear over time due to hormones, aging, or previously inactive follicles, and occasional maintenance treatment may be useful.
The best summer plan is an honest one. Tell us about your sun exposure, self-tanner, vacations, and upcoming pool days. We can adjust the schedule around your life without compromising safety.
If you want to get laser hair removal in summer, Franklin Skin and Laser can evaluate your skin and create a treatment schedule built around your plans. Our Franklin office serves patients from Brentwood, Cool Springs, Nashville, and throughout Middle Tennessee.
Schedule your consultation or give us a call today.
Steven Bengelsdorf, M.D., F.A.C.S., is a board-certified surgeon and the medical director of Franklin Skin and Laser in Franklin, Tennessee.
With more than 20 years of experience, he specializes in non-invasive aesthetic care, cosmetic dermatology, and energy-based treatments. Dr. Bengelsdorf is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery. He supervises the practice’s licensed nurses and medical aestheticians, helping ensure that each treatment plan reflects the patient’s skin, goals, medical history, and safety needs.
Schedule a consultation with the team at Franklin Skin and Laser today by calling us at (615) 595-8177 or by filling out our online consultation form.
