The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

What do I need to do to prepare for my LASER treatment?

To ensure that you receive the best possible results, following the advice for preparation before the start of treatment and aftercare is a vital part of the process. 

Please notify your practitioner if your medical status changes.

Please notify your practitioner if you have a history of seizures or fainting.

Before and during a course of LASER treatment

Wear fragrance free SPF50 sun protection on a daily basis to ensure that your skin is not tanned. Please ensure the product has a 5 star rating.

We are unable to treat tanned skin. This includes natural tan, sunbed use and fake tan. These must be avoided for a minimum of 6 weeks before the start of, and during treatment.

Please notify the clinic in good time of any medications that you are taking. Taking certain prescription medications may affect your treatment.

Ensure that treatment area is free from make-up, moisturiser and sun cream.

If you wish to wear make-up before your appointment, please attend the department 30 minutes early to allow you to remove it and allow your skin to settle before treatment (Please bring your own products).

If the treated area is a hair bearing area e.g the beard area, please attend your appointment clean shaven.

This regime must be adhered to throughout the course of your treatment. Failure to follow the above advice is likely to mean that we will be unable to carry out your treatment when you attend.

After treatment

The skin may be sensitive to injury in the first few days after treatment and should be treated delicately. Avoid any injury, rubbing and scratching.

Avoid shaving the area for 5 days.

Avoid strenuous exercise, swimming, saunas, steam rooms. hot baths or showers and fragranced products for 7 days.

Avoid make-up and moisturiser and sun cream for 48 hours following your treatment, to prevent any rubbing/friction to your skin.

The treated areas will be sensitive to sunlight after treatment. Fragrance free factor 50 sun block with 5 star UVA protection should be used for 6 months, following the end of your treatment. Strong sun exposure should be avoided wherever possible.

If any scabs or blisters develop, they should be left intact if possible and we request that you contact the department for further advice.