For four to six weeks before treatment, stop waxing or tweezing the area to be treated. (You may continue shaving.) For two weeks before your scheduled appointment, it's important to avoid sun exposure to the areas you are planning on having treated. Then one to three days before, closely shave the area. If the hair grows rapidly in the treatment area, shave the day before.

Immediately after treatment, apply a cold compress for a few minutes, then use a soothing lotion on the area for a few days to a week. After two weeks or so, you'll see what looks like hair growing in over the treated area. This is actually the treated hair follicles “shedding”. The shedding process can last up to two weeks. You may also see small black dots under the skin, which is also part of the shedding process. Using a loofah or exfoliating scrub can help move this process along.

After four weeks or so, you'll be hair-free until the follicles that were dormant during your last treatment begin to grow. When this new hair starts appearing it's usually time for your next treatment.