The perfect solution to constantly growing unwanted hair on the face and body is a hair or IPL treatment. These methods stop hair growth for a period of 6 months to two years or in some cases even longer. You can have the laser or IPL treatment done by a professional or use hair removal devices at home, such as the Ulike Saphir Air 1 0 to provide you with a gentle and comfortable hair removal treatment.
But there are certain measures that you should follow while doing hair removal. Using deodorants after IPL treatment is one of them. There is a debate about whether you can use them after IPL/laser or not. In this article, we want to end the debate.
- Part 1: What ingredients are contained in a deodorant?
- Part 2: What are the advantages and disadvantages of applying deodorant?
- Part 3: Can I use deodorant after laser/IPL hair removal?
- Part 4: After how long can I use deodorant again?
- Part 5: Which deodorant should I use after laser/IPL hair removal?
- Part 6: What can I do instead of using deodorant?
- Part 7: Are there any other things I should avoid after IPL/laser?
- Part 8: Conclusion
What ingredients are contained in a deodorant?
Have you ever wondered how a deodorant works? And how can it prevent your armpits from sweating excessively and giving off an unpleasant odor? Well, most deodorants and antiperspirants contain certain ingredients that work in different ways and serve their purpose. Let's look at some of them:
- Aluminum salts: Aluminum salts such as aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex or aluminum chlorohydrate are used in deodorants to block your sweat glands and prevent excessive sweating.
- Talc: Talc, a combination of magnesium, silicon and oxygen, is used to absorb extra oil and moisture from the body. This leads to a reduction in body odor.
- Cyclomethicone: It is usually found in spray cans as an alcohol substitute to hold all the ingredients together.
- Alcohol: Different deodorants use different alcohols that have different functions. Stearyl alcohol, for example, can heal your dry skin, while other alcohols give your body a cooling sensation.
- Triclosan: It is an antifungal and antibacterial agent that prevents the growth of odor-causing bacteria, thus reducing the unpleasant smell of your armpits.
- Perfume: Deodorants also contain fragrances to make you smell good and mask body odor.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of applying deodorant?
We've discussed the most common ingredients in deodorants so you know what effects deodorants can have and whether they're good or bad for you. Now let's discuss their pros and cons.
Advantages
- Deodorants make you smell good. Smelling good gives you the confidence to interact with others and feel fresh throughout the day
- They increase the acidity of your skin, which kills the bacteria responsible for the smell, preventing you from giving off a bad smell.
- When you smell good, you attract more attention and look neater and cleaner than those who don't use deodorant.
Disadvantages
- The very first disadvantage of a deodorant is that it can cause allergic reactions. Parabens, propylene glycol and lanolin can be the reason for these reactions
- The fragrances contained in deodorants can irritate your skin
- The deodorants, which also act as antiperspirants, contain aluminum salts. Studies show that aluminum can lead to Alzheimer's disease or breast cancer. However, there is no solid evidence of a link between these diseases and aluminum salts.
Can I use deodorant after laser/IPL hair removal?
Now you know the most important ingredients, advantages and disadvantages of deodorants very well. The question here is whether they are suitable after IPL or laser hair removal.
As mentioned above, deodorants can cause allergic reactions and rashes, meaning they are not suitable for everyone. After laser/IPL hair removal, your skin is particularly sensitive and the chemicals in deodorants can make your already sensitive skin even more prone to redness, rashes, allergies and blistering.
Therefore, it is forbidden to wear deodorant immediately after IPL/laser hair removal.
After how long can I use deodorant again?
Some people have become accustomed to using deodorants and find it impossible to give them up. But if you want your body to stay hair-free for a long time, you have to make this sacrifice.
This does not mean that you should never use deodorants. Their use is usually prohibited for 1-2 days and then you can use deodorants again. Moreover, it is considered even better to wait a maximum of 2 weeks so that your skin can fully recover and no unwanted reactions occur.
Which deodorant should I use after laser/IPL hair removal?
It is necessary to stop using deodorants completely for 1-2 days, but a week of waiting is a long time. To minimize skin reactions and let your skin recover for 15 days, you can replace your deodorant with an alcohol- and fragrance-free one.
Try to buy a deodorant that contains more natural ingredients and fewer chemicals. You can also try crystal deodorants as they are less harmful to your body compared to regular deodorants.
What can I do instead of using deodorant?
Instead of using deodorants and taking risks, you can change your daily routine and use natural ingredients to eliminate the odor and smell pleasant.
Using witch hazel
Witch hazel is a natural anti-inflammatory and also has astringent properties, which makes it able to absorb excess moisture from your skin and kill bacteria. So when you apply it to your body, it absorbs sweat and prevents bacteria from growing and causing odor.
Shower regularly
There are times when we don't have the energy to take a bath after a strenuous physical exercise. If we don't shower after sweating profusely throughout the day, the moisture stays in our body and encourages the growth of bacteria.
As bacteria grow, you will start to produce odor, so make showering a part of your routine.
Wear loose clothing
Tight clothing doesn't cause sweating, but it deprives your body of the freedom to breathe fresh air. It also slows down the evaporation process, which means the sweat stays there and causes a foul odor.
So make sure you wear loose clothing so that air can flow through, heat can escape from the body and sweating is minimized.
Wear clothes made from natural fabrics
Wearing clothes made from natural fabrics like cotton, linen or merino wool can also reduce sweating and prevent bad odor. Cotton can absorb moisture, bamboo is resistant to bacteria and mold, and merino wool is known to regulate your body temperature.
In addition, these fabrics are breathable and provide even air circulation throughout the body.
Avoid some foods
There are some foods like garlic, onions or red meat that can make you smell after eating them. Also, people who eat spicy foods tend to sweat more. Avoiding these foods during the skin recovery period after laser treatment can help prevent you from smelling bad and sweating more.
Are there other things I should avoid after IPL/laser?
Post-IPL/laser precautions are not limited to deodorants. If you want your hair removal to go well, you must also avoid the following things.
Make up
Makeup might be your solution to hide the flaky and itchy skin after laser treatment, but it can cause skin irritation and discomfort. Makeup also interferes with your skin's regeneration, so you should avoid it for at least a day.
After 1-2 days you can start applying makeup, but use a non-abrasive makeup with the fewest harmful chemicals.
Skin care products
Just like makeup contains harsh chemicals, certain skin care products also contain alcohol, parabens and fragrances. These can cause redness and irritation on your skin, so you should avoid using them for 2 days.
You can apply gentle moisturizers to your skin as they speed up the healing process.
Suntan
Your skin is sensitive and its outer protective barrier is disrupted after laser/IPL hair removal. We know very well how UV rays can penetrate our skin and cause hypopigmentation and skin cancer.
Because the outer barrier is broken after laser treatment, UV rays can penetrate more easily, damaging your skin and causing hyperpigmentation, redness and burns.
Shave
Hair removal with a razor is usually recommended between laser or IPL sessions, but shaving immediately after treatment can irritate your already sensitive skin. It can abrasion the epidermis even more, causing serious skin damage.
So wait at least 5-6 days before shaving the unwanted hair from your body. To learn how to shave properly before your next session, read " How do I shave before using the Ulike IPL hair removal device ? "
Retinol
Retinols make your skin particularly sensitive to light. This is because retinol increases cell turnover and makes your skin thin. The next time you have hair removal, the thin skin can easily burn or scarring can occur.
So don't use it for at least three days to protect your skin.
Hot showers
Hot showers or saunas can attack your sensitive skin from the outside, so taking a hot shower after an IPL or laser treatment is more likely to cause skin burns and blistering.
Wait 2 days and then you can return to your normal skin care and shower routine.
Conclusion
Deodorants have become an essential part of our lives to smell good and avoid excessive sweating. They help us smell good while IPL/laser helps us get smooth skin for years. However, using a deodorant after a laser or IPL treatment can irritate your skin and cause blistering.
So avoid applying deodorant for at least 2 days after your session. You can try wearing loose clothes made of natural fabrics and apply witch hazel during this time. This will help reduce sweat and the growth of bacteria.
