Shaving stings every time, waxing hurts enough to make you hesitate, and so many people start looking into laser hair removal. But once you actually start looking, questions come up all at once: “How much area do they cover?”, “How many sessions will I need?”, “Will it hurt?”
Today, for anyone considering Brazilian laser hair removal for the first time, we will go through, step by step, what is good to sort out before your consultation and what to watch for after treatment.
How does the Brazilian hair removal area differ from the bikini line?
The bikini line only tidies hair that shows beyond the edges of underwear or swimwear, and a Brazilian covers the wide pubic area inward from those edges as well. However, the name “Brazilian” alone does not set the specific area, so the areas included can differ slightly from clinic to clinic. The areas to include and the areas to exclude are therefore decided first at the consultation.
In the figure, the dotted line is a simple representation of where underwear covers, and the hatching is a simple representation of the hair removal area. 1 is the bikini line, and 2 is the Brazilian.
| Category | Bikini line | Brazilian |
|---|---|---|
| Area covered | Hair visible beyond the edges of underwear or swimwear | A range close to the whole pubic area, including the edges |
| Hair that remains | Hair inside the underwear is left as it is | All of it is removed, or some is left in a shape you want |
| What to decide at the consultation | How far to tidy | Whether to include the area around the vulva and the area around the anus, and the shape to leave |
It has not been established that one is better than the other. You can choose according to the underwear and swimwear you usually wear, the areas that were uncomfortable when shaving, and whether you want to keep hair. If you tell us the area you want, we look at the condition of your skin and hair and decide together which areas will actually be treated and which will be left out. As the area becomes wider, the treatment time and the places where the skin needs to be checked also increase, so there is also a way to start with a narrower area at first and adjust the range.
Why does laser hair removal take several sessions?
General laser hair removal guidance commonly describes 2–6 sessions, but the Brazilian area may need more depending on hair thickness, skin condition, and response. This range comes from general American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) guidance. It does not mean how many sessions a particular area or person needs to finish, and it is not LILEAP’s recommended number of sessions.
Light absorbed by the pigment in the hair turns into heat and is carried to the root that grows the hair (the follicle), and the laser works well only on hair that is in its growing phase. Hair alternates between growing and resting phases, and not all hairs are in the same phase at once. So treatment is given in several sessions, a few weeks apart.
Not all the hair disappears right after the first session. With each session the amount that grows back tends to decrease, and hair that does return is often finer and lighter. However, there is no guarantee that a set number of sessions will remove every hair permanently, and further maintenance may be needed as time goes on.
Results vary a great deal between people. How the skin and hair respond depends on the color and thickness of the hair, skin color, the area and the device used. Because the laser works by reacting to pigment, it may be less effective on white or very light hair. The timing of the next session is also decided by how much hair has grown back and how well the skin has recovered, rather than by a fixed date.
What should I prepare before my first session?
How your skin reacts to the laser depends on preparation and health information, so please take care of the following in advance. Detailed preparation, such as when to shave, can differ between clinics, so following the instructions you receive when booking is the most accurate.
- Check when to shave It is usual to shave the hair short before laser treatment, because if long hair is left, the laser may not work properly. You will often be told to shave a few days beforehand, so check the timing in advance.
- Take a break from waxing and tweezing The laser works through the hair that remains in the root. Once you start laser hair removal, avoid waxing or tweezing, which pull hair out by the root, and shave instead if needed.
- Avoid sun and tanning Sun-tanned skin reacts more strongly to the laser, making burns or pigment changes more likely. Avoid tanning before treatment and take care to protect your skin from UV.
- Share information that affects how your skin reacts Let us know if you tend to scar or develop raised scars (keloids), or if you often get blisters (herpes) around the lips or genitals. We will also check the medicines you take, including acne medicines, the products you apply to your skin, and any recent dermatitis.
- Share whether you are pregnant and your past hair removal If you are pregnant, it is usual to postpone treatment. If you have had waxing or laser treatment before, it helps to know when, and whether you had reactions such as burns or pigment changes.
What is the treatment day like, and afterward?
During treatment you may feel stinging or a sensation like a rubber band being snapped, and afterward the skin may be red and swollen for a few days. You wear glasses that protect your eyes during treatment, and cooling is used at the same time to lower the skin’s temperature. The bikini area is fairly sensitive, so some people feel more stinging there than in other areas; if it becomes uncomfortable, please tell us right away instead of putting up with it.
Right after treatment the skin may turn red and swell like a mild sunburn, which usually settles within one to three days. A cool compress can ease the discomfort. Until the skin has recovered, please follow these points.
- Keep the treated area out of the sun and do not use tanning devices
- Cut down on situations that cause friction, such as tight clothing, or heat, such as saunas
- Follow the aftercare instructions from the place where you were treated