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Ibd Sufferers: You Can End the Struggle


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Ibd Sufferers: You Can End the Struggle

I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis eight years ago, and I was told that I would likely struggle with flare-ups for the rest of my life. I heard stories of other sufferers who had to eventually have their colons removed, and I became determined to not become part of this statistic. I was prescribed a daily medication that helps manage my condition, and although I don't like taking pills, I realize I need it to keep my colon healthy. I still experienced flares, so I began an elimination diet recommended by my doctor and found my "trigger" foods. I have now been flare-free for two years! I created this blog to help remind others with IBD that there is hope. You can end the constant struggle if you work with your doctor to try different methods of controlling your disease.

What NOT To Do Before Your Laser Hair Removal Procedure

If you're planning to get laser hair removal to remove your unwanted body hair, you need to take the best care of yourself possible while you lead up to the procedure. You don't want to show up after taking certain medications or doing certain things that will hurt your skin or make the process unsuccessful. Here are some things that you need to avoid before getting laser hair removal.

Tanning

If you tan regularly, you need to stop for a while before getting laser hair removal. Different clinics may tell you a different amount of time; however, the longer you stop, the better. About a week should be good enough. Laser hair removal done on tanned skin can burn you and give you less optimal results because the pigment in your skin will absorb the energy from the laser. If you lay out in the sun regularly, you need to stop for a few days before your treatment, even if you don't tan well.

Bleaching Your Hair

If you usually bleach hair on your lip, or any other unwanted hair, you need to stop before you get laser hair removal. Most lasers don't work on white or blonde hair because the lasers target pigments in hair. If you show up with bleached hair, you probably won't see much of a difference.

Using Certain Beauty Product

Using beauty products that cause photosensitivity will make you more sensitive to the laser and will make you more prone to irritation. This will increase your risk of burning and scarring. Beauty products with these ingredients need to be discontinued before treatment:

  • Bleach

  • Salicylic acid

  • Hydroquinone

  • Glycolic acid

  • Retin-A

  • Benzoyl peroxide

  • Retinol

You also need to stop using all self-tanning products at least 14 days before treatment. Using an exfoliating scrub during the two weeks will help remove the products from your skin and make the results of your laser treatment more favorable.

Taking Certain Medications

Some medications will cause the same issues as the beauty products mentioned. The most common medications are prescription acne medications that can make your skin extremely sensitive to the sun. Antibiotics and other powerful medications can have the same affect. If you're looking into laser hair removal, be sure disclose all medications that you are taking or plan to start taking. This includes prescription and over the counter medications.

Waxing or plucking

You probably think that you need to grow your hair out before laser hair removal, but this is not the case. The hair on your skin will absorb energy from the laser, and it will cause your results to be less favorable. The laser focusing on the surface of your skin will give you a greater chance of burning as well. The laser will target the roots of your hair, so having hair on the surface is completely unnecessary. Since the laser needs hair roots to work properly, you don't want to wax or pluck your hair before your laser treatment. Plucking or waxing will give the laser nothing to target and the treatment won't work. For best results, stop waxing several weeks before your treatment and shave the day of, or the night before.

Exercising

Exercising is generally fine, but it's not a good idea to do it right before your treatment. If you planned to hit the gym on the way to the clinic, make other plans. Exercise raises your body temperature, which makes your skin more likely to burn. Keep your body-heat to a minimum before treatment.

Laser hair removal is a great option for removing unwanted hair. However, you need to be careful not to do certain things that will increase your risk of injury. For more info on laser hair removal, contact a clinic in your area.