True or false: Prior to treatment, hair should be shaved but neither waxed nor plucked.

Shaving the hair prior to laser hair removal treatment is essential because it helps in targeting the hair follicle without the interference of long hair above the skin surface. By shaving, the laser can more effectively penetrate the hair follicle and minimize damage to surrounding skin, thereby improving the overall efficacy of the treatment.

Waxing or plucking the hair is not recommended before the procedure because these methods remove the hair from the root, which is the part that the laser targets. If the hair is removed before treatment, the effectiveness of the laser is significantly diminished, as there would be no hair follicles left for the laser to act upon. Therefore, it is critical to shave the area to ensure that the treatment can be performed optimally while avoiding methods that eliminate the hair by its roots.