Laser hair removal rarely results in serious burns, although minor ones can still occur if equipment is misused.
Laser hair removal burns can occur at beauty centers and salons that lack adequate training or experience with laser equipment, and for clients with preexisting tattoos or skin conditions that increase risk for hair removal burns such as preexisting conditions such as rosacea.
How to Tell If You Have Been Burned
Doctors divide burns into three categories depending on how deeply they penetrate the skin – or “degree.” Minor first-degree (superficial) burns such as sunburn typically only penetrate as deeply as the epidermis layer and typically don’t produce blisters or cause extreme pain.
Second-degree burns can be more serious. They affect both upper and lower layers of skin, including some fatty tissue. A second-degree burn may appear dry and leathery with white, black, or yellow leathery appearance and will likely be painful without blisters forming; for treatment seek medical advice immediately.
Third-degree burns are the most serious type of burn and require immediate medical care. Call 911 immediately if a third-degree burn involves all layers of skin and often fat beneath, sometimes reaching muscles and bones beneath its wound. A team of burn specialists must intervene quickly to avoid infection, limit scarring and ensure functionality in burned areas.
Infection is the leading cause of burn victim deaths. Burn-related infections typically begin as red, warm or swollen skin around the burned area that becomes redder with each passing day, eventually spreading throughout the body and producing sepsis or septic shock – two potentially life-threatening conditions.
Causes of Laser Hair Removal Burns
Laser hair removal is an increasingly popular cosmetic treatment option to eliminate unwanted body hair, but this form of medical aesthetic treatment does not come without risks – burns aren’t common but they could occur. Knowing which signs to watch out for in order to avoid burns due to laser hair removal can be crucial.
Laser hair removal burns typically result from improper execution of the process. This may include not following safety protocols or choosing an unsuitable treatment setting for your skin type. Furthermore, prolonged contact between laser and skin could even occur without cooling effects to provide relief, leading to mild burns on exposed areas of skin.
Laser hair removal burns may occur due to debris accumulation on the applicator device used during treatment, due to poor hygiene or from leaving gel applied before laser hair removal to dry out over time.
If you believe you have been burned during laser hair removal, it is imperative to notify the clinic as soon as possible and take photos and write down what happened in order to provide evidence later for use by a personal injury lawyer in determining any compensation you may be due. It is also wise to leave any blisters intact as popping them could allow bacteria in and lead to infection.
Treatments for Laser Hair Removal Burns
Laser hair removal burn treatments depend on the extent of damage to the skin. Sometimes a medical professional may need to apply prescription creams and medications prescribed by them in order to speed healing and alleviate pain. Other possible therapies could include pain management, topical antiscab agents to protect from infection risks and surgical procedures as needed; in more serious cases hospitalization and possibly skin grafting might also be required in order to repair scarring caused by severe burns.
Laser hair removal occurs when a technician presses a handheld device against your skin and activates a laser, emitting light energy that targets pigment in hair follicles and stops their growth. However, if applied too thickly or used on skin with different pigmentation than your own, burns could occur as a result of laser treatment.
Some individuals may also be at a greater risk for laser hair removal burns due to preexisting conditions like eczema or psoriasis. Furthermore, having extremely dark skin tones increases your chances of burning since laser light can damage melanin rather than just hair follicles – should this occur, remember not to pop any blisters as doing so could increase infection risks significantly.
Prevention of Laser Hair Removal Burns
There are several steps you can take to reduce the risk of laser hair removal burns. Choosing a provider with sufficient training and experience performing laser treatments will be important; otherwise, improper handling or mistakes during treatments could increase the chance of an injury occurring.
Prior to laser treatments, it is wise to avoid sunless skin creams as these may lighten your skin, increasing the chances of experiencing a burn. You should inform your provider if any medications you’re taking cause light sensitivity; shaving the area prior to treatment can further decrease this risk.
If you have been injured due to laser hair removal treatment, taking photos of the burned area and keeping a journal detailing what happened during treatment will assist when filing for compensation from those responsible.
Never pop blisters that form from a laser hair removal burn, as doing so could allow bacteria to enter and lead to infection. If an infection does arise as a result of laser burn, treatment should be sought immediately depending on its severity and may include medication and ointments; most likely however, your burn will heal within months.
How Long Do Laser Hair Removal Burns Last?
If you have experienced laser hair removal burns, recovery may take some time. It is essential that during this period you avoid overexerting or exposing the injured area to sun. Doing this will prevent further injury to the burns. In addition, keep the injured area clean and use moisturizer prescribed by a doctor to speed healing time.
Laser treatment is one of the safest ways to remove unwanted body hair, yet many people suffer from severe laser burn injuries during beauty treatments at salons and aesthetic centers that fail to provide enough care for a safe procedure. Such injuries may lead to disfigurement, scarring and ongoing physical and psychological discomfort that requires medical intervention and can even require disfiguring surgery in severe cases.
Laser hair removal burns typically range from first degree burns, which are the mildest type. Given proper care, your skin should eventually return to its natural color; however, this process could take several months.
If you suspect a laser burn injury, it is vital to notify the beauty center and speak with its technician who conducted your treatment as soon as possible. Documenting details of your injuries will allow us to hold them responsible and obtain appropriate compensation from them – something which has helped numerous of our clients claim settlements from spas who failed in meeting their duty of care obligations.
When to Seek Professional Medical Care
Laser hair removal uses laser or intense pulsed light (IPL) technology to target and destroy individual hair follicles, making treatment safe, effective and minimally invasive. If skin burns occur after laser hair removal treatment is administered, immediately seek medical advice and notify the clinic which performed your procedure of your experience.
Beauticians have an obligation to their clients to ensure they remain safe during laser treatments and achieve positive outcomes, yet accidents do occur and individuals suffer needlessly. Accidents could occur for various reasons such as:
Practitioners failing to adjust the machine for specific skin or hair types or colours; technicians who fail to properly maintain their machines.
Unsuitable gels or preparation products used during treatment. Melanin in the skin, new tanning treatments or skincare products that interact with laser light could make destroying hair follicles harder.
Laser hair removal should not be painful, although some individuals may experience discomfort. Paracetamol or ibuprofen may help alleviate any associated discomfort. If your burn blisters start oozing fluid, do not pop them as this could cause infection; loosely wrap them in gauze or use an ointment instead to soothe the area and promote healing. Topical treatments like aloe vera gel or hydrocortisone creams may be used to soothe skin while speeding healing time – your doctor may prescribe more specific products depending on severity of burns.
