If there is active herpes in the area where laser treatment will take place, postponing it until it has subsided is recommended as light can reactivate herpes outbreaks.
Freckles can safely be treated with laser hair removal as its beams do not penetrate deep into the skin, only lightening them. However, dark freckles should be avoided as this could increase risk. Your clinician may advise against treating them based on this factor alone.
Freckles
Freckles are harmless yet unsightly spots caused by diminished melanin in the skin due to prolonged sun exposure. While freckles tend to be more prevalent among people with fair-skinned skin, they can appear on older or darker-skinned individuals as well. Freckles may appear on hands, legs, face, arms or chest of women while men typically see them most on shoulders arms cheeks neck area of their bodies and shoulders arms cheeks neck area for themselves – although they’re harmless they can still cause feelings of self-consciousness which may lead them cover them up or use an electric razor device for shaving! While not harmful in themselves freckles can make people self-conscious leading them either to cover it up or cover it up using makeup or an electric razor device device device to cover up these spots or hide it with cosmetics to cover over its presence by covering or covering up or covering it over either way!
Laser hair removal can help those suffering from freckles to eliminate them effectively and safely. Treatment usually requires multiple sessions depending on your skin condition; it should be safe for most nonpregnant and breastfeeding individuals; those with sensitive skin may want to avoid laser treatment altogether.
Laser beams target skin areas to cause freckles to break apart or completely vanish from its surface, eventually turning slightly pink in color before returning its natural pigmentation.
After receiving laser therapy, skin may become delicate and susceptible to irritation from shaving or other methods of skin care. Therefore, patients should refrain from shaving, plucking, waxing and using depilatory creams in the area treated for several weeks following a session.
People living with herpes should avoid laser hair removal if they have cold sores, as this treatment could trigger outbreaks of herpes. Antiviral medications and proper hygiene – including regular handwashing – should be the preferred way to combat herpes outbreaks.
Before scheduling laser hair removal treatments, it’s also vital that you discuss your herpes situation with your laser provider. Since laser can damage the surface of the skin and reactivate herpes virus in an affected area, triggering flare-ups – usually visible around your mouth or genital areas.
Cold Sores
Cold sores (also called fever blisters) can be itchy and uncomfortable. Caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV), they appear as small blisters which ooze and crust over in about seven days before disappearing on their own without infection; although not contagious they can still be embarrassing. Most often they heal on their own within three to six weeks without negatively affecting an individual’s daily activities; however, the herpes virus may reactivate and cause more sores later on.
If you find cold sores on your face, it is essential that you notify a laser hair removal professional as soon as possible and reschedule your appointment until the area is clear. Laser treatment could spread herpes virus into other parts of your body and is therefore unadvisable when dealing with an outbreak.
Cold sores may be treated using creams, ointments and medications designed to ease pain and speed healing. Available prescription include Acyclovir (Zovirax) and Penciclovir (Denavir), with over-the-counter alternatives including Acyclovir Cream or Famciclovir FAMVIR or Docosanol Abreva for docosanol abreva being some alternatives available too. Creams containing benzocaine or lidocaine may be applied directly onto sores daily for added relief.
Doctors typically diagnose cold sores by looking at them and performing a physical exam, although swabbing the blister fluid for further diagnosis. While some individuals have no symptoms at all, others experience frequent or recurrent outbreaks that require medication to lessen frequency and intensity of outbreaks.
Cold sores cannot be cured completely, but antiviral drugs may shorten their duration by decreasing inflammation. These treatments should typically be taken orally or as tablets.
Freckles don’t interfere with laser treatments; however, eczema may require temporary abstinence from laser therapy treatments until its symptoms clear up. Atopic Dermatitis or Eczema is a chronic skin condition characterized by red, itchy patches with blisters or sores on the skin that is hard to control but manageable through use of topical steroid creams and taking oral steroids.
Genital Herpes
Genital herpes is an infection caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV). HSV-1 typically affects mouth or facial sores while HSV-2 primarily infects genital areas via sexual contact.
Herpes sores often resemble blisters. They may be itchy, painful, and form ulcers which fill with pus. Herpes sores generally heal over time. Some individuals do not experience symptoms before the sores appear while others will experience tingling or itching sensations prior to developing sores.
People living with herpes can still undergo laser hair removal; they simply must inform their professional of this fact and their history of outbreaks so they can create an individualized treatment plan to reduce risk during and after treatments.
If you suffer from herpes, it’s essential that you take antiviral medication regularly – beginning before laser hair removal sessions and continuing through until there are no active outbreaks – in order to reduce the chances of the laser initiating an outbreak. This will also lessen any possible flames triggered by laser.
If a cold sore outbreak arises during a laser hair removal treatment session, you should reschedule until its healing to ensure that treatments won’t cause pain or cause herpes flare-ups.
Some laser hair removal professionals suggest that those living with herpes take prophylactic oral antiviral medication prior to beginning laser treatments; however, this doesn’t always work effectively.
It is best to discuss with your physician how you can have safe sex and prevent herpes outbreaks, and select the type of laser hair removal suitable for you. There are also many supportive services for people living with herpes; speaking to a counselor may help come to terms with your diagnosis while finding ways to cope and lessen its severity.
Active Herpes Outbreak
Genital herpes outbreaks present as itchy and painful blisters filled with fluid that appear anywhere from the genital area, rectum, mouth, genitalia or elsewhere in the body. Blisters may ooze or bleed before healing over a week or longer period causing flu-like symptoms such as fever, body aches and fatigue.
Herpes can spread through contact between infected skin areas and unprotected sexual acts; thus it’s vital that both partners use protection while engaging in intimate relations.
Most people infected with herpes don’t experience symptoms at first, or only mild ones that don’t show on the surface of the skin. Even without sores present, you could still spread herpes through kissing, sharing food utensils or lip balm, or using a toothbrush with herpes on it.
If you have an active herpes outbreak, laser hair removal should not be undertaken as the heat used during treatment may aggravate cold sores or breakouts and worsen them further. If in doubt as to whether laser hair removal can safely be administered while having herpes symptoms present, consult with a laser technician prior to beginning any laser hair removal treatment sessions.
Laser hair removal with herpes is generally safe as long as there is no active outbreak in the area being treated. Should an outbreak arise during laser hair removal sessions, it’s wiser to wait until all sores have healed before continuing with laser treatments.
As it’s essential to protect the area from laser hair removal heat, it is also vitally important that you inform the laser hair removal technician about herpes; she or he may apply a barrier cream in order to protect it. You should avoid shaving until healing has occurred as shaving can trigger herpes outbreaks; if you decide to shave instead use an electric razor rather than manual one; manual shaving could result in cuts, burns and irritation of skin that could stimulate an HSV outbreak.
