Laser hair removal can be an excellent solution to permanently eliminate unwanted hair growth. By eliminating the need for shaving, waxing or plucking to address unwanted hair removal concerns, laser treatment offers an effective and lasting solution.
However, treatments may cause side effects that discourage people from seeking them out; therefore it’s crucial that patients find a practitioner with sufficient qualifications who is registered on a national register.
1. Redness
Laser hair removal employs high-powered medical-grade laser lights to heat the pigments of your hair and destroy its follicles, leading to temporary redness and irritation in the treated area. However, this side effect typically resolves on its own within several hours or days; cooling aloe vera gel may help soothe irritation if necessary; for those experiencing persistent discomfort in this regard try applying cold compresses or ice packs in this region.
Laser hair removal may cause permanent discoloration on tanned and dark skin tones (known as hyperpigmentation), as laser light can attract pigments found within these layers to burn them and discolor nearby areas. To minimize this possibility, the best approach would be staying out of direct sunlight, using sunscreens with 30+ SPF protection regularly and refraining from tanning at least a couple weeks prior to your laser hair removal session.
Some individuals experience redness, bumps and swelling immediately following laser hair removal. This irritation typically only affects areas that were lasered; similar to how your skin might react after waxing; however it should subside within hours or days without needing medical intervention. If symptoms continue or worsen please call your dermatologist.
Another possible side effect of laser hair removal is new hair growth in the treated area after multiple sessions, which is normal and may be related to hormonal shifts in your body. If any new hairs appear after laser hair removal sessions have concluded, LH Spa & Rejuvenation recommends coming for touch-up treatment so we can keep any new growth from growing darker or ingrown and cause further irritation.
2. Swelling
After being lasered, skin that has been lasered may appear reddened, swollen, and irritated immediately post treatment. This is a normal response and will fade within hours with cool compresses or moisturizing treatments helping. In order to minimize further irritation caused by sun exposure it is also essential not to expose treated areas directly.
After laser hair removal, some people experience an unpleasant histamine reaction that causes itching and skin swelling. If this occurs, taking an over-the-counter antihistamine may help relieve symptoms.
Laser hair removal may cause pigment changes. These include both hyperpigmentation (darkening of the skin) and hypopigmentation (lightening of the skin). Although such side effects are rare when performed in a medically-led clinic with experienced technicians, they could still occur if your laser settings were improper or your skin tone too light/tanned for proper laser operation.
Few individuals experience skin crusting after receiving treatments, which may become uncomfortable and eventually result in scarring if left unchecked. To minimize this complication, keep skin moisturized with lotions such as baby soap or glycerin soap, to keep moisture levels optimal and use mild soap with water like baby or glycerin soap to minimize its occurrence.
Some individuals can experience perifollicular edema after laser treatments, when hair follicles become swollen after laser treatments. This is part of the healing process and indicates that all energy has been absorbed. If this persists, seek medical advice from either a dermatologist or medical spa with physicians on staff for possible solutions.
3. Ingrown hairs
Ingrown hairs are an increasingly common complication associated with shaving, waxing and other methods of hair removal. Laser hair removal offers one effective solution by permanently disabling hair follicles – thus eliminating ingrown hairs altogether.
However, ingrown hairs can still develop if the treatment area is not regularly exfoliated. They form when individual strands of hair penetrate the skin and curl back into their respective follicles, causing irritation and inflammation in the area.
Exfoliation after laser hair removal is key to ensure optimal results, as it removes dead skin cells that contribute to ingrown hairs and keeps pores open and unblocked. You may also use an astringent with antiseptic or anti-inflammatory properties in order to soothe any redness, irritation or folliculitis symptoms that arise after treatment.
Be mindful that although laser hair removal works for most skin types, it may not be right for everyone. Untrained individuals should never perform laser hair removal as it can lead to burns, permanent changes to skin color, and scarring – for best results consult a board-certified dermatologist with extensive experience using lasers as well as knowledge about individual skin types.
Laser treatments may cause hyperpigmentation in certain individuals with dark complexions due to laser beams emitting from devices and their devices causing superficial burns on your skin. To avoid this side effect, seek out a dermatologist with experience treating various skin tones before and during laser hair removal treatments, following their post-care instructions as closely as possible – for instance avoiding direct sunlight and applying ice as needed will aid recovery while decreasing any associated discomfort. It’s also wise to forgo using any sunless tanning products or blood-thinning medications like aspirin before and during laser hair removal sessions in order to maximize recovery from laser hair removal treatments.
4. Bruising
Laser hair removal treatments may cause some individuals to experience bruising following treatment. This occurs when heat from the laser damages blood vessels near the skin’s surface and leaves purple spots or marks behind that can be painful, although usually fade within 7-10 days and should not negatively impact results of procedure.
Avoid scratching or rubbing areas of skin affected by bruising as this could result in scarring and ingrown hairs, or use makeup to cover them up if you’re self-conscious about them showing. Wait until all bruising has faded before scheduling additional treatments in that area.
Taken medications such as ibuprofen can increase the risk of bruising when having laser hair removal done on their bodies, so those on such medications should refrain from having it done on them. Alcohol and cigarettes should also be avoided prior to your laser hair removal session as much as possible, while taking an OTC pain reliever like Tylenol will help lessen discomfort associated with laser hair removal.
Other rare side effects associated with laser hair removal may include blistering and skin crusting. These could be the result of improper post-treatment care such as not wearing sunscreen or tanning beds between sessions; to minimize these risks it’s wise to choose a reputable practitioner who performs laser hair removal as this could reduce risks significantly and follow all post-treatment care instructions to lower any risk for serious adverse events.
5. Scarring
Though laser hair removal is generally considered safe by experts, there may still be risks involved. People undergoing the procedure could experience redness and irritation similar to sunburn, crusting or scabbing and changes in skin pigmentation (hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation). Although these side effects tend to be temporary in nature, they could be caused by inexperienced practitioners, inadequate preparation or aftercare procedures or taking certain medications or tanning beds prior to or post laser treatments.
Your practitioner will use a handheld device with cooling properties or cold gel at its tip to protect you from the intense heat generated by laser light energy and to minimize discomfort during treatment. Once activated, this laser beam passes over the surface of your skin targeting hair follicles that have become vulnerable over time and destroys them with light energy thereby stopping future hair growth.
Sometimes your skin may feel as though it has been stung by a bee or feel warmer due to cooling gel cooling. If any pain or discomfort arises during this procedure, the practitioner will adjust settings on the laser accordingly so as to reduce further irritation.
Before beginning laser treatment, it is imperative that you refrain from any form of hair removal for at least four weeks prior to receiving laser sessions. This is because laser treatments rely on pigment in hair follicles in order to identify and destroy them; otherwise, a too tanned complexion could mislead it and damage nearby areas.
Artificial tanning should also be avoided for three to four weeks prior and post laser treatments as your skin will become more sensitive to sunlight after laser procedures.
