Facial skin is one of the most delicate areas on our bodies, so it isn’t unusual for it to experience redness, small bumps and irritation after laser hair removal treatment. If it worsens or persists afterward it should be reported immediately to your provider for proper attention.
Pregnancy or history of keloid scarring should prohibit laser hair removal treatments; similarly genital herpes infection would prevent their use as well.
1. Burning
Laser hair removal works by targeting pigmented melanin in hair to convert light energy into heat, damaging hair follicles and leading to their deflation. After multiple treatment sessions, either all or most of your hair will either have vanished altogether, or will slowly regrow at a slower pace; most patients require 2-6 sessions for full results; when new growth does return it typically reemerges finer and lighter in color than before.
During this procedure, you’ll sit in a chair with your face covered and the practitioner may apply numbing gel to protect from pain. Next, they’ll press a handheld device against your skin and activate it; you may feel an effect similar to when rubber bands snap against skin; treatment sessions typically last from 15 to over an hour and affected areas may remain red or swollen for hours to days afterward; applying ice or taking over-the-counter painkillers may help relieve discomfort.
Laser treatment is safe when performed by an experienced medical doctor who is well trained in using lasers and has extensive knowledge about your skin. Without such training and knowledge, however, burns, scarring and changes to skin color could occur; to minimize risks it is recommended that only seek care from registered national register medical doctors who possess substantial experience using lasers.
2. Irritation
After receiving laser hair removal treatment, skin may feel itchy or slightly irritated for one or two days post-treatment; this is normal and usually subsides within 24-48 hours. To ensure a successful experience and to avoid scarring caused by scratching itchy areas it is essential not to scratch.
One reason itching may occur after laser hair removal is because of the light used during the procedure; specifically if intact follicles remain. As soon as laser beams hit intact follicles, heat from them transforms to damage or destroy them – leading to shed hairs which then produce itchy spots after laser hair removal.
If you experience significant itching post-laser hair removal, be sure to notify the clinic where it took place (especially if they’re medically-run). They will offer guidance for managing itchy or irritated skin in the meantime.
Are You Feeling Itchy or Irritated Skin? A few ways that may help reduce itchy or irritated skin include drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated, avoiding hot showers and baths, using soothing creams or ointments, limiting exfoliation, using cold water showers with fragrance-free soap and using soothing creams/ointments as soon as you need one, limiting sun exposure with broad spectrum, high SPF sunscreen daily as well as wearing broad spectrum high SPF sunscreen every day.
3. Redness
Face skin is sensitive, making it susceptible to redness and irritation after laser hair removal sessions as the hair follicles are repeatedly heated by laser light. As with other side effects associated with laser treatment, clients may experience temporary discomfort directly after sessions as the laser heats the follicles continuously; cooling or numbing creams can help manage it temporarily.
Just as redness may occur after laser treatments, swollen skin can sometimes erupt as a natural response to heat from the laser and typically dissipates within hours. If an area becomes especially painful or swollen, cold compresses or ice wrapped in cloth may be used to alleviate symptoms and swelling. For your own wellbeing and safety it’s important to use sunscreens appropriate to your skin type to minimize sun exposure post session.
Some individuals will experience what seems like continued hair growth after receiving laser treatments, however this is perfectly normal and due to damaged follicles shedding their hair slowly over days or weeks – giving the impression that new growth is sprouting back up. To achieve lasting and consistent results it is crucial to have multiple treatments spread four to six weeks apart; otherwise it will likely have no long-term impact at all.
4. Crusting
Laser hair removal is a safe and effective solution to unwanted hair on the face, neck, or arms. Compared with waxing or electrolysis, it offers more permanent removal. While side effects of laser hair removal may include burning, itching, redness, crusting and changes in skin color change – these effects may be minimized by following pre- and post-treatment instructions from a certified laser hair removal provider.
Some individuals experience skin in the treatment area becoming dry and flaky, with its top layer breaking away and forming crusts. This could occur due to overdrying or not cooling enough with enough power from their laser probe tip; in either instance if this happens it can be remedied by applying moisturizer in that area to alleviate it further. Avoid picking at crusted skin as picking it could result in stinging sensations, bleeding wounds or scarring from bleeding or open wounds forming underneath – the latter two scenarios could create more damage by opening wounds which could then result in bleeding wounds which require medical intervention and scarring or bleeding and scarring later on down the road!
Speak with your laser hair removal provider about what results you hope to see and their expectations for you before beginning the procedure. This will enable them to create a personalized treatment plan and achieve those desired results; for instance, if you have extremely dark hair in certain places that might require multiple sessions.
5. Changes in skin color
Unwanted hair growth is a problem faced by many. Shaving, waxing and plucking can be time-consuming tasks to combat this condition. Laser hair removal provides an efficient means of eliminating unwanted hair. Laser light targeted at dark pigmented hair destroys it instantly during treatment in a doctor’s office with no downtime afterwards; though safe and effective this method may cause side effects.
Laser hair removal may result in burns and blisters on a person’s skin when too quickly absorbs its heat, so practitioners must utilize cooling devices during sessions to help avoid this happening. Should blisters form during hair removal sessions, they must be treated as wounds rather than picked at as this will decrease scarring risk.
Laser hair removal may lead to both lightening (hypopigmentation) and darkening (hyperpigmentation), both due to laser light being attracted by melanin present in both hair and skin, which causes changes in pigmentation that typically fade over time, but in rare instances may become permanent.
As part of your procedure, you’ll experience sensations similar to rubber band snapping against your skin during treatment. Depending on the area being addressed, these sensations could last from several minutes up to an hour; post-procedure, you should avoid direct sunlight and apply an SPF 30 sunscreen product as directed by your physician.
6. Scarring
Laser hair removal offers many advantages: it removes unwanted facial hair quickly and efficiently while eliminating the hassle and time-consuming maintenance required by shaving or waxing, as well as potentially cutting maintenance time significantly. Unfortunately, however, laser hair removal does not come without risks, including scarring and the possibility of permanent changes to skin pigmentation or color; although such side effects may be exacerbated by unqualified practitioners and poor posttreatment care; they’re usually rare with competent practitioners performing treatment.
Hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation can both be serious side effects of laser treatment for people with darker skin tones. These changes in skin color occur because the laser machine may not recognize differences between hair color and skin tone and results in less than satisfactory outcomes.
To avoid side effects from laser hair removal, it is essential to limit sun exposure for several weeks prior to receiving treatment. Laser treatments do not work effectively on tanned skin. In addition, those seeking laser therapy must shave the area to be treated using manual razors prior to coming for their appointment and wear sunscreen during and post-treatment, as laser-treated skin can easily burn or create cold sores.
