Laser hair removal works best on people with dark hair and light skin. The contrast allows the laser to easily target only hair follicles without harming nearby tissue.
If you experience burns during laser hair removal, you may be eligible to file a claim against both the spa where you received treatment and its technicians. Contact our laser hair removal burn injury attorneys now to explore all your legal options.
What Causes a Burn?
Burns can occur as the result of direct contact with heat, electricity, radiation and chemical agents. Chemical burns occur when an acid splashes onto your skin accidentally or fumes from ovens and drain cleaners come in contact with it; radiation burns may come from UV light exposure or medical procedures like X-rays; thermal (heat) burns are typically the result of steam heating up bath water or cups tipped over while cooking; electrical current can also cause electrical burns from appliances in your home or elsewhere in nature.
A burn’s severity depends on how many layers of the skin and tissue it affects, and how badly they’ve been damaged. First-degree burns only impact the outermost layer and cause redness, swelling and pain; second-degree burns involve damage to outer and underlying layers; they may appear leathery, waxy or brown and blister before oozing clear or yellow-colored fluid blisters that ooze clear fluid from blisters; while third-degree burns affect all layers including fat tissue and muscles before becoming black or charred and cause pain that often goes numb due to nerve loss at their site of origin.
Those suffering a severe burn should call 911 or go straight to an emergency room immediately. Applying ice can make matters worse by sealing in heat and delaying healing time, so instead run cool water over it for five to 30 minutes to bring down its temperature and speed up healing time. After this has taken place, cover it in a loose non-fluffy dressing or plastic cling film – any products containing oils, creams or lotions which trap heat will only make matters worse.
Laser hair removal is an effective and safe solution to permanently eliminate unwanted facial and neck hair. Unwanted facial and neck hair tends to be coarser and thicker than elsewhere on the body, leading to ingrown hairs or pseudo-folliculitis with shaving or waxing treatments. Laser treatment should be safe and effective for most patients but selecting an experienced cosmetic dermatologist for treatment is key for optimal outcomes.
Prior to beginning laser hair removal treatments, it is also advisable to limit sun exposure. Tanned skin may prevent optimal treatment results by leading the laser beams to misinterpret melanin in hair follicles as pigmentation and cause burns from mistaking melanin for pigmentation resulting in burnt spots on skin.
Severity of the Burn
Laser hair removal is generally safe. The risk of burns and scarring depends on the skill of the practitioner, the location where treatment takes place, as well as individual’s skin type and history. Should burns occur during treatment, prompt medical assistance should be sought immediately and prescription creams and pain medication prescribed as necessary to assist healing processes.
When laser hair removal burns are very mild, recovery typically occurs within several days to one week. Patients should keep the area moisturized and protected from sun exposure as much as possible. If discomfort arises from the burn, an over-the-counter pain reliever can be taken as needed to manage discomfort. In more serious cases, however, more serious burns may take months or years before disappearing completely.
Burns during laser hair removal are unlikely, provided it’s performed by an experienced practitioner using an FDA-approved machine equipped with sufficient cooling and safety features. A number of factors could lead to such burns including using too-sharp razor blades when shaving, neglecting to use gel prior to treatments, or having dark-skinned or tanned skin.
People with light or gray hair and fair skin have a low risk of experiencing burns during laser hair removal; however, those with dark-skinned individuals are more prone to suffering burns since heat from laser beams can absorb into pigment-laden follicles rather than targeting individual follicles directly.
Individuals of any skin tone can reduce the risk of laser hair removal burns by not applying sunless tanning products for six weeks prior to treatment and refraining from other forms of hair removal such as plucking, waxing or electrolysis. Furthermore, blood-thinning medications should not be taken and loose clothing should be worn around the treatment area.
If you or someone close to you has experienced laser hair removal burn, get in touch with us immediately so we can determine whether free private medical treatment in your area may be available to you. It will only take a couple of minutes for us to verify if eligibility exists.
How to Prevent a Burn
Laser hair removal is a safe, effective treatment for unwanted hair removal; however, like all medical or cosmetic procedures it may cause complications. While minor burns are likely, more serious burns could potentially be painful and lead to scarring – knowing how to avoid and treat laser hair removal burns is paramount for successful outcomes.
Lack of experience or training among providers performing laser hair removal procedures is usually to blame, leading them to mishandle equipment incorrectly or mismanage settings on the machine, leading to burns from laser hair removal treatments.
Laser hair removal burns may also result from using an inappropriate type of gel. Some gel is specifically tailored for laser treatments and could trigger adverse reactions if used on other skin types.
People with darker skin are at a greater risk for laser hair removal burns due to melanin competing with that found in hair follicles; thus causing the laser to misidentify both forms and potentially burn their skin without knowing why. However, this issue can easily be avoided using a test spot before beginning full treatments.
If you experience a laser hair removal burn, the first thing to do is cool off the area as soon as possible. Run cool water over your burned skin for several minutes and apply cold compress or ice pack as soon as possible. Additionally, any clothing or jewelry near the burned area should be removed to reduce further damage, while taking painkillers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol may help relieve pain and swelling.
If the burn blisters, don’t pop them! Doing so could allow bacteria into the wound and lead to infection. Instead, let the blisters burst naturally before using an antimicrobial cream on it to keep it clean and help speed up healing time. Moreover, direct sun exposure could worsen scarring.
Getting Rid of a Burn
If you experience a laser burn while receiving laser hair removal treatments, it is essential that you notify the practitioner who provided them. They can take steps to remedy the situation and prevent any long-term consequences from the burn – for instance by applying an antibiotic cream and moisturizer over the area where you were burned, as well as prescribing over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or naproxen as pain relievers to minimize discomfort that you might be feeling.
If a burn is severe, you should seek medical help or go directly to an emergency room for treatment. The type of burn you experience will determine its recovery process – for instance, first-degree burns tend to heal on their own in just a few days; however, keeping the area protected from sunlight until that point may also help speed healing processes along.
Third-degree burns require immediate medical intervention. This may involve medication and/or surgery to expel dead skin cells from under the surface. A severe burn typically leaves permanent scarring behind, although with proper care this scar can be reduced significantly.
Preventing burns with laser therapy involves conducting a test spot prior to beginning full treatments. This will allow you to see how your skin reacts and ensure it’s safe for you before continuing the procedure. In addition, inform your practitioner if you have any preexisting conditions such as eczema or psoriasis before proceeding with any further procedures.
Before beginning treatment, it’s also essential to shave the area to be treated so any loose hairs won’t get singed by the laser. Furthermore, wearing loose clothing such as yoga pants may prevent clothing from rubbing against a burn and irritating it further.
Laser hair removal is an excellent solution for people seeking to minimize unwanted body hair. Although side effects are possible, such as burning, they’re rarely the cause of an adverse reaction; should it occur, chances are the treatment was performed improperly or your skin type doesn’t respond well enough for this procedure.
