Laser hair removal burns are rare if you follow the instructions from your beauty center; however, they may occur if the practitioner doesn’t adjust the laser settings to match your skin type or there is equipment malfunction.
If you do experience burning, it is imperative that you visit a beauty center immediately so they can assess its severity and provide effective treatment advice.
What is a laser burn?
Laser burns are skin injuries caused by excessive heat exposure during laser hair removal treatments, most often because the technician doesn’t properly regulate the laser power or you have an especially sensitive area on your body. Laser burns may be painful and itchy at first but they tend to heal over time becoming less noticeable with use of moisturizer and staying out of direct sunlight. The best way to treat laser burns is staying out of direct sunlight as much as possible while using moisturizer.
Laser hair removal burns are more likely to happen on areas with thinner skin, like the face, neck and armpits. Your risk also increases if you’re darker-skinned or tanned – for this reason it is essential that any problems you are having during treatment be communicated to both the salon or clinic and they should provide advice as to what steps are next in taking action against it.
Your laser device should be FDA approved and administered by a trained specialist, while shaving the affected area 24 hours prior to your session can help avoid having any visible hair become singed by the laser beam. Applying aloe vera cream after burning your skin may help minimize scarring and scarring; also try avoiding using heavy ointments which trap heat, since these could make the burn worse.
If you experience laser hair removal burns, it’s essential that you immediately reach out to the beauty salon or clinic where the treatment took place and request to speak with the laser practitioner who performed your procedure. If they cannot satisfy you, get in contact with either their affiliated physician or an independent one as soon as possible.
As soon as the burn occurs, it’s wise to photograph it immediately and gather evidence for possible legal action in the future. At Zukowski, Rogers, Flood & McArdle we specialize in laser hair removal burn litigation and can assist you in filing a personal injury claim in order to recover damages related to laser hair removal burn injuries.
What are the symptoms of a laser burn?
Laser hair removal services commonly apply a gel to the skin before lasering away unwanted hair, in order to cool the surface and help the laser glide smoothly across its surface. Unfortunately, if this gel doesn’t dry before treatment begins there’s an increased chance of experiencing an adverse reaction and suffering a burn.
If a laser treatment leaves skin feeling warm after receiving it, contact the provider immediately and seek medical help immediately if they suspect serious burns have occurred. A laser burn typically appears similar to sunburn with redness, swelling and blisters as symptoms; seeking professional assistance could prevent future episodes.
Laser hair removal burns may be avoided by following your doctor’s advice regarding aftercare of your skin after treatment. They may suggest an anti-inflammatory cream or ointment containing aloe vera for proper postcare of affected areas, as well as donning high SPF sunscreen on affected areas until their wound has fully healed. It’s also wise to limit direct sunlight exposure, opting for protective clothing instead, wearing high SPF sunblock, or discontinuing medications which make skin more photosensitive (vitamin E supplements, fish oil or blood thinners etc), until healing occurs and healing has taken place.
Laser burn victims should watch out for signs of trouble during their healing process, including graying of tissue which indicates burnt skin and that laser and cooling settings need to be adjusted as soon as possible.
Doctors and technicians may cause laser hair removal burns by failing to follow manufacturer-recommended heat setting adjustments or due to lack of training or experience during the procedure.
If a patient experience laser hair removal burns due to negligence at a clinic, it is advisable for him or her to consult a personal injury attorney in order to establish its cause and hold those at fault accountable. They may conduct an investigation of both the facility itself as well as of any doctors or technicians responsible in order to establish who were at fault and hold them responsible.
What are the treatments for a laser burn?
Laser hair removal is usually considered safe, however on rare occasions it may cause burns. Common symptoms of burns include pain and redness that can usually be treated at home with paracetamol or ibuprofen; however, if your skin is severely burned you should seek medical advice immediately.
Those suffering from laser burns should always follow their doctor’s post-treatment instructions carefully to avoid infections and treat your skin properly. You should inform any medications taken as certain ones could alter how it responds to light.
Maintain a clean environment around the injured area to help avoid infection on burned areas, and it may also be wise to cover affected areas as instructed by your physician or laser practitioner. Ointments containing aloe vera or another soothing agent such as Vaseline or Aquaphor should not be applied, as this will trap heat and cause further damage.
Healing from a laser burn may take months. You may notice discolorations on your skin that resembles eczema during this time; these discolorations are actually new tissue formation. Over time, your original hue will return.
Careful documentation of your laser burn injury at its time of occurrence and periodically during its healing phase can provide evidence to substantiate any future court claims, should they arise. Our attorneys can guide you through this process during our free consultation – reach out today and schedule one! We serve clients across Illinois, Wisconsin and America.
Are laser burns permanent?
Laser hair removal can be a safe solution for many who suffer from unwanted body hair. The process involves sending pulses of laser energy into the skin to destroy melanin pigment in hair follicles, thus stopping further hair growth. Unfortunately, burns can occur if laser is misused improperly or when applied on sensitive skin; should this occur it is important that victims seek immediate medical care and follow all doctor-recommended treatments as quickly as possible; doing this will speed their recovery and strengthen any possible personal injury claims from laser hair removal burn personal injury claims claims further.
Laser hair removal burns can be painful, but they don’t always leave permanent scars. To minimize their severity and heal quickly, it is essential that burned areas remain moist and healthy by using creams such as Vaseline (Vaseline) or aloe vera. Furthermore, any blisters on the burned area must not be broken as this could lead to infections that lead to scarring; alternatively cool or warm water is best. Finally, over the counter pain relievers such as Ibuprofen or naproxen may help relieve any associated discomfort caused by burns.
Preventing laser hair removal burns is simple. Ensure that you work with an experienced practitioner using a high-quality device approved for use on your specific skin type and be honest when discussing medications and conditions that could increase the risk of scarring complications with them.
Fowler notes that lasers tend to damage thin, fatty areas such as legs, bikini lines or the face most easily with laser light. Furthermore, burns tend to occur more often on tanned skin because its darker pigment absorbs more laser energy than untanned skin does.
Fowler warns that providers operating from untrustworthy establishments where safety standards don’t meet are more likely to cause burns, so to minimize the risks she advises doing research before visiting salons for sessions and meeting providers first-hand before booking any sessions.
