Laser treatment may not be suitable if you suffer from severe acne, although mild acne should not interfere with laser treatments.
If you experience side effects after laser hair removal, contact the provider and request to speak with a physician on staff. In the meantime, here are some strategies for mitigating potential issues.
Black dots
Black dots may develop after laser hair removal due to dead skin cells becoming trapped in hair follicles. Although not harmful, these tiny spots will fade within days or weeks with frequent exfoliation and use of cooling cream or ointment. Avoiding picking or scrubbing at this area to avoid further damage is best advised.
Although not harmful, black dots can be annoying and cause the treatment area to feel tight and itchy. Most likely caused by heat from laser treatments which open pores and lead to clogs; to minimize these side effects follow all postcare instructions provided by your practitioner who conducted your session.
After laser hair removal, your skin may temporarily darken or lighten as a result. While this effect can occur with all skin types, light skin individuals are especially prone to it. Avoid tanning before and use sunscreen after treatments can help minimise this side-effect.
Blistering or oozing may also occur following laser hair removal sessions and should be reported immediately to your practitioner; such symptoms could indicate infection or serious complications that require medical intervention.
To minimize risks associated with strawberry legs and other cosmetic procedures, it’s crucial to choose a clinic managed by medical professionals. When looking for the ideal provider, look for someone with expertise in dermatology who also specializes in lasers and cosmetic procedures like liposuction or botox treatments. Medical spas may claim they’re doctors without possessing sufficient qualifications; others use inferior lasers that could cause burns or scarring; it is therefore advisable to visit clinics run by doctors that utilize high-quality equipment like the Cynosure Elite Nd:YAG laser for strawberry legs treatments or any other areas of body treatment.
Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation
Hyperpigmentation, also known as melanin overproduction, occurs when your body produces too much melanin to heal itself properly. While it’s usually part of the healing process for darker-skinned individuals, hyperpigmentation can occur as the result of injury, irritation or medication side effects as well. Though more common among individuals with darker skin tones, anyone can become affected; dark spots, blotches or patches of uneven coloration may form and remain permanent or fade over time.
Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH) is a type of pigmentation that appears after an inflammatory condition has subsided, such as acne, sunburn, an allergic reaction or dermatitis. While it can occur anywhere on the body, most frequently seen on facial areas – usually taking several weeks to fade away completely.
Laser hair removal treatments increase your risk for pigmentary induction hyperplasia (PIH). Lasers use light waves to dislodge hair from its root, which may cause your skin to absorb more melanin than usual and become darker due to melanin absorption. While this issue will fade after treatment is complete, it should still be kept in mind before choosing such treatments.
Laser heat from treatments may result in a burning sensation and blisters on your skin, in which case it is essential to use a wound healing cream to avoid infection and enable natural healing of blisters. It is also vital not to rub or pick at these blisters as this can worsen their condition.
Laser hair removal may help decrease clogged pores that contribute to acne, but it will not cure existing cases of it. Oil produced by your body continues to clog your pores; you must continue using skincare products designed for acne-prone skin in addition to laser treatment.
Laser hair removal is one of the safest ways to get rid of unwanted hair, yet it may result in side effects such as black dots and PIH. If this concerns you, contact a board-certified dermatologist immediately so they can discuss these concerns and develop the optimal treatment plan for you.
Redness
Many people may experience redness following laser hair removal, which can appear similar to mild sunburn. This is normal and should pass within hours; if necessary, use cold compresses or cream containing healing and restorative substances such as aloe vera to ease it further.
Laser hair removal may cause a condition known as “folliculitis” in some individuals due to heat generated during treatment affecting the natural balance of bacteria on their skin, often manifesting itself with red bumps and acne-like breakouts that appear as red spots or spots on breakouts. Furthermore, the condition can be made worse when using irritating skincare products or touching it with dirty hands.
Select a reputable and experienced provider when seeking laser hair removal treatment sessions and follow their aftercare instructions to minimise side-effects and maximize results. This will help minimize risks while improving outcomes.
Following laser treatment, some hair may regrowth ingrown or disrupt the surface of the skin in ways resembling pimples due to damage done to hair follicles by heat from laser treatment and distortion caused by distortion in skin structure caused by laser light energy. To avoid this problem, follow your dermatologist’s aftercare advice such as exfoliating and wearing loose-fitting clothing after every laser session and follow exfoliation treatments and skincare advice from an exfoliator regularly.
Laser hair removal often results in post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, caused by inflammation of the skin’s surface that prompts overproduction of melanin production in affected areas. While this condition may take time to fade away completely, it’s harmless. Light-skinned people are more prone than darker-skinned people to it and it could easily be mistaken for acne.
Laser hair removal may have some mild side-effects, but is much safer than waxing or other invasive hair removal methods and well worth any minor discomfort experienced during treatment. Laser hair removal is particularly suitable for people with sensitive skin as it helps reduce acne breakouts and other related skin issues; if your acne condition or skin problem is severe however, laser hair removal should not be your go-to treatment solution; alternative options should be explored instead.
Breakouts
As with any procedure, laser hair removal could cause temporary increase in acne breakouts following your appointment, due to irritation and inflammation from laser treatment. However, these will generally subside with time as skin calms down and hair growth normalizes itself. It’s essential that if you suffer from acne you select an experienced and suitably qualified technician; ideally they should also be registered with an official body to demonstrate they meet set standards of training and skill.
Poor-quality machines or practitioners with unqualified training could cause damage to the skin, including burns and scarring, but this is unlikely in a medically-run clinic equipped with cutting-edge equipment.
As you progress towards your hair loss goals, your skin may require regular treatments every four to six weeks to reduce dark areas or put some into remission altogether; but for lasting results to occur it’s vital that these sessions continue regularly.
Your frequency of sessions depends on your personal needs and desired timeline to achieve results. In addition to treating unwanted hair, laser treatment can also address pigmentation problems, fine lines and wrinkles.
At all costs, sun exposure on treated areas should be limited as UV rays can exacerbate acne breakouts and worsen hyperpigmentation. Furthermore, non-comedogenic skincare products formulated specifically for acne-prone or sensitive skin will help minimize breakouts by having less of an affinity to clog pores and worsen acne outbreaks.
If you experience acne after laser hair removal treatment, it’s essential that you seek medical advice as soon as possible. Your dermatologist can recommend an effective course of treatment and prevent future outbreaks by offering you their expertise.
Nao Medical offers professional solutions to address acne breakouts with laser hair removal – book an appointment now to discover more!
