Folliculitis, caused by infected hair follicles, can be an unpleasant, itchy skin condition that could discourage people from seeking laser hair removal treatment. It should not be ignored; its side effects should not discourage laser treatment of unwanted hair from happening.
To avoid folliculitis after laser hair removal, avoid hot showers and baths as well as strenuous exercise and keep the skin clean.
Causes
Facial skin is delicate and often the source of unwanted hair growth. Shaving, waxing and other methods used to remove it may lead to ingrown hairs that need removal resulting in painful folliculitis outbreaks which resemble acne and require special attention and treatments for their removal.
Folliculitis is a bacterial infection of hair follicles which may result in painful red bumps, boils and blisters on your skin surface. This condition can occur on any area where hair grows on your body such as pubic area and chest; infection of hair follicles increases when they have been damaged or blocked, such as from shaving, tight clothing or bad sunburn or skin conditions like psoriasis or eczema.
Laser hair removal is a safe and effective method for permanently eliminating unwanted body hair from your face or other parts of your body. Undergoing this treatment with the assistance of a licensed plastic surgeon requires simply pressing a handheld laser instrument against your skin while protecting it with cooling gel or devices, often equipped with goggles for safety purposes and may include topical anesthetic. Most patients do not require this step prior to beginning.
After treatment, it’s essential to avoid harsh skincare products that could exacerbate acne by using gentle products formulated for sensitive or acne-prone skin instead. Also helpful is avoiding tight clothing which traps sweat and bacteria against your skin and could cause breakouts.
Folliculitis symptoms may improve with time on their own, while persistent cases should be diagnosed and treated by a medical practitioner. Oral medications for treating the associated bacterial infections can help alleviate its severity; plastic surgeons may suggest facial chemical peels to unclog pores, reduce inflammation and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH). This noninvasive cosmetic procedure is commonly performed at spas or doctor’s offices; chemical peels will promote skin cell turnover while decreasing congestion that could contribute to acne and folliculitis flare-ups.
Treatment
Folliculitis, caused by inflamed hair follicles, can be painful, itchy and embarrassing. While mild cases of folliculitis may clear on their own, persistent or severe cases should be treated by a doctor to prevent infection and speed healing time. Depending on the type of folliculitis being treated by doctors may prescribe either antibiotics or fungal medication that will aid recovery time; additionally in some instances they may drain out a boil or carbuncle to drain pus out faster and help speed healing time for healing time to accelerate healing time of lesion faster.
After laser hair removal, there are a few things you can do to manage folliculitis more effectively, including refraining from shaving or waxing, taking hot showers, and using clean razors. Antibiotics, antifungals and antivirals may reduce symptoms; however, they do not address the root cause. Laser hair removal offers permanent solutions that stop ingrown hairs forming altogether – saving both time and money spent on medications that only treat symptoms.
Selecting an experienced and reputable laser hair removal provider can make a critical difference when it comes to avoiding ingrown hairs after treatment. Our providers use lasers designed specifically to treat all skin tones, and offer custom plans tailored specifically for you, thus guaranteeing all ingrown hairs will be safely and permanently eliminated while simultaneously decreasing risk of outbreak.
Are you suffering from itchy red bumps, ingrown hairs and other symptoms of folliculitis? Reach out to us immediately so we can arrange a consultation session! We serve patients from Raleigh, Durham, Brier Creek Clayton Morrisville Wake Forest NC as well as surrounding areas of North Carolina. Our goal is to help our clients achieve beautiful healthy permanent results! Contact us to learn about our laser hair removal services; consultations are complimentary with all new customers – call or request online appointment to start now – see you soon.
Precautions
Laser hair removal opens up pores on the skin, making it vulnerable to small infections called folliculitis. Folliculitis, like acne, forms when dead cells can’t escape their bodies and bacteria forms pus-filled bubbles as the body attempts to clear away infection – though unlike acne it usually develops within hair follicles rather than on their surface; furthermore it is painful, itchy, and hard to treat.
Before and after laser treatment to avoid folliculitis, it is crucial to follow certain guidelines in order to protect the skin. Your skin must be clear of lotions, oils, deodorant products, sunless tanning products and make up; clothing should be loose-fitting rather than tight-fitting as tight-fitting clothes may trap sweat against the skin and it is advisable to apply cooling cream either before or after laser treatments – depending on what your physician recommends you may also receive either a steroid cream or Tylenol for pain relief after treatments – depending on what may be prescribed by their physician for post treatment pain relief after treatments.
If the skin becomes red, warm, and itchy after laser hair removal, a doctor can prescribe an anti-itch cream to ease symptoms. Scrubbing the area or using harsh cleansers that could irritate and lead to rashes is to be avoided as much as possible; additionally, keep dry for one or more weeks post treatment; it is wiser not to shave, wax, or pluck any part of it until healing occurs.
Once the area has healed, a gentle exfoliant can help keep it soft and smooth. Sunscreen should also be applied regularly in that location. Should any rash appear in that spot, your doctor may advise taking an oral antibiotic such as Doxycycline, Clindamycin or Erythromycin to combat it.
Folliculitis after laser hair removal is most often caused by ingrown hairs that have become irritated by the heat of the laser, and are then inflamed further by an infection known as Pseudomonas, leading to painful pus-filled bumps known as folliculitis. To minimize risks after laser treatment and avoid ingrown hairs altogether, shaving carefully using a sharp blade, and moisturizing after each session will go a long way toward protecting yourself against this condition.
Side effects
Laser hair removal is an increasingly popular solution to permanently reduce unwanted facial or body hair. While laser treatments can be safe and effective treatments for many different skin types and ethnicities, incorrect application could lead to unpleasant side effects; Folliculitis being one such side effect that occurs when hair follicles are damaged during laser treatments; it manifests itself with painful red bumps, itchy blisters and permanent hair loss.
Heat produced by lasers disrupts the skin’s natural bacterial balance, leading to an overgrowth of propionibacterium acnes-causing bacteria that are known for causing acne breakouts.
Blockages to hair follicles may result in ingrown hairs or pus-filled bumps which may grow deeper into the skin and eventually result in permanent scarring or cysts if left untreated; this condition is known as pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB).
Folliculitis may go away on its own in mild cases, though you might need to take self-care steps as well. Placing a warm compress over the area may help relieve inflammation and itching; over-the-counter products containing benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid may help unclog pores and kill any potential infection-causing bacteria that could otherwise remain.
If you suffer from severe or persistent folliculitis, your physician may recommend antibiotic treatment to reduce inflammation. You will likely require several weeks of therapy before experiencing significant improvement.
Before beginning laser hair removal, consult with your physician about the possibility of folliculitis. Your physician can give tips to avoid it as well as treatments to lower its likelihood during treatment. They may suggest lightening skin with bleaching cream prior to your session and forgoing tanning products which darken skin to ensure laser targeting of hair follicles; it might even be worthwhile avoiding shaving or plucking of treatment areas before your session.
