Laser hair removal treatments can last minutes for smaller areas or up to an hour for larger ones, and may leave your skin reddening and feeling warm like after getting sunburnt.
Step one to avoiding laser burns is properly prepping the area before treatment begins, meaning avoiding tanning beds and hair removal methods such as waxing or plucking.
What is a burn?
Laser hair removal utilizes a high-energy beam of light to target and destroy hair follicles responsible for unwanted, excessive, or patchy growth. It works best on those with dark hair and light skin as this contrast allows laser technology to better detect and destroy hair follicles; however, recent advancements are making laser technology accessible for people of darker complexions or with hair colors that don’t absorb light as efficiently (such as gray, red, or blond hair colors).
Burns occur when damage to the epidermis occurs – the outermost layer of skin. This layer contains blood vessels, sweat glands and sebaceous glands which help maintain skin health, along with nerve endings which transmit pain signals to your brain – so when burned your nerve endings become ineffective in transmitting appropriate signals; you experience pain.
Laser hair removal requires medical specialist (e.g., physician assistant or registered nurse) to clean the area targeted for treatment and possibly apply numbing gel before pressing a handheld laser instrument onto your skin and activating it to target hair follicles under your skin surface. Although discomfort may initially arise during laser sessions, this typically resolves within hours post treatment.
Prior to receiving laser treatment, it’s best to refrain from shaving or waxing those areas of your body intended for treatment for at least three weeks prior to starting laser sessions. If you already have natural or artificial tanning products applied before your appointment date, your doctor might also suggest using sunless tanning products so as to fade any tanning effects before going in for laser sessions and not interfere with their efficacy.
After treatment, it’s also important to protect the area from sunlight. A broad-spectrum sunscreen that provides UVA and UVB ray protection may be appropriate; just follow any label instructions carefully when choosing one. If blisters appear naturally, allow them to heal themselves first before considering over-the-counter pain relief medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen for any discomfort caused.
What are the symptoms of a burn?
If a burn is left untreated for too long, it may lead to prolonged pain, scarring and other cosmetic defects that will remain. More seriously, an untreated burn may even result in infection and tissue necrosis – the death of bodily tissues.
Some symptoms that indicate you may have experienced laser hair removal burns include reddening of the skin (erythema), blisters, or scaly patches or blisters. You should apply a cool ointment prescribed by your physician and free from petroleum-based products as this may worsen the situation further. It’s best to seek medical help immediately if you suspect laser hair removal has left an injury behind.
Before receiving laser treatments, it is wise to avoid shaving or using moisturisers on areas you intend to receive treatments, as this can increase melanin levels in the skin and cause more laser energy to be converted to heat – thus increasing the risk of burning.
Before beginning any laser or IPL treatment, always request that the technician performing your session conduct a patch test on you to make sure it suits your skin type and tone. In addition, it’s a good idea to inform them about any preexisting skin conditions as these could worsen with laser/IPL treatments.
An experienced laser hair removal technician should be able to discern when their client’s skin has experienced an adverse reaction and should stop treatment to assess. Unfortunately, inferior equipment or untrained technicians can lead them to miss these signs of trouble.
If you have been burned during laser hair removal, it is crucial that you seek medical assistance as soon as possible. Not only will this prevent further worsening of your condition, but seeking immediate medical care could also strengthen any potential claims against negligent spas or technicians. In many instances, clinics offer doctor or nurse advice regarding care instructions for burns that have occurred.
What can I do to treat a burn?
If you have been injured by laser treatment, it is crucial that immediate steps be taken. First and foremost, contact the laser practitioner who administered your session to explain what has occurred and receive advice; if their response doesn’t satisfy, seek second opinion; above all else make sure the area in which it occurred doesn’t expose to direct sunlight as direct sunrays can worsen burns significantly and never pop blisters as this increases risk of infection.
If your burn is mild, treating it at home should only require keeping the affected area cool and moisturised. Ointments should be avoided as they trap heat in and may aggravate your injury further; for best results, use cream prescribed by a physician as different types of burns require different products to heal properly.
Serious burns should be addressed by visiting a clinic and seeking medical assistance from a specialist, who will assess its severity before providing further care, such as skin surgery if necessary.
Preventing burns from laser hair removal treatments is possible with some careful consideration and the proper aesthetician. A patch test before full treatments on an area will enable them to detect discolouration or pain, and correct it immediately if they arise, potentially saving their clients from future discomfort.
Before your laser treatment session begins, it is also essential that the treatment area be shaved on a daily basis in order to minimize the risk of burns by removing loose hairs that could otherwise get singed by laser light. Furthermore, you should refrain from using darkening creams on the day prior to laser therapy as these may also damage skin during laser treatment.
At all costs, laser hair removal should always be the last resort as other forms of removal such as plucking, waxing or electrolysis can wreak havoc with follicles and lead to further damage from treatment. If you have a tan before your procedure it is also wise to lighten it with a doctor-prescribed tan fader product.
What should I do if I get a burn?
Burns can be extremely painful, making proper care essential. This includes keeping them covered and out of direct sunlight. A topical ointment may help soothe burns; just beware any greasy or occlusive products as these could trap heat and make the pain worse. Furthermore, tight clothing could aggravate an already injured area further.
If you experience any form of injury during or after laser hair removal treatments, it’s essential that you notify your practitioner as soon as possible. They will then be able to assess the situation and take immediate measures as needed to cool down the area or adjust any necessary settings that might have been incorrect.
However, you can take additional steps to minimise the chances of laser hair removal burn during treatment. Shaving 24 hours prior to your session should help ensure any visible hairs do not come into contact with the laser and cause burns during laser hair removal sessions. It may also help if you inform your practitioner beforehand that you have sensitive skin; they may provide first-aid tips that could reduce burn risks during a session.
Laser hair removal burns that have not caused serious injuries are typically treated by cooling the affected area and taking an over-the-counter pain reliever, but more serious burns often require medical intervention such as antibiotic creams or steroids to return their natural complexion to affected areas. Recovery could take months or even years.
If you have been injured due to negligence on the part of a beauty salon or aesthetic center, make a claim for compensation now. Our team of expert lawyers will advise on the most efficient approach in order to secure what’s owed to you – money which should have been provided immediately in compensation.
