Laser hair removal can be an effective solution to unwanted hair growth, but can result in side effects that include redness, swelling and blisters. Some individuals may also experience other symptoms like darkening or lightening of their skin after treatment.
At laser hair removal sessions, technicians use lasers to vaporize your hair, creating a burning sensation that smells similar to smoke.
Herpes Simplex Virus
Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) is an infection that causes sores on the skin known as herpes blisters, often painful, fluid-filled spots which often crust over or burst open. There are two strains of herpes: HSV-1 which usually leads to oral herpes; and HSV-2 for genital herpes. Herpes spreads via contact with an infected person’s saliva or sores and through kissing, sharing toothbrushes or eating utensils between someone with herpes or having sexual relations with someone with herpes.
Herpes can remain dormant within someone’s body for years at a time, only becoming active again if something such as sun exposure or stress triggers it – creating blisters in mouth, face, genital area as well as on anus and buttocks.
It is essential that if you have herpes, an honest discussion takes place between yourself and your laser hair removal professional. So long as the herpes is not actively causing an outbreak, laser treatments are safe to treat herpes-prone areas without risk of spreading herpes to other parts of the body. Your laser hair removal specialist will always wear gloves during all treatments to minimize risk.
If you have an active herpes outbreak, make sure to reschedule your appointment until it has fully cleared up. Take antiviral medication prescribed by your doctor before treatment as per their instructions; these will not stop outbreaks but may reduce how long sores last and the pain they cause. Effective medicines include Acyclovir, Famciclovir and Valacyclovir which can be found at most pharmacies and online. Furthermore, ask your physician about taking Lycine, which can come in either pill form or be purchased as capsules or topical cream.
Sunlight
Laser hair removal uses heat to vaporize hair shafts and destroy them, with light as its medium to do the trick. While safe, light may still cause some skin irritations; you may notice redness or swelling at the treatment area that resembles sunburn – typically lasting one to three days; keeping cool can ease discomfort by applying an ice pack; furthermore direct sunlight should be avoided until after treatment has concluded.
If you have active cold sores or herpes outbreaks, laser hair removal should not be performed as the heat from the laser could aggravate and spread your condition further. If you do have herpes and wish to undergo laser treatments anyway, it is recommended that prior consultation be had with a physician as well as taking antiherpes medications prophylactically for safety purposes.
Before receiving laser treatments, it is recommended to shave on the day prior. This ensures there will be enough hair in each follicle for laser to target, and to refrain from waxing and plucking since these methods of hair-removal may upset or disturb the follicle and cause it to produce less melanin. Tanning beds as well as any sunless skin lightening products must also be avoided at least six weeks beforehand.
At laser hair removal sessions, patients sit in a special chair while technicians use handheld devices to press against their skin with pulses of light similar to an elastic band snapping against it. Each treatment session may last 15-30 minutes depending on which area(s) require lasering.
Once a laser reaches the pigment in a hair follicle, it heats it up and destroys it – this makes less likely for future treatments and reduces needless visits to clinics. When selecting your practitioner for this procedure it is essential that they are familiar with it and has access to appropriate laser technology suitable for your skin type as well as licensing and completing a training course.
Undergoing laser hair removal during menstruation increases skin sensitivity and causes more pain, so avoid doing it then as well. Furthermore, you should also reschedule sessions until all breakouts have healed before proceeding with laser treatments in the area being targeted.
Hormonal Changes
Laser hair removal is an increasingly popular beauty treatment used to eliminate unwanted body and facial hair. A laser beam emits light energy which absorbs pigment in both the hair and skin, which then converts to heat that destroys hair follicles, pushing them up towards the surface and eventually falling out over time. Treatment times typically last from minutes up to hours depending on the area being treated; you might feel slight discomfort, such as tiny stings or feeling something snap against your skin like rubber band snapping, while you might also detect an odor similar to smoke or burning hair from when this process completes successfully.
After laser hair removal, some women may experience hormonal imbalance known as hirsutism, leading them to grow facial and body hair in areas it would normally never appear. It is essential for these women to undergo medical examination to assess whether this growth could be the result of hormonal imbalance. A physician can then review if the growth started suddenly, check for acne, obesity or family history as potential contributing factors before concluding if hormones are the source. If so, steps can be taken either surgically or medicinally to correct it.
Hormonal imbalance can trigger hair growth through various means, including birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy or pregnancy. Women experiencing these changes should wait to seek laser treatments until their hormone levels have stabilised before receiving laser treatments.
Laser treatment when someone already has cold sores is likely to exacerbate an outbreak, as its heat can irritate the herpes virus and increase outbreak frequency. Therefore, it is best to seek laser therapy while herpes is still at its tingling stage or hasn’t formed into full-fledged sores; there are over-the-counter medications available that may assist with symptoms and speed healing time.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy itself doesn’t cause cold sores; however, stress and hormonal changes associated with pregnancy may increase their likelihood. Therefore it is wise to notify your physician as soon as you experience cold sores during your first trimester when they tend to appear.
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) can cause cold sores on genitalia, mouths and lips; outbreaks on thighs and buttocks; HSV outbreaks become more likely under stress or compromised immune systems; pregnancy being one such instance when this herpes virus can become active.
Laser hair removal is a safe and effective method to get rid of unwanted body hair. The heat generated from lasers destroys hair follicles to stop new hair from growing back; making the procedure less painful than plucking, tweezing, or waxing; however it may still cause temporary redness or swelling when performing the procedure.
Laser hair removal can be performed safely by experienced technicians; however, there are still potential risks such as hypo- or hyperpigmentation, scab formation and irritation in the treated area that must be considered when performing treatments with lasers. While these effects are rare, they could happen if the wrong laser type or an allergic reaction to numbing cream or shaving mistakes are chosen for treatment.
Your technician will begin by applying a gel or cool towel to protect the area being treated before applying a laser to pulse for several seconds – many people compare this experience to a warm pinprick feeling. Multiple treatments may be needed before all hair has been eliminated from their root source.
Good news if you are pregnant: cold sore outbreaks won’t affect your unborn baby even if infected with herpes simplex virus while gestating! Herpes simplex does not cross the placenta to infect fetuses directly, though you should still avoid contact with fluid from blisters and skin-to-skin contact with someone experiencing an active outbreak of herpes.
If you are seeking laser hair removal during a herpes outbreak, consult with your physician to decide the most beneficial course of action for both yourself and your baby. They might suggest cesarean delivery to reduce the likelihood that she comes into contact with the herpes virus while exiting the birth canal.
