Know this before going for your next Laser Hair Removal Appointment

If you too feel sick of the pain of frequent parlor visits, from checking up for whiskers, pulling  up stray hairs from your brow or bearing the sting of bikini wax;  then laser hair removal treatment probably will come to your rescue. To avoid the hassle of investing time and money monthly in hair removal, it’s better to go for something that gives you a permanent solution to the body hair woes.

However, there are certain risks associated with laser hair removal treatment.

The use of a laser to remove unwanted hair involves a lot of heat to burn the hair. Burns may occur, when the skin absorbs the laser energy in oppose to the correct way of targeting the hair follicles and not the skin itself. It causes swelling and serious redness of skin. Also, it becomes worst when the discoloration of skin becomes visible. The laser hair removal burns occurs are more common in patients with darker skin, as their skin absorbs the laser more readily. In most cases, there are just slight burns which subside after sometime. While in most instances, the burns are mild, there have been a number of cases where severe burns have been reported.

Hyper pigmentation refers  to  an irregular darkening of the skin caused by an increase in melanin production. Sometimes, the skin reacts to laser and intense pulse light (IPL) used in hair removal technique and can cause hyper pigmentation. It is a reaction similar to sun tan. However, it will last only for few weeks from laser treatment.

Hypo pigmentation refers to lightening of skin caused by decrease in melanin production. The absorption of laser light can inhibit melanin production, leading to the loss of pigment.  It may last for long time.

Laser hair removal can even cause serious eye injuries if proper precautions are not taken. It is highly recommended that one should wear safety goggles. There are many cases where iris damage was permanent and topical steroids were needed to address the associated uveitis. Lasers work by creating a beam of highly concentrated light that penetrates deep into the skin and delivers a controlled amount of therapeutic heat.

Infections of wounds can occur when the skin’s epidermis is damaged. It is highly advisable to use antibiotic and antiviral creams after treatment to minimize the risk of getting an infection.

Scarring is one of the worst side effects of laser hair removal treatment. Laser itself is the cause of scarring. An infection after treatment can cause the formation of scar tissue . According to doctor’s advice, pulsed laser hair removal systems can minimize the risk of getting scars after the treatment.