Laser Hair Removal – Risks and Side Effects You Must Know

Are you tired of constantly battling with unwanted hair growth? Shaving, waxing, and other traditional hair removal methods can be painful and time-consuming, often leaving your skin irritated and prone to ingrown hairs. But there is good news: laser hair removal is an effective and long-lasting solution to remove unwanted hair.

Laser hair removal uses heat from the laser to damage the hair follicles. Our body may react to this, leading to redness and discomfort in the treatment regions. The skin might tingle or feel painful and may swell up. But the symptoms are typically temporary and disappear within a few hours of the treatment.

To assist in minimising swelling and discomfort, apply ice packs after the treatment. Contact your dermatologist if your symptoms persist for more than a day.

Some people may experience small changes in skin colour in the treated area, which can cause darker pigmentation in lighter skin tone people and light pigmentation in dark skin tone people. However, these changes gradually disappear, and the skin resumes its normal appearance.

Because laser therapy may cause damage to the hair follicles and surrounding skin, the affected area of the skin may attract bacteria. As a result, if sufficient care is not followed throughout the healing phase, the laser-treated region may get infected. See your dermatologist immediately if you notice any indications of infection, such as breakouts or pus forming at the treated area, to avoid other laser hair removal risks.

Some persons may experience skin crusting in the treated region. This is usually a small discomfort, although it can be unpleasant. Crusting occurs when the skin becomes dry, and the laser probe tip is not cool enough to avoid minor burns. In that case, a moisturiser is applied to the afflicted region to prevent this problem.

Hair removal is performed with the use of strong lasers. This implies that there is a risk of eye damage, while the laser is shot, especially on the face. It is therefore recommended that the patient undergoing treatment and the dermatologist wear protective eyewear to avoid damage during the operation.

Burns and blisters are uncommon adverse effects of laser hair removal, which frequently occur when laser hair removal is not performed appropriately, as the equipment used for treatment generates significant heat. As a result, it is critical to mention that this therapy should only be performed under the guidance of a dermatologist.

Scarring is a rare adverse effect of laser hair removal. Nevertheless, scarring can occur if the laser is used too harshly. If your skin is fragile or sensitive, you should take extra precautions during the treatment. Scars are typically caused by a burn and appear as brown bumpy areas.