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Laser Hair Removal's Side Effects

vwalker | Aug 23, 2009 |

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Have you heard of laser hair removal surgery and are you aching to get a piece of the action yourself? Perhaps you've seen the commercials on television or the ads in the newspaper. All of them are showing happy people who speak nothing but praising words of the laser hair removal treatment. Maybe you even have a friend who's undergone the treatment and is very happy with the results. But if you think about it realistically, no cosmetic treatment has ever provided a miracle solution that ends all problems.

Ever since the introduction of the laser treatment back in the mid 1990s, the technology has much improved. Especially in the old days many people were suffering from all sorts of nasty side effects after having had a laser treatment. This method was not completely without risk or danger, nor will it ever be. Thankfully, performing doctors are taking laser hair removal safety very seriously these days. Thanks to technological progress and increased experience in laser hair removal clinic staff, the results are usually with no significant side effects.

Laser Hair Removal Side Effects

But some unfortunate people do still suffer from side effects. There is a large number of them and I have compiled them all in an overview.

1. Skin reddening. It is possible for people with sensitive and irritable skin to develop this side effect. This is a temporary annoyance that shouldn't cause you too much trouble in the long run.

2. Skin blistering. Because of the laser's intense heat, your skin might burn and develop blisters. The laser is supposed to hit the hair follicles underneath your skin. A professional will be able to target these follicles accurately. If you develop blisters, you have likely been treated by an unqualified person.

3. Skin crusting. If a certain body area gets treated with the laser multiple times, you are at an increased risk of getting crusted skin. This is one of the more problematic side effects and you should take it serious. Crusting can lead to even worse skin problems if left untreated. Get medical care if this happens to you.

4. Skin darkening. Also called hyper pigmentation. Sometimes, the skin reacts to the laser with a sudde increase of pigment deposition. If you have a dark skin, you have a higher chance of developing this side effect.

5. Tattoo darkening. If you have tattoos and the laser has to work on or around it, there is the risk your tattoo will become darker. Colorful particles in your tattoo absorb the laser's light and they burn a little, which makes them darker.

6. Hypo Pigmentation. This means a lightening of the skin. Sometimes, your skin reacts to the laser by stopping pigment production for a while. This is usually a temporary side effect, although some cases of permanent skin lightening have been reported.

7. Wound infection. The laser is supposed to target follicles under the skin. Sometimes, too much heat is absorbed by the skin itself. This creates tiny little wounds that can be very painful. If left untreated, these wounds might get infected and cause more trouble in the long run.

8. Laser scarring. When the laser causes you wounds, the wounds might heal leaving scars. Scars can be itchy and are hard to get rid of. You certainly don't want this to happen to you.

9. Eye injury. The laser's energy is absorbed by colorful tissue. Since the eye has plenty of colorfol tissue, you certainly wouldn't want this laser to shine into your eyes. It can easily blind you. For this reason, both you and the performing doctor will wear protective eyegear.

Most of these laser hair removal side effects are caused by heat. In these modern times, cooling gels or cooling tips are used during a laser treatment. These keep the skin cool and greatly diminish the chances of developing any of these nasty side effects.