Laser hair removal is a semi-permanent way of removing body hair, with laser light being focused on the skin. The treatment may work for facial hairs but will not be as effective as shaving or waxing. The process is relatively painless and can help some people with excessive facial growth or other areas where waxing or plucking is too painful or time consuming.
Scarring or burns: This is one of the most common complications associated with laser hair removal. If the technician does not properly calibrate their machine or if they treat you too quickly, they may cause burns or scarring on your skin. This can happen anywhere on your body, but it most commonly occurs on areas such as legs and backs. If this happens to you, contact your doctor immediately so they can check on any burns or infections that may have resulted from this complication
Read on to learn more about Is Laser Hair Removal Bad, The Side Effects of Laser Hair Removal and How Long Does Laser Hair Removal Last?
Is Laser Hair Removal Bad
Let’s say you have some unwanted hair on your body and have heard that laser hair removal can provide the smooth skin you’re hoping for. But you also have some questions. Is laser hair removal safe? Is this kind of cosmetic dermatology bad for your skin? Find out what side effects you might experience on your skin after getting laser hair removal and the simple things you can do to prevent any kind of skin damage.
Laser Hair Removal Basics
In laser hair removal, a practitioner at a dermatology cosmetic center will use a device that delivers a concentrated beam of light directed at the skin in order to damage the hair follicles underneath and slow the growth of new hair. Laser hair removal can be used on any part of the body except for the area around the eye because of the possibility of eye damage from the laser. Because laser hair removal works by the hair absorbing the light, it is more effective with contrasting hair and skin (like dark hair and light skin).
Temporary Side Effects
You will experience some mild symptoms of skin irritation following the laser treatment. Redness and swelling are common and can be relieved by application of ice packs. You might also see changes in the pigmentation of the treated area. If you’re light skinned, you may see darker spots, and if you’re darker skinned, your skin could have lighter spots. These spots usually disappear in a couple of days.
Use Experienced, Certified Doctors
Almost any kind of serious skin damage can be avoided by using board-certified dermatologists and doctors only. Home kits, spas, and salons are not a safe choice for laser hair removal. At-home devices have not been studied or approved by the FDA and are not considered medical devices. It is much safer and more effective to go to a certified and trained doctor for your laser hair removal.
Know Your Skin
A rare side effect that you could experience from laser hair removal is scarring. However, this usually only happens if you already have a tendency to scar. It’s important to discuss this with your doctor so that he or she can recommend if laser hair removal is the best option for you. There are other hair removal procedures, like electrolysis, that might be better if you tend to scar easily. The dermatologist that you use should also have multiple types of lasers with a variety of settings to be able to effectively treat different types and colors of skin.
Stay Out of the Sun
If you are not careful about your sun exposure before and after your laser hair removal, you might experience some sun damaged skin. One rare side effect is a change to your skin texture, which might occur if you’ve tanned recently. Mayo Clinic recommends staying out of the sun six weeks before undergoing the laser treatment, as well as using a broad spectrum sunscreen daily. You could also develop blisters and skin crusting after your laser procedure. This usually happens because of prolonged sun exposure after the laser treatment. It’s important that you continue to use sunscreen after your laser procedure and stay out of the sun as much as possible.
Use Proper Hair Removal Techniques
You can protect your skin by using proper hair removal techniques prior to your laser hair removal. The Mayo Clinic suggests that at least 4 weeks prior to laser treatment, you not use hair removal techniques like waxing or plucking. This can disturb the hair follicles and compromise the effectiveness of the laser procedure. Shaving and trimming one day before your treatment is recommended, as it removes the risk of burned hairs, which damage the surface of your skin.
No Risk of Cancer
You may have heard that laser hair removal can cause skin cancer or other types of cancer. This is a myth. Ionizing radiation that passes through the body can lead to the development of cancer because of how it can cause gene mutations. But, as the FDA states, laser hair removal uses non-ionizing radiation, only treating the surface of the skin and posing no risk of causing cancer.
The Side Effects of Laser Hair Removal
Laser hair removal works by using small, high-heat lasers. The laser may cause temporary side effects immediately after the procedure. Skin irritation and pigmentation changes are the most common side effects.
Redness and irritation
Hair removal via laser can cause temporary irritation. You may also notice slight redness and swelling at the treated area. Still, these effects are minor. They are often the same effects you might notice after other types of hair removal, such as waxing.
Your dermatologist might apply a topical anesthetic before the procedure to minimize these effects.
Overall irritation should disappear within hours of the procedure. Try applying ice packs to help reduce swelling and any pain. You should call your doctor if you experience symptoms beyond slight irritation or if the side effects worsen.
Pigmentation changes
After laser treatment, you may notice slightly darker or lighter skin. If you have light skin, you’re more likely to have darker spots from laser hair removal. The opposite is true of people with dark skin, who may have lighter spots from the procedure. However, like skin irritation, these changes are temporary and aren’t usually a cause for concern.
Rarely, laser hair removal can lead to more severe side effects. Your risk increases if you use at-home laser kits or if you seek treatment from a provider who isn’t trained and certified.
Rare side effects of laser hair removal include:
- Excessive hair growth in the area of treatment: Sometimes this effect is mistaken for hair shedding after the procedure
- Changes to overall skin texture: You may be at an increased risk if you have tanned recently.
- Scarring: This is most common in people who tend to scar easily.
- Blisters and skin crusting: These effects may be caused by sun exposure too soon after the procedure.
Discuss these side effects with your doctor. Although they’re extremely uncommon, it’s still a good idea to be aware of them. Call your doctor if you show any of these symptoms after laser hair removal.
How Long Does Laser Hair Removal Last?
Does laser hair removal last forever? Spoiler: No, it doesn’t. But it can keep your skin sans hair for a lot longer than shaving or waxing. In fact, it can last for months or even years at a time. Here’s how it works and what you can expect.
How long does laser hair removal last?
Laser hair removal is often promoted as a permanent solution to body hair removal, which is a bit of a fib. Once the treated skin is hair-free, it’ll likely stay that way for several months to years. But while it can offer long-term results, it’s rarely a lifelong fix. Laser hair removal tends to just damage hair follicles, it doesn’t destroy them. That means the hair can def grow back over time.
Also, keep in mind that the treatment only works on follicles that are in the growth (aka anagen) stage, and not all hair grows at the same rate. So, if you’re a laser hair removal newbie, you’ll prob need at least 2 to 6 treatments before you see a major difference. Most folks note 10 to 25 percent less hair after the first session, but everyone is different.
The good news is that the amount and thickness of the affected hair tends to decrease with more treatments. So in theory, you may find that consistent laser treatments can result in permanent hair removal. But that’s not a given and there are no guarantees.
As for touch-ups, it really depends on your skin, hair color, hair thickness, and the area of your body. Some can go more than a year without needing a treatment while others can only go a few months. You’ll know it’s time when you can see soft, downy hairs start to make an appearance.