Did you know that laser hair removal can be bad for you? Aside from the obvious risks associated with getting your hair zapped, there are several aspects of the process that will negatively affect your health. Here are a few things to consider before undergoing laser hair removal.
Face. Laser hair removal on your face tends to be more uncomfortable than other parts of your body; this is because the skin on your face is thinner and more sensitive than other areas and has more blood vessels close to surface. Some people may feel a slight pinch or stinging sensation when their technician begins the procedure. Your technician will give you a numbing cream that can help ease any discomfort during treatment.
Read on to learn more about Is Laser Hair Removal Bad For You, Is Laser Hair Removal Permanent and How Laser Hair Removal Feels on Every Body Part
Still, discussions about the side effects of laser hair removal abound. Although temporary and minor side effects can occur after the procedure, other effects are rare. Beyond that, any claims about links to your long-term health are unfounded.
Here’s what you need to know.
Minor side effects are common
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.
Is Laser Hair Removal Bad For You
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.
Can laser hair removal cause cancer?
It’s a myth that laser hair removal can cause cancer. In fact, according to the Skin Care Foundation, the procedure is sometimes used to treat certain forms of precancerous lesions.
Different lasers are used to treat sun damage and wrinkles. The lasers used in hair removal or other skin procedures have such a minimal amount of radiation. Plus, the minimal amount is only being exacted on the surface of the skin. So, they don’t pose a risk of cancer.
How Laser Hair Removal Feels on Every Body Part
Some are scared of spiders, others fear abandonment, and certain people — like yours truly — are straight-up terrified of pain. But sometimes, it’s worth it. For instance, I’ll endure a laser hair removal session if it means I get to skip shaving for weeks. But, with those long-term results comes some definite discomfort. (Because, you know, lasers.) The good news is that the pain varies, depending on where you do it — which could be any number of spots. In fact, pretty much every area of the body is fair game besides anything that’s in or around an orifice, so any flagrant nose and ear hairs will have to stay (or be tweezed off), according to Kim Nichols, M.D., a dermatologist in Greenwich, CT. Here’s how the pain factor stacks up.
The Spot: Your Face
Pain Level on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the worst: 2 to 8
It’s a big range, but the thickness of your skin varies even on your face (which is why, for example, you need a thicker cream around the eyes than your usual moisturizer). The upper lip is easily the most painful area, since the skin here is thinner than anywhere else on your face. “It feels like a rubber band snap, very quick but very snappy,” explains Elizabeth Tanzi, M.D., dermatologist and founder of Capital Laser & Skin Care. So on one hand, you feel like you’re being tortured, but, on the other, you lose your mustache. It seems like a worthwhile trade. On the other hand, spots where your skin is thicker — like your chin and sideburns — the pain is way more manageable and therefore on the lower end of the pain spectrum.
The Spot: Underarms
Pain Level: 9
This is hands-down the most painful area on the body for laser hair removal, according to Dr. Tanzi’s patients. “It feels like a deep needle, but hair removal works so well under the arm that patients always come back to finish the series,” she explains. What could potentially help: Imagining a life where you don’t have to bring your razor on vacation.
The Spot: Bikini Line
Pain Level: 8
If you’ve ever waxed your bikini line and lived to tell the tale, you could probably survive this. The drawback: “Patients say it’s easier than waxing, but takes a lot longer,” says Dr. Tanzi. Unlike waxing, laser hair removal isn’t over after a split second.
The Spot: Arms
Pain Level: 3
Similarly to the face, the laser feels like a rubber band snapping against your skin — but unlike your face, the skin on your arms can better withstand any pain. “The skin is thick on the forearms, so the sensation is minimal,” explains Dr. Nichols. The pain is so mild, in fact, that a better word to describe it would be discomfort, so much so that most patients don’t need numbing cream for this.
The Spot: Legs
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Pain Level: 6 or 7
Your legs are one of the most (relatively) pain-free areas when it comes to laser-hair removal pain. “Every now and again there’s a ‘zinger’ but otherwise, just feels like tolerable snapping on the skin,” says Dr. Tanzi. On the bright side, once you realize you’ve encountered a so-called zinger, it’s already happened.
The Spot: Stomach
Pain Level: 4
Not so happy about your happy trail? NBD. While the skin here is thicker, the snaps of the laser can actually tickle your stomach, which makes patients fidget and move during the procedure, according to Dr. Nichols. But, hey, if you’re that focused on the tickles, you might not count the seconds until it’s over.
The Spot: Back
Pain Level: 8
If you have enough back hair to want to zap it off, then you have enough that it hurts. “I recommend numbing cream because of the density — as in the sheer number — of hairs there,” says Dr. Nichols. If you use numbing cream beforehand, that’ll bring the pain down to a much more manageable range of 2 to 4.
If these numbers scare you, hold up.
Dr. Nichols is a fan of topical numbing cream, which, she says, can bring the pain level of any area down to the 1 to 3 range out of 10. Also, Dr. Tanzi recommends shaving your hair very close to your skin before the procedure and asking about new laser devices that have cooling mechanisms (since the lasers are hot). “For some, taking an antihistamine both the night before and the morning of treatment can help dull the pain,” she adds. And, for what it’s worth: None of her patients have not completed the full number of sessions needed — because the results are that good.
Is Laser Hair Removal Permanent
Shaving, plucking, or waxing hair can often be time-consuming. Many people turn to laser hair removal as a solution to take care of unwanted facial and body hair.
IS LASER HAIR REMOVAL PERMANENT FOREVER?
After you have your first laser hair removal treatment, you will see a reduced number of hairs immediately. Hair growth may increase in the treated area from 2 to 8 weeks after since not all hair follicles respond equally to the treatment. It usually takes 3 to 8 sessions to achieve permanent hair loss. You may also need touch-up sessions about once a year.
HOW LONG DOES PERMANENT LASER HAIR REMOVAL LAST?
After your initial treatments, laser hair removal should be permanent if you have a yearly touch-up session. You may even go years without seeing any regrowth. If you do, it tends to be finer and lighter in color and density than before.
IS LASER HAIR REMOVAL BAD?
You should receive your laser hair removal treatments from an experienced dermatologist. As with any procedure, side effects are possible, but the most common are discomfort, swelling, and redness, which may last for just a few days. More serious side effects such as scarring, or blistering are possible.
DOES LASER HAIR REMOVAL PERMANENTLY REDUCE HAIR?
Laser hair removal permanently reduces hair. Even if some hair grows back, it should be less noticeable as well as finer and lighter than it was before your treatments.
DOES LASER HAIR REMOVAL LIGHTEN SKIN?
Laser hair removal can sometimes lighten treated skin, but the effect is usually temporary. It’s more likely to happen if you have darker skin. Additionally, if you don’t avoid sun exposure as directed for six weeks before and after your treatment and use broad-spectrum sunscreen after your treatment, your skin may lighten.
HOW PAINFUL IS LASER HAIR REMOVAL?
If you’re receiving treatment in a sensitive area, your doctor may apply numbing gel on it before the laser is used. As the laser is used, some patients report a mild stinging sensation like a rubber band snapping.
SHOULD I SHAVE BEFORE LASER HAIR REMOVAL?
Shaving is recommended the day before your laser treatment. This removes the hair above the skin but leaves the hair shaft intact.
IS LASER HAIR REMOVAL SAFE LONG TERM?
As with any procedure, you may experience some side effects, but they’re less likely to occur if your treatment is performed by or under the supervision of a dermatologist who has experience in providing laser hair removal treatments.
CAN I SHOWER AFTER LASER HAIR REMOVAL?
You shouldn’t shower or bathe immediately after laser hair removal, but your doctor will tell you how long you should wait. The time may range from 8 hours up to 48 hours since your skin may still be sensitive.