If the areas have been fully removed and you are experiencing an itch, this could be a reaction to the laser light. This is called a contact staph or follicular occlusion reaction and it can happen up to 72 hours after your session. The best way to prevent this is to keep moisturizer on the area after your treatment. Also, avoid touching the treated area while it heals as it may cause these areas to become inflamed and develop scabs which can be irritating. If you are allergic to lidocaine (the medicine in local anesthesia that numbs before the laser procedure) this could aggravate this reaction as well
Your skin may feel a little itchy after your treatment, but it’s important to resist the urge to scratch. Because your skin is very sensitive, even a little scratching can irritate it and cause it to become red and inflamed.
Read on to learn more about Itching After Laser Hair Removal, how to treat rash after laser hair removal and red bumps 2 weeks after laser hair removal
Itching After Laser Hair Removal
Laser hair removal uses light to selectively target the cells responsible for hair growth while leaving the surrounding skin unharmed. The light is absorbed by pigment in the hair; this light is then converted to heat. With enough heat (70 degrees) the hair can be destroyed. For many women and men, this method is preferred over waxing, shaving, plucking, and hair removal creams. Laser hair removal offers a permanent solution to almost all skin types to remove unwanted hair from almost all areas of the body without the pain, irritation, nasty ingrown hairs and constant weekly, or for some even daily maintenance that other methods require. A course of treatments is required every 8 weeks for the body areas and every 4 weeks for the face as hair growth is quicker in this area. Depending on the area being treated, treatment times may be as little as 5 minutes, for the face or 30 minutes for full legs. Fewer hairs return after each treatment and these hairs will usually be lighter and finer. Laser hair removal is the most effective method of hair removal, offering precision, speed and predictability, thus the reason it has become and continues to become the industry standard for permanent hair removal.
With all the benefits that laser hair removal offers over other methods, there is no doubt that for the right candidate it is the most effective and best option. Laser hair removal is a safe and effective treatment, however no treatment comes without risks and potential complications and these must be considered prior to treatment.
Risks & Side Effects
Erythema: Redness, inflammation or a histamine reaction is normal, the area being treated will be red and bumpy after a treatment and should settle after 2 – 3 days. Any sort of trauma to the skin may react this way. Regular application of skinstitut laser aid will accelerate recovery.
Itchiness : A normal histamine reaction to the treatment and should settle 24 – 48 hours after treatment.
Pigmentation: Skin may become darker or lighter after a treatment. This is influenced by sun exposure, so make sure you avoid sun exposure to the area 6 weeks prior to your treatment. Even if you have had slight tan or have been sunburnt prior to your treatment it dramatically increases your chances of getting burnt.
Darker skin types are more susceptible to pigmentation as there is more pigment in the skin. Laser light is absorbed by pigment in the hair, however as the light cannot decipher between pigment in the hair and pigment in the skin, the skin can absorb the light also & may result in hyper or hypo pigmentation.
Crusting & Blistering – Sun exposure prior to your treatment increases your risk of being skin damage and being burnt, which can result in blisters and crusting, as the blisters and crusts heal you may be left with discolouration of the skin, the discolouration can heal on it’s own but may take quite a few months, in some cases however this discolouration may be permanent.
How To Treat Rash After Laser Hair Removal
- Avoid sun exposure, stay out of the sun for at least 6 weeks before your treatment & use sunblock with protection factor of at least 30+ every day throughout treatments.
- Avoid any form of tanning throughout your treatment. Do not use fake tan moisturisiers, tanning sprays or solariums.
- Do not wax, pluck or bleach the area for at least one month before and during your treatment.
- Do not use Retin A for 2 weeks prior to treatment and do not use Roaccutane for at least 6 months prior to treatment. Always inform your therapist if you are taking these medications.
Inform your therapist if you are taking any medications or start taking any new medications during the course of your treatments.
Post Treatment
Apply a topical soothing gel after every treatment. This speeds up skin recovery after a treatment, reduces redness & inflammation.
Until redness has subsided avoid:
- Use of hot or very cold water. Wash with tepid water.
- Avoid swimming in pools and spas before and after treatments.
- Avoid activities that apply heat to the body or cause the body to generate excessive heat or perspire excessively.
- Do not use active products or exfoliators for at least 3 days after treatment, you can use a gentle face & body cleanser to avoid any irritation. 3 days post treatment you may start using active products again & exfoliating.
If you are ever concerned and unsure about the way your skin is responding to treatments, do not ignore it as its always best to contact your therapist who can assess the area to ensure that your skin response is normal.
The safety and effectiveness of your treatments is dependent upon your practitioner and equipment being used. A medical grade laser that has been certified by Candela ensures that your treatment is aiming for safe and permanent hair removal and treatments performed by a qualified, laser safety certified technicians mean your treatments are being conducted by a therapist who is able to treat you at a suitable wavelength to provide an effective and safe treatment for your skin type.
Red Bumps 2 Weeks After Laser Hair Removal
In order to determine how long it’ll take before your hair grows back, it may help to understand the growth pattern of hair.
Stages of hair growth
Hair goes through four stages of growth. They are:
- anagen, the growing phase
- catagen, the transitional phase
- telogen, the resting phase
- exogen, the shedding phase
At any given time, you have hairs going through all four phases.
Laser hair removal works by vaporizing existing hairs below the skin and at the root.
For that reason, it can only target hairs during the anagen, or growing phase. That’s why it takes multiple treatments, spaced apart, to get to all of the hair that grows in a particular spot.
Regrowth on the body
You’ll continue to see hair during the course of laser treatments. Some of this will be regrowth, but much of it will be hair that hasn’t yet been treated.
Once your course of treatment is complete, you may not see regrowth for many years. On the body, laser hair removal may provide permanent or very long-lasting results. Over time, any hair that does grow back should be very sparse and fine.
Regrowth on the face
On the face, laser hair removal isn’t typically permanent but may be long-lasting. Some people report seeing no hair return after 10 years or more. Others experience regrowth sooner and rely on annual touchup treatments to keep unwanted hair at bay.
Does hair on certain areas of the body or face grow back faster?
After laser hair removal, hair is most likely to grow back on the chin, neck, and other areas of the face.
This may be due in part to hormonal fluctuations and the reactivation of hair follicles by androgens, such as dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and testosterone.
In some women, regrowth of hair on the chin, neck, upper lip, and sideburns may coincide with menopause, when estrogen levels drop.
Hair regrowth on the body is also possible. In some people, it may be more likely to occur on the arms, legs, or chest rather than on the bikini line, stomach, or underarms.
When hair does grow back on the body, it’s typically sparse and very fine.
In rare instances, laser hair removal may cause thicker, darker hair to grow or regrow in an adjacent area to the one being treated. This condition is known as paradoxical hypertrichosis. Paradoxical hypertrichosis can occur anywhere on the face or body.