Laser hair removal is generally safe; however, there may be side effects. Common ones include redness and irritation as well as skin crusting or blistering.
Before beginning Brazilian laser hair removal treatments, it’s essential to be informed about the potential side effects. Doing so will enable you to adequately prepare and care for your skin during and after treatment.
Pain
Proper laser hair removal treatment should not be invasive and most side effects should only be temporary. It’s essential that you follow all instructions from your technician regarding preparation and aftercare of treatment sessions.
Your first Brazilian laser hair removal session might feel uncomfortable or painful due to laser pulses that can sting your skin like rubber band snapping against it. To reduce discomfort, a topical anesthetic may be applied prior to laser treatments; however, excessive use or placement in inappropriate locations could be dangerous; therefore it is wise to consult your technician regarding numbing cream use during laser sessions.
Following your treatment, your skin may become red and swollen, as well as crusted and itchy. It’s important to avoid picking at the crusting as picking can lead to infection; cold compresses, OTC painkillers, aloe vera or aloe gel can be helpful for managing discomfort and protecting against dryness causing crusting or blisters. Regular moisturizer use should also help avoid these side effects of treatment.
If you have very light complexion, laser hair removal could cause more serious side effects, including pigment changes (such as darkening or lightening of skin pigmentation), cold sore outbreak and blistering; although such instances should be rare when administered by an experienced dermatologist.
Irritation
Laser hair removal treatments vary depending on the skin type and sensitivity of each individual patient, but usually feel similar to rubber band snapping against your skin. Your technician may provide topical anesthetic or numbing cream as an aid during your appointment to minimize pain and discomfort during this treatment process.
After your laser hair removal treatment, your skin may be red, swollen and itchy – this is normal and should subside within several hours. To minimize further irritation or scarring from further scratching or plucking of hairs from tweezing the area, avoid rubbing, scratching or tweezing and instead use cooling creams or ointments recommended by your physician to soothe irritation in that area.
Laser treatments may cause blisters similar to burns; this is uncommon when performed in an accredited clinic with licensed practitioners.
Skin crusting is another common side effect of laser hair removal, caused by the laser heating up hairs that need to be vaporized and can lead to your skin drying out. You can help minimize this side effect by keeping your skin hydrated, and limiting sun exposure or hot tub use.
Some individuals can experience permanent pigment changes after laser hair removal known as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, often occurring due to too close proximity of the laser beam on darker or tanned skin types. With proper care this change should be easy to reverse; however if an error was made during their session then repairs may become more challenging.
Skin Changes
Laser light attracts pigment, leading to darkening of skin tone or dark hair color. Tannined or darker-hued individuals may be especially prone to this outcome; however, most doctors will only use settings on their laser that suit your complexion and hair color.
After receiving laser therapy, it’s common to experience dry skin. This is often due to the heat generated by the laser itself; to combat it use a cooling cream or ointment recommended by your practitioner and moisturize the area regularly while refraining from picking at crusted skin as doing so could open up wounds that lead to bleeding, scabbing and scarring.
After your Brazilian laser session, it may become apparent that hair has started growing back in unexpected areas. This is likely due to part of the hair follicle being destroyed during treatment, with your body working hard to shed it away and prevent future ingrown hairs from occurring. Therefore, it’s essential not to shave until all hair has been completely eradicated from that region.
Scarring from laser treatments is rare, but if a practitioner makes an error it could occur. Therefore it is crucial that patients select a trained, registered and licensed practitioner as well as adhere to any advice from doctors regarding preparation for sessions or post-treatment care; such as avoiding sunlight exposure and applying high SPF broad spectrum sunscreen daily.
Dry Skin
Depending on the laser used and client factors, some individuals may experience temporary dryness in the treated area. Usually this side effect subsides after some time has passed.
Treatment can lead to skin crusting. While this is only a minor side effect that is easily preventable by moisturizing regularly, picking at crusts or scabs could result in infection and scarring that will need medical treatment in the future.
Prior to scheduling a Brazilian laser hair removal procedure, it is important to be informed of its potential side effects and what can be expected afterward so you can prepare accordingly.
One of the more frequently reported side effects of laser hair removal is redness and irritation, usually as a result of laser damage to skin tissue causing inflammation. However, any discomfort generally subsides within hours following a session.
Laser hair removal may lead to changes in skin pigmentation when overly aggressive laser use damages instead of hair follicles.
Before choosing Brazilian laser hair removal as the solution for you, it is crucial that you consult with a dermatologist first. They can assess your medical history and skin conditions to provide an informed opinion.
Blistering
Blistering in the treatment area may occur after exposure to direct sunlight after laser hair removal sessions or when your skin becomes overly dry; to combat this issue, use moisturizer on your skin regularly, apply over-the-counter painkillers such as aloe vera gel for sensitive areas, and apply over-the-counter painkillers as needed for discomfort. Furthermore, avoid picking at blisters as this could open a wound that leads to scabbing, bleeding and scarring.
Important to keep in mind is that these side effects are temporary; however, long-term adverse reactions should be expected and should indicate poor care from your laser hair removal clinic. It is advised to visit a certified dermatologist with extensive knowledge about laser treatments as they affect skin.
Prior to scheduling a Brazilian laser hair removal session, it’s vitally important that you discuss your medical history with the practitioner in order to make sure that laser hair removal is suitable for you and any specific conditions that you might have. Furthermore, medications taken may interact with laser hair removal; pregnant women should avoid laser hair removal until after giving birth as there have been no studies proving its safety; instead opt for postpartum sessions instead.
Scarring
Though they are rare, laser hair removal procedures that are performed incorrectly may result in blisters and scarring, which is more likely to happen on people with darker skin as the melanin in their skin and hair absorbs greater amounts of energy from laser beams which leads to increased risks of burning.
Blistering can be prevented by refraining from picking at or using scrubbing pads on the area that needs treating, as well as keeping it moisturised to prevent scabbing which could result in scar formation.
Brazilian laser hair removal generally causes minimal discomfort; any sensation you might feel might be described as a pinching sensation that lasts less than a second and usually fades quickly. Overall, however, it’s far less painful than waxing or using an epilator.
After surgery, your skin may appear red and swollen for several hours post-procedure; however, this usually subsides within hours. Applying a cold pack over the area may help alleviate swelling and reduce discomfort; additionally, avoid direct sunlight so as to allow the healing process to proceed properly.
After receiving two to six laser treatments, most clients do not experience any new hair growth for months or even years; when it does reappear, however, it tends to be much finer and lighter in tone than it had been previously.
