Are There Any Risks with Laser Hair Removal?

While laser hair removal is one of the safest cosmetic procedures currently available, it would be remiss to say that it is totally risk-free.  The good news of course is that major negative side effects are rare, and most of the risk can be minimized with proper preparation and treatment.  Still, these risks DO exist, and it is important for potential laser hair removal patients to be aware of them.

It is very rare for patients to experience any sort of negative side effect during the actual procedure, though patients with especially sensitive skin or already irritated skin are at an increased risk of experiencing some mild pain during treatment.  Some clinicians may prescribe a mild anesthetic or pain killer to prevent these occurrences, while others will not treat patients with existing skin conditions.  For your own sake, you can reduce the risk of pain (or later of infection) by resolving any skin conditions prior to laser hair removal treatment.

After your laser hair removal session, it is not uncommon for you to experience a small amount of discomfort.  In fact, it is normal for the targeted hair follicles to respond to the treatment with temporary swelling and for the skin in the area of the treatment to be red, inflamed, and/or hyper-sensitive.  These side effects usually subside within 24-48 hours and are treated with a mild pain killer like aspirin.  Clinicians may also recommend the use of soothing solutions or special moisturizers.  Alternately, patients may be advised to avoid direct sunlight, the use of exfoliants, and/or the use of products containing salicylic acid which may exacerbate or prolong the skin's negative response to the procedure.

A rarer but still possible risk of laser hair removal is hyper or hypo pigmentation where irritation of the melanin in the skin causes long-term discoloration.  The risk of discoloration is greater with dark skin.

Another rare but potential side effect is blistering or burning.  These side effects are more prevalent in patients with especially fair or sensitive skin and may also be the result of improper treatment.  If you experience blistering or burning after treatment, consult your dermatologist immediately.  It may be necessary to change your course of treatment or to end it altogether.  If left untreated, these side effects can lead to the more extreme risk of infection or permanent scarring.

If you have an abnormally adverse experience either during or after the procedure, it is crucial that you contact your doctor immediately.  Even moderate pain during a laser hair removal treatment is unusual, and the clinician should be alerted immediately.  Extreme pain during or after a session is also cause for special concern. When in doubt, always call your doctor.