There are countless articles out there on the dangers of laser hair removal. What they all have in common is that they’re all sensationalized headlines created to grab someone’s attention and make them want to read more. They probably weren’t even written by a real scientist either; more than likely, they were created by someone who has their own axe to grind against laser hair removal. The dangers of laser hair removal? Why, it’s something you hear about once every few years, right? That’s not to say there aren’t any risks involved. However, almost all of those risks can be mitigated with proper procedures and common sense practices. Before we get started though, let’s take a look at what the general consensus is when it comes to potential dangers posed by laser hair removal:
Contents
- Skin Damage
- Scarring
- Infection
- Airway Inhibition
- Superficial Hypersensitivity
- Systemic Hypersensitivity
- Bled Dryness
- Conclusion
Skin Damage
There’s a lot of talk about skin damage from laser hair removal, but these claims are usually just sensationalized headlines. The issue is that there haven’t been any studies specifically on the dangers of laser hair removal and how it affects the skin. Skin damage can occur, but it more often occurs when people don’t properly care for their skin after laser hair removal. Proper treatment means applying moisturizer to your skin on a consistent basis to avoid dryness and irritation. It also means making sure you stay out of the sun while you still have your hair removed; otherwise, you risk increasing the risk of sunburn and cancer. Skin damage is indeed possible with laser hair removal, but it’s more likely to happen when people don’t take proper care of their skin post-hair removal.
Scarring
Scarring is one of the most common misconceptions about laser hair removal. It’s true that laser hair removal can cause some unwanted skin changes and locations to get a little darker, but has absolutely no effect on skin cells in order to cause scarring. Additionally, it’s important to note that laser treatment doesn’t actually remove any of the hair follicles from your body, it just damages them so they stop producing hairs. When you first start getting laser treatments, you may notice slight changes in coloration or texture on your skin due to the process of resurfacing skin cells. This is more noticeable on dark-skinned individuals because there are more “scarring” areas on their body and it takes longer for the coloration to return to normal. However, this is only temporary and will go away as soon as you stop getting treatments.
Infection
There is a small risk of infection when using laser hair removal. This can be prevented by following proper hygiene practices, such as washing your hands before and after. It’s also important to make sure that you’re not allergic to any of the chemicals involved in laser hair removal just in case you have an adverse reaction.
Airway Inhibition
This is probably the most common potential danger that comes up in discussions about laser hair removal. Airway inhibition is a condition where the respiratory tract becomes paralyzed, which can lead to death. It’s not a side effect of laser hair removal; it’s actually the result of an allergic reaction to the laser itself. It can result from certain types of lasers like diode and ruby lasers. The real risk here is that people won’t know if they’re having an adverse reaction to the procedure unless they feel something unusual while they’re going through with it. For example, you might be able to tell if you’re having an allergic reaction because your skin starts burning or feeling tight. But if there’s no obvious sign of something going wrong, it’s more likely that someone will just go on as normal and not realize what’s happening until it’s too late.
Superficial Hypersensitivity
There’s always a risk of people getting skin cancer on any area of the body that has a lot of exposure to the sun, so, yes there’s a risk. There are some areas where you should be extra careful and keep your skin covered up for the few days after treatment is completed. But if you cover up your chest hair or arm hair, it’s probably going to make your life difficult when it comes to keeping warm during the cold winter months.
Systemic Hypersensitivity
One common misconception is that laser hair removal will cause you to develop systemic hypersensitivity. The truth is, this isn’t true at all. It’s a myth; one of the most prolific myths out there. Systemic hypersensitivity occurs when an individual is sensitive to a substance in their own body. For example, if someone has an allergy to peanuts, they can develop systemic hypersensitivity after they eat peanuts. However, laser hair removal won’t cause this type of hypersensitivity as it’s impossible for your body to develop a sensitivity to something that isn’t even inside your body.
Bled Dryness
Some people are more sensitive to laser hair removal than others. If you’re one of those unlucky sods, you may experience severe pain or even bled dry when the procedure is performed. This can be easily avoided by using numbing cream beforehand so that there’s less of a chance that you will experience anything except the pleasure of hair removal!
Conclusion
Laser hair removal is a popular cosmetic procedure for many different skin and hair types. But what are the dangers of laser hair removal? Laser hair removal is safe, provided that the technician is well trained and follows appropriate procedures. There are risks associated with laser hair removal, such as skin damage, scarring, infection, airway inhibition, superficial hypersensitivity, systemic hypersensitivity, and bled dryness. Some symptoms of laser hair removal side effects include:
– redness
– swelling
– itching
– pain
– crusting
– bleeding
– sensitivity to light
– swelling
– redness
– pain
– crusting
– bleeding
– sensitivity to light