The principle of the procedure and care after laser hair removal
Care after laser hair removal is very important for obtaining the desired effect. With non.Compliance with elementary rules, complications may occur in the form of allergic reactions and painful sensations.
To get a silky look and touch skin, you need to understand what you can do after the procedure and what cannot be done. In order to enjoy the result, and not eliminate negative consequences, it is important to take into account the contraindications and follow the recommendations of a cosmetologist. This is what our article is about.
Contraindications of epilation
Laser hair removal is accompanied by the effects of light rays on the skin surface. The principle of operation of the apparatus is as follows: the flow of light reaches the bulbs, blood vessels, contributing to their heating and subsequent death. Therefore, the follicles are destroyed and hair growth stops in the treated area.
A repeated laser hair removal procedure, which is carried out after 25-30 days removes the remaining hairs that were previously in a state of sleep. After 10 sessions of such manipulations, the follicles become completely not capable.
The instructions for use are attached to all lighting devices, where diseases are described in detail that are a contraindication to the procedure.
Laser hair removal is prohibited in the following cases:
Low immunity associated with severe pathologies.
Any skin diseases, especially infectious.
Varicose veins and vascular stars.
It is also worth it to wait with such a procedure if the client has at least one of the conditions:
Period of bearing a baby and breastfeeding.
Infection with viruses and various infections.
Inflammatory processes on the skin in the area of alleged hair removal.
Damage to the skin. Wounds, cuts, scratches.
How to alleviate pain during laser hair removal
Judging by reviews, laser hair removal is not very painful. It all depends on the processed area and your pain threshold.
Modern apparatuses with a cooling system minimize unpleasant sensations during the procedure.
Among modern lasers, an Alexander and neodymium diode can be distinguished. These are highly effective and safe lasers. Allow you to work with any hair and skin color.
Side effects of laser and IPL epilation
In a study conducted by the Institute of Dermatology and Laser Surgery in Washington, a retrospective analysis of the side effects that occur as a result of 900 consecutive laser hair removal procedures was described during the 24-month study period. The study was attended by ND’s neodymium laser: YAG, a long.Income ruby laser with a contact cooling tip and a long.Income Alexander Laser.
As side effects, the pain during the procedure, erythema, edema, hypopigmentation and hyperpigmentation, the formation of bubbles, crust, erosion, purple and folliculitis were noted.
Most of the side effects were recorded on tanned skin or on phototypes of the skin along Fitzpatrika III and above, as well as when using laser systems on the ruby and Alexander compared with the neodymium system. Infections, scars or distant complications were not recorded.
Therefore, when choosing laser treatment parameters, it is important to take into account such characteristics as the type of skin, the anatomical location of the zone, as well as the presence of tanning.
Lasers emitting waves with a high ability to absorb melanin should be used conservative in the treatment of patients with dark photos or tanning.
The most common side effects of laser hair removal include transient erythema, peripholicular edema, folliculitis, hyperpigmentation, hypopigmentation, formation of crusts, purple, erosion and scars, as well as pain.
Cases of the appearance of mesh erythema after treatment with a diode laser are also known. This is a type of dermatosis, which occurs as a result of repeated and prolonged, but in terms of intensity insufficient for a burn, exposure to infrared radiation.
An important side effect of laser hair removal, which manufacturers and laser epilation salons themselves are little talk about. Paradoxical hypertrichosis.
For example, an interesting case was registered and described. A 21-year-old man recommended therapy of excess hair by a Alexander Laser with a wavelength of 755 Nm and energy from 20 to 22 J/cm2 with 10-12 weeks of intervals during the course of seven procedures.
After 3 procedures, the patient noted a significant increase in the density and length of the hair on the back, shoulders, neck and shoulders.
The man was under supervision once every 2 years without further epilation intervention. Interestingly, after 10 years of the region of paradoxical hair growth, it became less often compared to the period immediately after treatment, but remained more thick compared to preliminary treatment.
However, it is known that cases of paradoxical hypertrichosis as a side effect are usually recorded after hair removal.
Science proven that axillary bromhydrosis and hyperhidrosis improve when using a laser.
Hyperhidrosis is defined as excessive sweating and has an idiopathic or secondary etiology. Bromhydrosis is a chronic disease that develops in the postpuberty period, in which an excessive unpleasant odor comes from the skin.
However, complaints of patients who underwent a course of laser hair removal on the occurrence of bromhydrosis and hyperhidrosis as side effects were registered.
And therefore, the purpose of the study of 2009 was the study of hyperhidrosis, bruthydrosis and leukotrichia after laser hair removal.
A retrospective study of patients who underwent laser epilation of axillary depressions was carried out to determine the frequency of these side effects depending on the type of skin and types of laser used.
Hyperhidrosis, brutrhydrosis and leukotrichia were observed in 11, 4 and 2% of patients, respectively.
Hyperhidrosis arose much less common in patients with the type of skin III and IV, compared to the type of skin II or V.
It is interesting that the combined sessions of the diode and Alexander Lazer were associated with a significantly higher frequency of hyperhidrosis compared to sessions only with the diode or only Alexandrite.
As for Bromhydrosis and leukotrichia, statistical analysis did not reveal a significant correlation with age, skin type or laser settings.
In the 2008 study, in order to study side effects of hair removal, 2540 patients took part. The first group of 1000 patients received laser hair therapy with Lumina IPL, Great Britain. The second group of 1540 patients was treated with a multifunctional laser and IPL Vasculight-SR, USA system.
The energy density used for Lumina varyed from 16 to 30 J/cm2. For Vasculight-SR, the energy density was from 33 to 42 J/cm2; pulse duration 3-5 ms, delay 20-80 ms.
Therapy parameters in each case got out in accordance with the type of patient’s skin on Fitzpatrik.
The wavelengths were 695, 755, 645 and 615 Nm. Patients received procedures every 4-6 weeks in the amount of 8 or more sessions. The observation period was up to 20 months.
In the first group of burns and their consequences in the form of a spacing hyperpigmentation (PIH), pasteal hypopigmentation (PIHPO), burns and erosions and, finally, scars were registered in 7.5%, 1%, 6.4%and 0.1% Cases, respectively.
Leukotrichia, folliculitis and paradoxical hypertrichosis are registered in another 4%, 3.5% and 1.2% of cases, respectively.
In the second group, PiH and Pihpo were registered in 1.8% and 0.25% of cases. Erosion and the formation of crust are registered in 1.8% of patients. The paradoxical effect, leukotrichia and the formation of acne were observed in 5%, 1.7% and 1.2% of cases, respectively.
So, for IPL systems, the most common side effects are burns and their consequences, leukotrichia, paradoxical hypertrichosis and folliculitis.
My Laser Hair Removal/Burn Story
Adapted translation of articles: Olesya Smagina, assistant director of the centers of epilation “Universe of Beauty”
Radmanesh M, Azar-Byg M, Abtahian A, Naderi AH. Burning, Paradoxical Hypertrichosis, Leukotrichia and Folliculiculitsy Are Four Major Complications of Intense Light Hair Removal Therapy. J Dermatolog Treat. 2008; 19 (6): 360-3. Doi: 10.1080/09546630802132627. PMID: 18654911. 2. Lapidoth M, Shafirstein G, Ben Amitai D, Hodak E, Waner M, David M. Reticulate Erythema Following Dior-Sassisted Hair Removal: A New Side Effect of a Common Procedure. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2004 nov; 51 (5): 774-7. Doi: 10.1016/j.Jaad.2004.04.017. PMID: 15523357. 3. Helou, Josiane Soutou, B. Jamous, R Tomb, Roland. (2009). Novel Adverse Effects of Laser-SSSISTED AXILLARY HAIR REMOVAL. Annales de Dermatologie et de vénélogie. 136. 495-500. Ten.1016/j.Annder.2009.04.005. 4. Nanni Ca, Alster TS. LASER-SSSISTED HAIR Removal: Side Effects of Q-Switched ND: Yag, Long-Pulsed Ruby, and Alexandrite Lasers. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1999 aug; 41 (2 pt 1): 165-71. Doi: 10.1016/s0190-9622 (99) 70043-5. PMID: 10426883. 5. Honeybrook a, Crossing T, Bernstein E, Bloom J, Woodward J. Long-Term Outcome of a Patient with Paradoxical Hypertrichosis after Laser Epilation. J Cosmet Laser Ther. 2018 Jun; 20 (3): 179-183. Doi: 10.1080/14764172.2017.1383614. EPUB 2017 Dec 5. PMID: 29020484.
The essence of the methodology of laser hair removal
Laser removal of unwanted hair is a medical procedure. The essence of the method consists in the influence of a laser wave having a certain length on the melanin pigment, which is present in the hair and gives them color.
There are two components in Melanin:
Hair color depends on the ratio of these fractions. If Emlanin prevails, the hair will be a dark shade, with the dominance of Feomlanin. Light.
In the second case (for example, in red and blondes), light is reflected, and not its absorption, then hair removal with laser hair removal is not possible.
Due to the absorption of light by Emlanin, the decay of chemical compounds begins in the skin. This process is due to the effect of high temperature. That is, after the hair rod is heated, heat switches to the root and onion. The growing thermal reaction triggers the blockage of blood vessels: the hair ceases to eat. Thus, he gradually dies and falls out.
Myths about the consequences of laser hair removal for health
Some stereotypes regarding laser hair removal appeared due to the fact that in the past the equipment used had a number of shortcomings. As modernized, the devices become safer, which expands their capabilities and reduces the risks of negative consequences.
Myth 1: Laser‘s work can provoke oncology
Consequence of laser hair removal. Cancer. This is the most popular myth. From the point of view of the risk of developing oncological diseases, the most dangerous is high-frequency ionizing radiation-X-ray and gamma rays. Laser radiation used in hair removal procedures is not ionizing.
Myth 2: scars will remain after the procedure, and the hair will begin to grow
Scars appear during electro.Power, when needles are used that damage the surface of the skin and are inserted into the upper layer of the dermis.
Laser hair removal does not violate the integrity of the skin, so scarring is simply impossible.
And the ingrown hair is a consequence of unprofessional wax depilation. When an thinned hair does not have the strength to break through the skin, it simply grows under it. The laser is just aimed at eliminating such manifestations.
Myth 3: After the procedure, a large number of hard hair will appear
After each processing, the hair grows increasingly thin, less and it appears more slowly. The paradoxical effect can be observed only once. After the second session. This is called synchronization and indicates the effectiveness of the procedure. The third session all this vegetation is removed, and after that the hair grows slowly, becoming softer.
Myth 4: laser hair removal. A rather painful procedure
The cause of pain in procedures is the effect on the nerve fibers, which are located in the skin. Each person has these fibers in their own way, so we all feel the pain in different ways. Cosmetologists note that the sensations during the procedure are comparable with a click on the skin and are usually normally tolerated. In addition, at the request of the client, a cosmetologist, of course, can apply an anesthetic cream.
Myth 5: Laser hair removal cannot be done in the summer
The season cannot be an obstacle to removing excess vegetation on the body. Over, in the summer, this is especially relevant. In fact, the procedures can be planned in the vacation season, the main thing is to know some nuances.
If you need to process zones hidden under clothes, for example, a bikini zone, there are no problems here. The procedure can be carried out at any time. Laser hair removal cannot be carried out on tanned and dark skin. This will lead to burns.
And another myth. Rather from the category of false positive. After the procedure, additional care is not needed. This is not true. The skin in the process of laser hair removal survived serious stress and needs to be additional protection.
What are the contraindications during laser hair removal?
There are temporary factors in which laser hair removal cannot be done. This includes:
Women during pregnancy face the physical problem of removing unwanted hair, because they simply do not reach the right places. Therefore, they begin to think about the optimal way of hair removal and stop on laser hair removal. But this type of hair removal is contraindicated during pregnancy. The fact is that during pregnancy the hormonal background is unstable, and the skin becomes sensitive. For these reasons, pigmentation may appear, and the process itself will pass more painfully. In addition, the influence of the laser on the fetus has not been studied, and its safety for the embryo cannot be proved experimentally due to ethical reasons. But after childbirth, you can proceed to the destruction of boring hair, not forgetting about the list of other contraindications.
Firstly, in children, most of the hair is in sleeping. They have few dark pigment (melanin) and the laser removal procedure will be practically useless. Somewhere by the age of 12-13, active hair growth begins.
Secondly, adolescence is the time of raging hormones and restructuring the whole organism. The body of a teenager and so during this period is not easy and better to give time to complete all the processes begun.
With laser hair removal, you should refrain from visiting the beach or solarium in 2-4 weeks and 2-3 weeks after the procedure. The skin after staying in the sun is dehydrated and needs to be moisturized, becomes dry and irritable, which means that prone to burns and pigmentation. The laser affects the dark pigment in the follicle of the hair. The best result will be when working with dark hair on fair skin, and not vice versa. Creams and lotions for obtaining an artificial tan are also contraindicated. And after the removal procedure, you cannot sunbathe, because the skin is susceptible to irritation, and it needs to ensure proper care. Use moisturizing and sunscreen in open areas of the skin.
After removing hair with wax or sugar paste (shugaring), 30 days should pass. Because these methods remove the roots and the laser hair removal procedure will be ineffective.
After hair removal in the inflamed area of the skin, an infection available on the surface may spread further. For example, by acting a laser on a skin area with folliculitis, formed due to bacteria-proophytes, it is possible to provoke an infection of infection along the entire surface and worsen the situation as a whole. In addition, in the presence of infections in the body, immunity is reduced, which affects the healing timing of tissues. Conducting laser hair removal in inflammatory processes can lead to pigmentation of this site. Since the laser beam, getting on it, can provoke the development of an increased amount of dark pigment (melanin).
The site on which the procedure is planned should be healthy. There should be no peeling, burns, allergic rashes, injuries and microtraumas. Otherwise, the hair removal will be ineffective, and the condition of the damage may worsen. The procedure can be done after the restoration of the skin.
The consequences of laser hair removal
Laser hair removal. This is an effect on the skin in order to remove the hair that was allowed by FDA in 1997.
Since then, many improvements have been made to make it more effective for use and eliminate possible side effects and complications. However, it was not possible to completely get rid of the risks of possible consequences until today.
Woman Burned by Common Hair Removal Procedure
The laser method of hair removal has side effects, since it uses the rays of concentrated light.
Complications can be temporary and constant. Pain, burns and blisters, redness and edema in the treated area are temporary side effects of laser hair removal. Among the constant side effects, bleaching of the skin, scarring, crust, purple (purple skin color), bruises and problems with pigmentation are distinguished.
As with any medical treatment, before the start of the procedure, it is important to evaluate the risk of side effects.
This is the most common side effect. As a rule, it takes place shortly after the end of therapy. Causes discomfort and moderate pain.
Hypopigmentation and hyperpigmentation of the skin
After laser hair removal, some people may have a bleach of the pigment (hypopigmentation), which is responsible for the tone of the skin. In other cases, darkening or hyperpigmentation of the skin is observed, which is localized in the form of dark spots in the treated area.
Usually they disappear for 3 months, although they can last from 6 to 8 months. Hypopigmentation, as a rule, lasts up to 2 months after laser therapy. In some cases, according to American society, plastic surgeons, hypopigmentation may be constant.
Laser hair removal can cause the appearance of burns and blisters on the skin. To protect the dermis, a spray or freezing gel or contact cold nozzle is often used. Thanks to these measures, the skin is protected from excessive thermal exposure.
Laser hair removal can leave scars. And although this risk is small, the possibility of it remains clinically proven.
About 10% of patients who undergo laser hair removal with the help of Alexander’s lasers and a long.Power bulb, the formation of a crust occurs. The main reason for this process is usually associated with the excessive effect of the laser on the area.
Wearing protective glasses is necessary for both customers and laser operators, so as not to damage the eyes. Sometimes this requirement is ignored, which can lead to a burn of the retina of the eye.
This is the general side effect of laser hair removal. Swelling after laser exposure is usually non.Core expressed. To minimize further skin irritation, it is necessary to avoid solar effects.
This is a rare but possible side effect. It is usually observed in cases where the integrity of the skin is violated.
Laser rays affect the oxide of iron of tattoos and cosmetics, which leads to the formation of black insoluble pigment in the skin. To avoid this, it is necessary to wash off all the cosmetics before the procedure, as well as carefully avoid tattoos.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, to achieve the best result, most patients will need from 2 to 6 procedures performed with an interval of 4-6 weeks. The result can persist for many years, but in the future, multiple hair growth arises.
Repeated germination is usually lighter and thinner than the primary cover. Therefore, laser hair removal, according to the conclusion of FDA, is not a method of hair removal forever, but only their significant reduction.
Laser hair removal is one of the popular types of hair removal, but it is expensive, and is also fraught with the possibility of side effects, including a significant risk to health, especially if the procedure is performed by a non.Professional formation without a medical education.
Given all the risks and possible consequences of the laser methodology, we decided to abandon laser hair removal in our centers in favor.
Medically Written and Reviewed by: Julia Nicholson, Dermatologist, Physiotherapist published: Olesya Smagina, Assistant Director of Epilation Center “The Beauty Universe”
