Laser Hair Removal Risks

Laser Hair Removal Side Effects

Laser Hair Removal is usually a safe and effective treatment for the removal of unwanted hair.  However, as in all medical grade treatments, there are risks.

The most common Laser Hair Removal side effect is transitory pigmentation changes such as hypopigmentation (less pigment/lighter color skin).  Hypopigmentation is most common in darker skin types or in patients with an “active” tan.  The more pigment a patient has either by genetics or by excessive sun exposure, the more chance that the pigment may vary after the treatment.  The laser light is absorbed by brown pigments and the laser energy will injure the skin rather than just the targeted hair follicle.  Patients should avoid tanning before any treatment.  The treating provider should be accurate in typing the skin to be treated in order to select the correct treatment parameters.

Similarly, patients with freckles (pigment), tattoos, or pigmented lesions may notice a lightening as the laser energy damages the cells with the excess pigment.

Most pigmentation changes are temporary and improves with time.

  However, darker skinned patients pigmentation changes may be permanent.

Fortunately, true skin scarring is rare.

Herpes Simplex outbreak may occur after laser hair removal in patients with a history of previous Herpes Simplex outbreaks and when the area of previous outbreak is directly treated such as around the mouth, pubic area, or bikini area.

Leukotrichia (White Hairs) may develop either on a temporary or permanent basis.  This rare laser hair removal side effect is caused when the laser hair removal energy is insufficient to kill the hair follicle but is powerful enough to damages the melanocyte cells that produce the pigment in the hair fiber.