According to the SEME (Spanish Society of Aesthetic Medicine) when laser hair removal was introduced in Spain in 1997, the percentage of male patients who underwent medical laser hair removal was approximately 5%. Now they represent more than 40% of all patients who undergo laser hair removal. The fact is that the percentages have increased considerably in recent times, due to the standardization of prices and the expansion of centers that have the service.
Despite all the advantages that laser hair removal offers compared to other techniques, there are risks associated with this treatment, such as, for example, that laser hair removal can burn us. Yes, as you read it. It is not usual, but it is a possibility that may exist.
And what to do when this happens? In this article we are going to tell you what the procedure is when a laser session causes burns on your skin . Do not panic, they are usually superficial first degree burns that are easy to heal, and that, if you follow the instructions, should not leave a mark.
What are laser burns like?
Laser skin burns can vary depending on the laser hair removal machine used. In addition, they also depend on the length of the sessions and the power to which the laser is put .
However, laser burns are not very serious. In fact, these are superficial first-degree burns that, if treated correctly, should heal quickly and leave no trace.
In brown or tanned skin they are the ones that are more likely to suffer a burn, since they absorb most of the light due to their high melanin composition. However, in fair skin with dark hair, the chances of any side effects are reduced, including any thermal injury.
The color of these burns is usually reddish at first, then turns brown . They usually always have the shape of the head used, which can be circles, squares, rectangles.
Surely at first, you will have a bit of burning and burning in the area, but after a few days, since it is minor burns, you should not feel too much pain.
How to treat burns by laser hair removal?
The first thing you should do when faced with a laser burn is to contact your beauty salon immediately. Your kinesiologist will evaluate the situation and give you the necessary recommendations to deal with the injury.
However, you can see the severity of the burn yourself by its color. If it is reddish and not very large, it will be slight and will soon turn brown, as if you have tanned. The ones you should pay attention to are those burns that come in the form of blisters . In this case, yes or yes you should contact a professional.
If your case is that of slight redness, you can take care of them yourself at home by following these recommendations:
- Avoid contact with heat sources, including the sun, at all costs.
- Nor should you take baths with hot water, cold water is the best.
- Don’t wear clothes that fitright where you have your burn.
- Take an anti-inflammatory for the first few days, if the pain becomes unbearable.
- You can apply icewhich is a very effective natural painkiller.
- Apply creams that contain aloe vera to the area. Aloe vera is a powerful cell regenerator and will prevent scarring.
Another thing that we recommend you take when the burn is already brown is hip oil. The qualities of this natural oil are impressive to avoid scars on the skin.
How to avoid laser burns?
It is clear that once you are burned, there is no going back. But, for that very reason, that “prevention is better than cure” must be applied in life. It is a risk that must be taken when we undergo a laser session, but, of course, you can prevent it and we will tell you how.
- Notify your kinesiologist if you are taking any type of drug or dermatological cream in the area to be treated.
- Avoid tanning your skin before and after each session. In fact, it is advisable not to tan your skin while we are undergoing treatment.
- Try to shave the area to be waxed well before the session. If there is any loose hair, it could burn and cause a burn.
If that is true, that sometimes this is not enough and the laser hair removal machine causes a burn. But stay calm if this happens, as you will not be the first or the last person to face a burn from laser hair removal.
Can I have a laser after a burn?
Actually, it should be your specialist who determines if you can have another session or not, having suffered burns on the skin. However, it is best for your skin to rest and fully recover so as not to suffer the consequences of a major burn.
All this that we are telling you has its logic, right? We better wait if our own health depends on it. So be patient, if by waiting you save yourself from suffering another more serious burn, it is best to wait.
Now that you know how to act if you have been burned by doing a laser hair removal session, take it seriously and follow the advice we have given you so that the happy mark does not remain on your skin. Now, the most important thing is that you understand that the best remedy to cure laser burns is prevention. Give yourself 10 to 15 days to sunbathe, shave well, notify the clinic if you are taking any medication … If you remedy soon, much better!
