Laser Hair Removal

Laser hair removal is a safe procedure, tested over many years on millions of people around the world. The risk of serious complications related to laser hair removal is extremely low. However, in rare cases, mild and fully reversible side effects may occur, such as:

• Mild oedema
• Mild redness
• Skin irritation

These complications are temporary and disappear within a few hours or the following day after treatment, depending on the severity of the reaction. Very rarely, in international clinical practice, serious complications such as burns, infection or changes in skin colour have been reported.

Your safety is important, and choosing a specialised laser clinic such as Cosmetic Derma Medicine can minimise the likelihood of such risks occurring. Our clinics’ specially trained staff, with their many years of experience and thousands of treatments performed, together with the use of the most up-to-date equipment, ensure a comfortable, complication-free experience.

Hair removal should not be performed if you suffer from photosensitivity, or if you have a wound or inflammation, such as oral herpes or bacterial skin infections.

Furthermore, it is not safe to perform laser hair removal over a tattoo, even if you intend to have it removed anyway. You can of course proceed with laser hair removal while avoiding the areas where tattoos are present. If you already have a tattoo and have decided you also want laser hair removal, you have the option of having it removed first. See how tattoo removal is performed at our Clinic.

If you have vitiligo, consult your dermatologist before proceeding with laser hair removal. The general rule is that this condition constitutes a contraindication, as laser application may worsen the symptoms.

It is a myth that you cannot have laser hair removal in summer. Modern laser hair removal machines can adjust their wavelength for tanned skin. You simply need to take some precautions:

• Be careful about sun exposure for 3–5 days before and after laser hair removal, depending on your skin’s sensitivity, as some skin damage may occur.
• You could develop blisters and skin crusting after the laser procedure. This usually occurs due to the sensitivity caused by prolonged direct sun exposure.
• It is important to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen daily before and after the laser hair removal procedure.

After the laser hair removal session, you will notice that the hairs begin to fall out gradually over the following days. This progressive hair loss is due to the fact that on the day of the laser treatment, each hair follicle may have been at a different stage of its life cycle. By repeating the treatment at the recommended intervals, more and more hairs are eliminated with each session and their life cycle is interrupted.

As with sun exposure, tanned skin requires special attention for laser hair removal. Ideally, start your treatments in autumn to avoid this concern altogether. However, even for tanned skin, the ND-YAG laser remains an option.

The duration of hair removal results varies depending on hair type, colour, the area treated, gender and age. Duration also depends on the equipment used for hair removal. For example, an inexpensive device performs differently from a cutting-edge technology device such as the Candela GentleLase PRO laser that we use at Cosmetic Derma Medicine.

Before the first session, we will give you detailed instructions on what to do and what to avoid. Following these instructions will increase the effectiveness of the procedure and reduce the risk of side effects. Here are some things you should do before your laser hair removal session.

• Avoid sun exposure for a few days before the treatment. Laser hair removal should not be performed on heavily tanned skin.
• Avoid activities that may irritate the skin.
• For 1–1.5 months before your session, avoid hair removal with other methods, such as sugaring or waxing. The hairs should be slightly visible.

You may have heard that laser hair removal can cause skin cancer or other types of cancer. This is a myth — there is no risk of cancer whatsoever. It is true that ionising radiation, such as X-rays, which passes through the body, can lead to cancer development as it can cause genetic mutations. However, the laser uses light emission rather than ionising radiation, treating only the surface of the skin, and carries no cancer risk.