You might know that the basic theory behind laser removal is that unwanted hair is removed by burning off the root of the hair at the follicle. Many people have initial questions about the safety of laser hair removal; after all, one is using what is in effect a ray to burn the skin. Naturally, questions about just how safe the procedure is will come up.
To start out with, it is important to note that there have been no recorded incidents of long term health problems following laser treatments. In other words, laser hair removal does not lead to any type of cancer or crippling effects. However, there are a few risks associated with laser treatment, most of them minor or cosmetic in nature. Let's take a look.
Irritated skin: After treatment, the heat from the laser beam may cause irritation in the skin of some patients. Gels and balms can be applied to take care of this.
Discolouration: People with dark skin may find that laser treatment discolours the area where hair was removed. This is due to the fact that the laser targets the follicle through the melanin present in the skin.
Acne: And type of skin irritation will open up pores, so hair removal by laser does carry the chance of aggravating acne.
White Spots: Again, white spots on the skin may occur due to the heat given off by the laser beam.
It is important to note that the side effects of laser hair removal are fairly rare, and in most cases will fade away. The people most at risk for permanent (yet still minor) skin irritations are those with darker coloured skin. People with lighter skin will find fewer incidents of discolouration, and these tend to be negligible even when they do occur.
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