Laser Hair Removal Safety

As with any medical procedure before getting any cosmetic procedure done, one should take into consideration all risks before taking the plunge under the knife. Even though laser hair removal is considered a non-intrusive medical procedure, with zero recovery time and no incisions required, there are risks involved, no matter how small, are still worth considering.

Laser hair removal was first introduced in 1995, when it was approved by the FDA, by 1998 there were only 110,000 treatments performed. Fast forward to 2008, when an estimated 1.4 million treatments were reported, laser hair removal quickly became a booming billion dollar industry, Laser hair removal has become the second most common cosmetic procedure performed closely behind Botox injections.

Most practitioners consider laser hair removal safe but there are some serious risks to consider, although rare, your practitioners should disclose all the risks involved and give you the heads up if your skin type or hair type has a higher tendency for risk, or hair re-growth. Risks such as hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation have been reported in rare cases, which is the lightening or darkening of the skin, some olive skinned individuals do report skin lightening and lighter skin individuals have reported skin darkening. Even rarer are the risk of blistering that has been experienced by some patients, which are the result of inexperienced practitioners with poorly calibrated laser hair removal devices. The rule of thumb is during the procedure you feel any abnormal pain, or extremely uncomfortable do not "grin and bare it", let your nurse or practitioners aware of your situation.

Some patients have also reported changes in skin texture, most of these skin changes are favorable, because the skin will appear and feel smoother after treatment. This smoothness is usually temporary but in some cases the smoothness can be permanent, and for most people that is a favorable result.

Skin treatments involving lasers are becoming more and more popular, one study conducted by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery estimates that the industry will generate $7-9 billion dollars by 2009, and is becoming the most popular, safe, and accessible medical procedure in the United States. The sheer volume of procedures is growing, but those numbers don't make this procedure without risk, and one should consult a certified professional before moving forward.

Mark Bakr has been conducting southcoastmedspa.com laser hair removal in Los Angeles for several years and is an expert in southcoastmedspa.com laser skin treatments.