Can Laser Hair Removal Cause Nerve Damage? (2024)

FAQs

Can Laser Hair Removal Cause Nerve Damage? ›

It's important to note that the risk of actual nerve damage is exceedingly rare and often associated with improper laser use, such as incorrect settings or untrained operators.

It's not permanent, but the results last longer than shaving or waxing. Most people need about six treatments. It's usually safe, but side effects can include burns, scars or permanent skin discoloration.

Pain, numbness and tingling are experienced in varying degrees by all patients who underwent laser hair removal procedure. It has not resulted in any serious consequences in our observations. Laser treatment may also cause a condition very rare in occurrence known by the name of crusting.

Rarely, laser hair removal can cause blistering, crusting, scarring or other changes in skin texture. Other rare side effects include graying of treated hair or excessive hair growth around treated areas, particularly on darker skin.

Other potential side effects include swelling, redness, and scarring. Permanent scarring or changes in skin color are rare. Blisters are rare but are more likely in people with darker complexions. Another rare side effect is the treated hair turning gray or more hair growing around the treated areas.

But, as with any treatment that ends with more or less permanent results, not everyone is pleased with their decision. While some feel freedom after banishing all the hair on their bodies for good, others express deep regret — especially given how the conversation around body hair has shifted in recent years.

Laser hair removal can be dangerous in inexperienced hands. Burns, permanent changes to your skin color, and scars can occur.

It's important to note that the risk of actual nerve damage is exceedingly rare and often associated with improper laser use, such as incorrect settings or untrained operators.

Nerve damage

Transient injury to the temporal and facial nerves overlying the zygomatic arch is possible, particularly in elderly people who have thin skin and minimal facial adiopose tissue. These anatomic areas can still be treated with IPL, but lowering the energy settings may minimize this risk.

People with keloid scars or healing problems like hypertrophic scars should not have laser hair removal. Likewise people with vitiligo, a condition which causes de-pigmentation of sections of the skin. People who have severe histamine reactions like urticaria are also unsuitable.

Which injury is the most common form of laser tissue damage? ›

The laser produces an intense, highly directional beam of light. The most common cause of laser-induced tissue damage is thermal in nature, where the tissue proteins are denatured due to the temperature rise following absorption of laser energy.

When laser light impinges on tissue, it can reflect, scatter, be absorbed, or transmit to the surrounding tissue. Absorption controls to a great degree the extent to which reflection, scattering and transmission occur, and wavelength is the primary determinant of absorption.

The procedure also isn't linked to any long-term side effects. Still, discussions about the side effects of laser hair removal abound. Although temporary and minor side effects can occur after the procedure, other effects are rare. Beyond that, any claims about links to your long-term health are unfounded.

Initial treatments may cause short term muscle spasm, mild fatigue, mild nausea or headaches. It is thought that these healing reactions are the result of increased metabolites in the blood stream. This usually subsides within 48 hours.

Cutaneous wound infection is most common after laser skin resurfacing, although it is sometimes noted in any laser case in which the epidermis has been damaged. Superficial viral, bacterial, and fungal infections are possible.

The laser will damage the hair follicle even though it doesn't kill it. The hair will gradually recover if a follicle is damaged but not completely lost. Every hair follicle can be challenging to eradicate. For this reason, most people who undergo the treatment still notice regrowth.

It's not permanent

You'll need regular sessions to keep hair from regrowing. How often sessions are needed varies for each person.

If you stop laser hair removal too early, you'll likely be left with something around the percentage that is there now. Once the particular follicle is dead it won't regrow, but new ones can be triggered by hormonal changes.

Even though the hair may eventually return, if the laser did its job on the targeted hair follicles, it usually will appear lighter or thinner upon any regrowth. This is completely normal, and the appearance of your unwanted hair is a solvable problem that follow-up treatments down the road can easily remedy.