Can you get burned with Laser & IPL?

Yes, it is possible to get burns with a Laser or IPL treatment. Burns are very rare and in 99% of the cases, they are very minor and will go away without leaving a mark within a couple of weeks.


There are many factors than can cause burns, but in order for it to make more sense I will first explain how laser and IPL work.

Both IPL and laser work with the energy of an intense light source. Different filters and settings are used to target specific elements in our skin: 

• hair follicle for hair removal
• pigment
• protein and water for rejuvenation
• blood for spider vein removal and broken capillaries.

When the light comes in contact with the specific element that is targeting it gets converted into heat energy. This energy depending on the treatment:

• burns the follicle
• burns the pigment
• heats the protein and water to increase collagen production
• heats the blood to create coagulation

Why do things go wrong?

Sun Exposure

The main cause of burns is sun exposure before or after treatment. It is extremely important that you follow your therapist instructions to the letter. You must keep the area to be treated out of the sun (sun, solarium, tanning beds) for 4 weeks before and 4 weeks after treatment. If you need to expose the area to the sun use a broad spectrum sunscreen SPF30+, even if it's cloudy.

Sometimes we go to the shops and forget to use sunscreen, however even if you are in the car, unless your windows are all tinted with UV A & B protection, you are getting sun exposure.

 

 Why it's important to keep out of the sun?

Before Treatment: Sun exposure will cause the cells to produce more melanin for protection from the UV rays tanning or burning your skin, depending on your skin colour and the amount of exposure. If you then undergo treatment there can be increased melanin production causing pigmentation or you can have burns.

After Treatment: UV rays will heat your skin compounding the effect of the treatment. Certain areas of your skin are sensitive after treatment and exposure to the sun can aggravate them causing damage and pigmentation.

Inexperienced Therapist

Another frequent reason for burns in Laser and IPL treatments is an inexperienced Therapist.

We are all different: different skin colour, hair colour, skin sensitivity, etc. Because of this the energy levels on the laser and IPL machines have to be set specifically for each one of us.

It doesn't matter if the therapist is a doctor, a nurse or a beautician, specific experience in laser and IPL treatments is what counts.

To ensure a successful treatment a good therapist will first do 3 test patches starting in low settings and increasing them according to your feedback. Your feedback is very important. You should have a medium (very tolerable) level of pain. In other words, if 10 is very painful and 1 no pain at all, you should be feeling between 4-6. Some people have more tolerance to pain than others so, to give you a guide, waxing for the first time is about an 8.

It is also recommended to start treatment a week after the test patch is performed, to make sure there are no adverse reactions. This is specially important for people with olive and dark skin.

Also, not all areas of your body react the same, one level of energy may not be suitable for the whole treatment. Please, make sure you tell the therapist if the pain level increases, she can then adjust the settings accordingly.

Certain Drugs and Medicines

Certain medications may cause photo-sensitivity and your skin may react adversely.  Tell your therapist if you are taking any medications.

If you are taking Roaccutane (also called Accutane, or Isotretinoin) which is usually taken for the treatment of certain cancers and skin deceases including severe acne; you cannot undergo treatment.

If you are using creams with Retinoids, Retin-A, Retinol or lotions that contain high levels of vitamin A you should stop using them at least 2 weeks before treatment.

Certain Medical Conditions

If you are Diabetic you may have problems healing.

People with a history of keloid scarring can also have a bad reaction to the treatment.

Immune System Disorders can trigger an overreaction of the body causing increased inflammation in the treated area.

What to do if you are one of the unlucky ones?

Minor Red skin

For many beauty treatments, specially rejuvenation or pigmentation treatments,  a minor red skin is an expected and even desirable effect. However, there are cases in which it may be a bit too much. In either case the following guidelines should help.

Apply a cold compress or wash under cool water for 3-5min (don't put ice). Apply Aloe Vera gel or a gel with Beta-Carotene often.

No need to go to the doctor, however advise the salon or clinic where you did the treatment. If you can get down there an show them what happened even better.

STAY OUT OF THE SUN
DO NOT SCRATCH OR PICK THE AREA

It should clear up within a week. If you keep the area covered or out of the sun it should not leave marks.

Dark Red patches or blistering, intense pain.

This is not a desirable effect in any case. Apply a cold compress or wash under cool water for 3-5min (don't put ice). Don't pop the blisters. Don't apply butter or toothpaste. Buy specific burns' gauze with ointment at the chemist and cover the area. Consult your doctor as soon as possible.

To avoid pigmentation you should KEEP THE AREA OUT OF THE SUN for at least one year. DO NOT SCRATCH OR PICK THE AREA

What's the difference between Laser Hair Removal & IPL Hair Removal?

The term Laser Hair Removal is commonly used to signify both Laser and Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) hair removal. However they are not the same.

They both work by emitting a beam of light, in the case of IPL the light has a broad spectrum while the Laser has one specific wavelength of light.

Because IPL uses multiple wavelengths it can target different chormophores (colours) and can be used to treat many different things, not only hair removal. Changing the filter will target a different colour and thus you can treat pigmentation, spider veins and acne as well as permanent hair reduction.

Laser uses one concentrated beam of light which will target only the pigment in the hair.

Clinics that use Laser advocate that the laser is better than IPL while IPL users say the opposite. The truth is that they are both as effective at permanent hair reduction in the hands of an experience therapist.

They both present the risk of hypo or hyper pigmentation, or burning if used by untrained operators.

Laser is slower than IPL. Because the beam of light in laser is concentrated the handpiece is smaller and it takes longer to treat the area.

Laser is more painful than IPL. On the other hand some IPL salons, because their staff may be young and inexperience or to make the treatment more comfortable for their client, use very low settings and the treatments are not as effective. If you are having IPL hair removal and you don't feel any pain at all you may be getting only a temporary reduction instead of a permanent one.

In both cases the pain is easily tolerable. It feels like a slight rubber band snap or pinprick. It is much less painful than waxing.

Does Ultrasound Fat Cavitation realy work?

The technology is still quite new and there is a lot of controversy on this subject.

Ultrasound Fat Cavitation is also known by many different terms: Ultrasound Lipocavitation, Ultrasonic Cavitation,  Ultrasonic Liposuction, and many more. I will start by explaining how it works.

How does Ultrasound Fat Cavitation work?

Ultrasound is used to target and destroy localised fat cells in our bodies. It is used for body sculpting and reducing the fat in those difficult areas.

Firstly a gel is applied to the area to be treated, then the handpiece will be pressed against the skin. The low frequency ultrasound energy issuing from the handpiece penetrates the skin to the fat layer leaving the dermis and other tissue and veins untouched.

The ultrasound creates pressure on the cells producing tiny bubbles inside the fat cells. These bubbles expand and disrupt the cell membrane causing the triglycerides to be released into the interstitial fluid between the cells. The triglycerides will be broken down by our bodies into glycerol and fatty acids.

Glycerol will be processed by the liver and fatty acids will be used as energy for the muscles.

It is important to drink lots of water and, avoid fatty foods, and exercise to prevent the dispersed fat from being re-stored.

How many treatments do I need?

You will need 8-10 treatments of 40 minutes Ultrasound Cavitation to see significant results. You can expect a minimum circumference reduction of  1/2 cm after each treatment. Results will vary from person to person and will depend on the area to be treated.

So, does Ultrasound Fat Cavitation work?

Many studies assert that the technology works, so why so many people don't see any results?

I think the answer rests in the fact that the machine manufacturers and the industry in general have been advertising it as a quick fix, but it is not. It needs to be complemented with exercise and a healthy diet.

If you are anything like me: I can't resist chocolates and I use a lot of oil in my cooking. On top of that I'm very lazy when it comes to exercising. - Then the treatment won't work. Your body will have to deal with the fat you eat plus the fat from the destroyed cells which is far more than what it needs, so the fat will accumulate some place else. Although the destroyed cells won't come back, you will still have some fat cells left in the area. These cells will absorb the excess fat and expand accordingly. In other words: you will see no difference.

Another thing, Ultrasound Fat Cavitation is not really for loosing weight. It is for shaping and contouring the body and getting rid of some fat in problematic areas such as inner thighs, stomach, and hips.

If you are overweight and want to use it as an alternative to dieting and exercising it won't work. You will be loosing your money.

In other words: You need to change your lifestyle. 

If you have had any Ultrasound Fat Cavitation treatments I will love if you'll share your experience. Let me know if you had any results.

Are you looking in the mirror and not liking what you see?

The reflection looking back at you doesn't feel like yourself. You notice fine lines and crow feet around the eyes, uneven skin, maybe even some sagging skin. Unfortunately we all get there one day...Fortunately there are many things you can do to improve your skin and reverse some of the ageing.

There are Botox injections, Dermal fillers, Chemical peels, Microdermabrasion, Radio Frequency, Photo Rejuvenation, Skin needling, Thread lifts, and surgery.

Today I will be talking about Laser and IPL Photo Rejuvenation treatments.

What is Photo Rejuvenation?

Most of the damage to our skin is caused by the sun. Photo rejuvenation uses light frequencies to reverse this damage.

Photo Rejuvenation is a safe, non invasive treatment that treats the affected areas without damaging the surrounding skin. It is non-ablative and there is no downtime, you can return to work or your daily activities right away. There is very little pain and minimal discomfort.

How does IPL Photo Rejuvenation work?

IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) produces a polychromatic, non-coherent light beam. Because of its broad spectrum it is attracted by many different elements in the skin which enhances the therapeutic properties of IPL.

The light penetrates the skin and gets converted into heat energy. The water and proteins in the deep layers of the skin heat up stimulating fibroblasts and encouraging the production of collagen and elastin. The skin fibres recover some of their lost elasticity and tighten the skin, the collagen contracts remodeling the fibres.

The collagen matrix regenerates producing even skin texture and reducing fine lines.

How many Photo Rejuvenation treatments do I need?

A course of  4 to 6 sessions spaced every 2-4 weeks is recommended for best results.

We also have to remember that the sun, pollutants, free radicals and the environment will continue to damage our skin. Once you have gone through a course of Photo Rejuvenation treatments and achieved a satisfactory level of improvement, it is important to maintain it. A good Skin Care regime, the use of daily sunscreen, no smoking, and keeping away from the sun and tanning beds will help to keep your skin looking bright and young. However, despite all your care you may need a maintenance treatment once a year.

Are there any side effects to IPL Photo Rejuvenation?

Some side effects are temporary redness of the skin, scabbing and peeling. These symptoms should disappear within 1-3 days after treatment.

Other possible side effects are hypo and hyper pigmentation. It is important to keep the treated area out of the sun 4 weeks before and after each treatment to avoid hypo or hyper pigmentation. Sunscreen should be worn every day.

Contraindications of Photo Rejuvenation:

• Pregnant women
• Diabetes
• Autoimmune deficiencies 
• Healing deficiencies
• Propensity to keloid scarring

All you want to know about Laser Hair Removal & IPL - Part 2

What can I expect when I go for a Laser Hair Removal or IPL treatment?

There should be an initial consultation where you will be asked to fill in some personal information as well as some medical details.

Pregnant women, people on Roaccutane or large doses of vitamin A are not suitable for treatment. The treatment is not recommended for Diabetics because they may have problems healing and it is not suitable for people with a tendency to keloid scarring.

The therapist will evaluate your answers to the medical questions and determine if you are suitable for laser treatment. For your own safety it is important that you answer truthful and disclose any medical conditions that may affect the treatment. If you are unsure ask the therapist or consult your doctor before having treatment.

The therapist will then answer any questions you may have and explain you how laser hair removal works.

It is a standard practice to do one or more test patches before commencing the laser or IPL treatment. The test patches will determine the energy levels to be used during treatment as well as making sure that you do not have any adverse reactions. If your skin is light coloured they may start treatment right away. For darker skin it is best to wait at least 3 days.

What happens on your first Laser hair removal treatment?

The therapist will provide you with protective eyewear and made you lay on a bed with the area to be treated exposed. Some clinics take before and after photos as a standard routine. This is great because it helps you keep track of the progress of the treatment.

With a highlighter she will mark guides in your skin. Then she will apply a cooling gel that helps guiding the light and keeping your skin cool. She will turn the laser machine on and will gently press the head to your skin. There will be a flash of light and you will feel a pin prick or something similar to the snap of a rubber band.

The light energy will be attracted to the colour in your hair, there it gets converted into heat energy and travels through the hair shaft to the follicle, destroying it. If they are using Elos technology, the radio frequency will follow the light a few milliseconds after and will also get converted into heat making the treatment more effective.

In modern equipments the light head has a cooling system which brings the temperature down to prevent damaging the skin.

After the head has flashed, the therapist will move it to the immediate area and repeat the procedure until all the area is covered. It is quite fast. Underarms hair removal takes only a couple of minutes for each arm. Full legs can take about 45 minutes.

After the treatment is finished the therapist will clean the gel from your skin and apply a soothing cream.

You need only 6 to 8 sessions to permanently reduce most of the hair.  Sessions are spaced between 4 to 8 weeks.

There is no downtime and you can return to your normal activities right away. It is best to avoid exercise that may cause heavy perspiration and swimming pools for 24 hours.

Your skin may be a bit red and feel tender in the treated area but it should subside after 1 or 2 days. Do not apply any products that may cause irritation. You can apply aloe vera or a recommended cream 2 or 3 times a day for a couple of days. If you have any other reaction give the clinic a call right away.

Possible side effects of laser hair removal are:

Hypo or hyper pigmentation, swelling, redness, blistering, scabbing.

People with dark skin are more at risk of a side effect. Also areas like the bikini line which are subject to friction from clothing may experience some irritation.

How do I prepare for my treatment?

• Do not wax, pluck or use depilatory creams for at least 1 month before your treatment. Pulling the hair weakens the papilla and slows the growth of the hair and you need the hair strongly attached to the papilla and in its growing stage for the laser treatment to be effective. Shaving is OK.
   
• Do not expose the area to be treated to the sun for 4 weeks before treatment. Use sunscreen SPF30+. If your skin is tanned there is risk of hypo or hyper pigmentation. The same applies to solariums and tanning beds.
• Do not spray tan or use tanning lotions for at least 2 weeks before treatment.
• Shave two days before your treatment appointment.
• Stop prescription Retin-A 2 weeks before treatment.
• Stop Roaccutane 6 month before treatment.

What happens after treatment?

You can return to work or your daily activities right away. There are only a few considerations:

• Avoid hot saunas, hot water, swimming pools and activities likely to cause heavy sweating for 24 hours
• Do not expose the treated area to the sun or solarium for at least 4 weeks after treatment. Use sunscreen SPF30+ whenever you need to go on the sun. If you are treating the face, also wear a hat.
• If the treatment area feels tender or presents redness apply aloe vera gel until it clears.
• Do not pick or scratch the area
• Do not wax or pluck the hairs. You can shave in between treatments.
• You can exfoliate the area after 3-4 days. The hairs will naturally start shedding after 7 days.