Red welts after laser hair removal test

[Galantha]

I went in to have a laser hair removal test patch done.  Two days after (today) I noticed that undesireable red welts/bumps appeared that have a slight itch.  While this would be acceptable on the area of a body I could cover with clothing, it is a serious issue on the face.  To be specific, I believe the cheese factory that I work at would object to a large facial rash. 

The thing is laser hair removal as a first step is very economical.  Is there a way I can make these red welts go away or not appear?  They are sadly not the kind of thing that could be covered up with makeup and form a pretty good bump.  I was hoping someone had enountered this before and had an easy solution?

Thanks,
Galantha

[Alyssa M.]

Luckily, the bumps have gone down for me quickly, and don't look any worse than a few ingrown hairs after shaving. The thing that helps is cortizone cream. The last time I went, we upped the intensity a bit, and the welts lasted significantly longer -- so perhaps cutting the intensity could help for you. My first couple sessions we went below the original indicated intensity for my skin type because it just hurt so much, then to the indicated intensity, and then the last time a bit higher (still in the acceptable range). Another thing is that you might try to schedule on Friday afternoons so that the welts will go down by Monday morning.

I hope this helps. Laser has been the single most positive thing I've done in terms of reducing my dysphoria.

[Galantha]

Luckily, the bumps have gone down for me quickly, and don't look any worse than a few ingrown hairs after shaving. The thing that helps is cortizone cream. The last time I went, we upped the intensity a bit, and the welts lasted significantly longer -- so perhaps cutting the intensity could help for you. My first couple sessions we went below the original indicated intensity for my skin type because it just hurt so much, then to the indicated intensity, and then the last time a bit higher (still in the acceptable range). Another thing is that you might try to schedule on Friday afternoons so that the welts will go down by Monday morning.

I hope this helps. Laser has been the single most positive thing I've done in terms of reducing my dysphoria.

Thank you! I can't buy cream today with it being july 4th and all that.  But I will buy some tommorrow and see how it works.  If it works well I think I will have another test patch done and try the cream on it right away.

-- Galantha

[Alyssa M.]

Thank you! I can't buy cream today with it being july 4th and all that.  But I will buy some tommorrow and see how it works.  If it works well I think I will have another test patch done and try the cream on it right away.

-- Galantha

Right away is important -- also it might help to take ibuprofen (Advil) beforehand since it's not only a pain killer but also an antiinflammatory. My laser tech always applies a moisturizer and cortizone at the end of each session.

And remember to wear sunscreen as long as you are having laser treatment!

[Galantha]

Right away is important -- also it might help to take ibuprofen (Advil) beforehand since it's not only a pain killer but also an antiinflammatory. My laser tech always applies a moisturizer and cortizone at the end of each session.

And remember to wear sunscreen as long as you are having laser treatment!

I purchased the cream and it appeared to have an immediate effect, although the bumps did not go away.  I am going to call the spa again tommorrow and ask to have another test patch done.

Thank you for your advice,
-- Galantha

[Ms Jessica]

a couple of my experiences with laser:
the red bumps, etc are worse at the beginning when the hair is more dense, especially on fleshy/fatty areas like under the jawline, at the top of the throat.  It develops into something almost like acne, or at least it did for me. 

The best way I found to control it:
Don't shave the day after laser.  Give your skin a day or two to heal.  Laser is very similar to getting sunburned, so don't do anything too harsh.  If you MUST shave, go with the direction of hair growth rather than against it.  Switching to a clean razor also helps.

Go easy on makeup and moisturizers, especially if they clog pores.  My favorite face soap for post laser was blackhead scrub and pore cleanser by Clean and Clear.  Anything with salicylic acid in it will do.  Look in the "acne control" section of the drug store.

Ice!!!  Because your skin reacts to laser a lot like a sunburn, ice will actually help a bit more with keeping swelling down, etc.  You have to do the ice right away, waiting until the bumps show up is too late. 

Cortizone cream and advil are also good ideas.  And the suggestion about scheduling on Friday with a few days to heal is a good one, too. 

[Galantha]

I did apply cortizone on my welts 3 days after the treatment, and that did make the swelling go away.

However I still have the bumps five days after the treatment.  I told the laser lady my issues, and I am going in friday to have another test patch.  She said she was going to use benzine on it or something long those lines afterward I think.

-- Galantha

[Ms Jessica]

There are some things to put on right after, I found even a saline wash was okay.  Icing will really help with the initial redness and swelling a lot. 
Let us know how it goes!

[Galantha]

I had my second hair removal test today.  The laser hair person said to take benadryl (anti-hystamine) as she said I had a allergic reaction to the ash on the based of the hair folical.  I just took Benadryl like she recommened and also put cortazone on the area.  *crosses fingers and hopes for the best*

-- Galantha

[Ms Jessica]

hmmm.  never heard of using benadryl, or of the reaction you're describing.  Keep us posted!!!!

[Galantha]

Benadryl is an anti-allergy medication, the laser lady indicated she felt I was having an allergic reaction to the ash left in the pore by the treatment.

Approximently two days later I had red welts again on the test patch, but this time they were much smaller and far less noticable.  I am thinking I am going to ask her to go ahead with the treatment in a similiar matter to this weeks test patch if she feels the intensity used was effective at destroying the hair folical.  This week I used Benadryl (oral tabet you consume) and Cortizone 10 sparingly.  I am thinking next week I will double the amount of Benadryl to 2 per every 24 hours (I did less then 1 per 24 hours this week, max is 6 per 24 hours), and be more aggressive with the Cortizone 10.  I may not get rid of the reaction, but to reduce it to acceptable levels seems acheiveable.

-- Galantha

[Ms Jessica]

sorry, I was unclear.  I know what Benadryl is, just that I hadn't heard of anyone having an allergic reaction to the laser treatment before.  If the Benadryl takes care of the averse reaction to the laser treatment, then you should be good. 

Can you post a picture of the reaction?  I'm curious to see how bad it is.  Glad to hear that everything looks better this time around. 

[Galantha]

sorry, I was unclear.  I know what Benadryl is, just that I hadn't heard of anyone having an allergic reaction to the laser treatment before.  If the Benadryl takes care of the averse reaction to the laser treatment, then you should be good. 

Can you post a picture of the reaction?  I'm curious to see how bad it is.  Glad to hear that everything looks better this time around.

I do not have a digital cameria.  I would like to get one some time, but I have more pressing expenses at the moment.

-- Galantha
Post Merge: July 16, 2009, 03:16:04 PM
The orginal marks from the first removal test are not going away.  Worrying they are a bit permentant.

I have changed my mind about asking the laser person to go ahead with the treatment as I have come to the conclusion that the reaction is just to much for me to have and go to work with, and I am worried about the risk of permentant scarring.

Instead I scheduled an appointment with my doctor on July 30th (havn't seen for years), and I am going to ask her if anything can be done to stop the allergic reaction.  This probably will cost me considerable cash, but if something could be done being able to go the laser route for hair removal instead of electroysis will more then make up for the cost to see a real doctor.  I am thinking allergies are not a new thing, so this should not be the end of the world.


One thing that is bugging me a bit is how long this is taking.

-- Galantha

[Galantha]

I went to the doctor and she gave me Betamethasone Valerate topical.  While this reduced the swelling, there are still red splotches everywhere.  I am going to attempt to schedule another appointment with the doctor.

-- Galantha

[Cindy]

Did you explain to her that you are having laser?

BTW this is NOT a medical opinion. Beta-Val is often used for dermatitis conditions. Not sure about using it as an anti-inflammatory, particularly for burns. Which is what lasers do.

Make sure you explain exactly what you are doing to the medic. And not "I've got these red welts on my face, how do I get rid of them?" I'm sure you didn't but don't want to hear you getting hurt.

Love
Cindy

[Autumn]

Sometimes I would get deep cysts from laser hair removal - I believe from the hair not falling out but instead getting entombed under the skin. I got two on my jaw line and three on my throat, all went away after a few months. I treated them heavily with skin care product trying to get them to go away to no avail, gave up, and they thinned down and went away on their own. I managed to take one that was on the corner of my jaw and pull the skin against the jaw bone to pop it, which shot a gigantic chunk of green out. That was awesome, on the way to work one day...

You are not getting excessive sun exposure, using oral antibiotics, or using something with retinol-a in it? I think you're in a very minority group to have such a bad reaction to laser...

[Galantha]

Did you explain to her that you are having laser?

BTW this is NOT a medical opinion. Beta-Val is often used for dermatitis conditions. Not sure about using it as an anti-inflammatory, particularly for burns. Which is what lasers do.

Make sure you explain exactly what you are doing to the medic. And not "I've got these red welts on my face, how do I get rid of them?" I'm sure you didn't but don't want to hear you getting hurt.

Love
Cindy

Yes, I did.  I explained exactly what I was doing, why I was doing it, and the effects as I understood them.  I even showed her the results of a test patch that was done.  My condition is not the result of a burn, but of an allergic reaction.

   Galantha


-- Galantha
Post Merge: August 05, 2009, 02:40:20 PM

Sometimes I would get deep cysts from laser hair removal - I believe from the hair not falling out but instead getting entombed under the skin. I got two on my jaw line and three on my throat, all went away after a few months. I treated them heavily with skin care product trying to get them to go away to no avail, gave up, and they thinned down and went away on their own. I managed to take one that was on the corner of my jaw and pull the skin against the jaw bone to pop it, which shot a gigantic chunk of green out. That was awesome, on the way to work one day...

You are not getting excessive sun exposure, using oral antibiotics, or using something with retinol-a in it? I think you're in a very minority group to have such a bad reaction to laser...

It is a 1/200 reaction.  I get at most 30-40 min of sun exposer per day, and that is in my car on my way home from work.  I have been avoiding the sun to increase the effectiveness of the laser. 
Post Merge: August 05, 2009, 03:46:46 PM
I had the laser lady do my entire face today, it's a roll of the dice with my job, but I feel the odds are in my favor.  The Beta-Val crème does reduce the reaction quite a bit.  It takes over a day for the reaction to occur, so I will not have it tomorrow hopefully.  Since I work 4 days 10 hour shifts, which should give me until Monday to deal with the reaction / give it time to go away.  I also scheduled to have the hairs waxed off on Saturday, but there is some question if that will work.  If that fails, instead of waxing it is tweezers time (between 120 and 180 USD to tweezer ones entire face).

-- Galantha

[Ms Jessica]

I realize I'm late, but my understanding is that post-laser, waxing or tweezing hair is a very bad idea.  I don't just mean bad, but like very very very bad.  As in, don't do it. 
I hope you're okay...
At the very least, let us know how the laser went. 

[Alyssa M.]

Ack! How come, Jessica? This didn't come up at first, because I didn't have any tweezers, but I got a pair a couple months ago when I got my eyebrows waxed. I tweezed a few out post-laser last session, but it wasn't a big deal, not adverse reactions. So what's the story? I'll ask my tech at my next appointment (tomorrow) but previously she has told me not to tweeze prior to a session lest I remove the part of the follicle that picks up the light from the laser. Nothing about after. I guess I'll find out tomorrow.

[Galantha]

I realize I'm late, but my understanding is that post-laser, waxing or tweezing hair is a very bad idea.  I don't just mean bad, but like very very very bad.  As in, don't do it. 
I hope you're okay...
At the very least, let us know how the laser went.

I have been told not to tweeze prior to the session.  Afterward had no such warning.  I asked Robin about the possiblity of ingrown hair and all that, and she basically said that was a non-issue with tweezing.  Basically, there are lots of hairs that have not reached the surface that are effected by the laser anyway, as long as the hairs have had time to develope the base of the follicle its ok.  I have not had any adverse effects to the tweezing so far.

-- Galantha