As is true with any other kind of medical treatment, laser treatment side effects are a concern with many people. Best way to be prepared is to know more about the procedure, its possible side effects and how to overcome these problems. Although, laser treatment performed at reputable clinics under a certified practitioner, has rarely any risks involved and you won’t have any complaints later on. But there are some temporary side effects that you might suffer from.
Most Common Side Effects And How To Protect Yourself
Three kinds of most common laser treatment side effects are burning of the skin, hyper pigmentation and hypo pigmentation of the skin. Let’s take a look at what these are:
• Burning: If the laser parameters are not set correctly, you might face burning of the skin. This happens because if the laser is set too high, it will penetrate into the skin’s melanin. Prolonged exposure of this kind will result in burning of the skin. Good clinics first study the skin type and hair color of their patients before deciding on the intensity of laser beam that is to be used. It is important that you are treated with the correct technology; for this, make sure that your laser clinic is using the best equipment and taking in consideration your skin type. This is one of the most common laser treatment side effects.
• Hypo and hyper pigmentation: These two are the most possible laser treatment side effects. In hypo pigmentation, there is depletion of melanin and in hyper pigmentation, the melanin is in excess. Due to these conditions, some spots may appear on the skin, that are either darker or lighter than your natural skin color. This occurs mainly because of exposure to sun after or before the treatment. If your skin gets tanned due to sun-exposure before the treatment starts, then it will be difficult for the doctor to decide on what your natural skin tone is and the laser intensity with which you are treated may not be correct. On the other hand, if your skin is exposed to sunlight just after the treatment when the skin is still raw, it will affect the skin adversely.
The best possible way to avoid these laser treatment side effects is to stay out of sun for at least two weeks prior to and after the treatment. If it is practically impossible to do so, then use a sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher, apply it liberally on all the exposed skin. Try to cover most of the skin by using appropriate cotton clothing.
Undergoing treatment with a reputed clinic will reduce your chances of getting any side effects. Choose a qualified practitioner and a good clinic that has the latest equipment for laser treatment, and then follow all the precautions that you can before and after the procedure. Stay out of the sun, use moisturizers, mild cleansers, and stay away from allergy causing chemicals. Your safety is in your hands. With proper care, you can minimize the laser treatment side effects and have a healthy skin even after you have undergone the full treatment.