Histamine reaction after laser hair removal
Are you having trouble sleeping, or do you feel like your skin is burning? If so, you might be experiencing an allergic reaction to laser hair removal.
The goal of laser hair removal is to destroy hair follicles without harming surrounding tissue. Side effects of laser hair removal include burns, which may lead to hyper- or hypopigmentation, hair stimulation (paradoxical hypertrichosis), scars, or transient erythema of treated areas. Persistent hives as a side effect of laser hair removal is not something cosmetic practitioners generally counsel patients on .
Dorgham N et al. 2022
Authors of a new study describe a case of a patient who developed persistent urticaria (hives) with severe itching in the areas treated with laser hair reduction. This phenomenon has very rarely reported in the current literature.
A 30-year-old male patient with Fitzpatrick skin type III presented for hair reduction of the chest, abdomen, lower back, and posterior neck. His past medical history included recurrent sinus polyps, severe year-round environmental allergies, and dermatographism. His daily medications included fexofenadine, levocetirizine, montelukast, fluticasone propionate nasal spray and quarterly prednisone tapers for sinus polyps and allergy flares.
The patient’s first laser treatment was with the GentleMax 755 nm alexandrite laser with an intensity of 16 J/cm2. The sites targeted were the posterior neck, abdomen, chest, and lower back. After the session, the patient immediately reported itching in the treated areas. Within 3 to 4 hour of the session, he developed a severely itchy urticarial eruption limited to the treated areas. This hive like reaction persisted for 5–6 days. The reaction was truly localized to the skin and he did not experience any oral or ocular swelling or any systemic symptoms such as shortness of breath. He did not have any relief with topical betamethasone 0.05% twice daily, diphenhydramine 25 mg daily in addition to his regular allergy treatment protocol
A few months later, the patient returned for his second treatment. This time, he pretreated with 5 days of prednisone 40 mg. The intensity of the 755 nm alexandrite laser was decreased from 16 J/cm2 to 10 J/cm2 . He again developed severe urticaria within 3–4 hours and similar to the first laser session, it lasted 5 days. The patient tried treating this reaction with a prednisone taper, fexofenadine, levocetirizine, diphenhydramine, and topical betamethasone but again there was no relief.
The patient returned back to clinic 6 weeks later for his third treatment. He reported the initiation of dupilumab treatment for sinus polyps beginning 4 weeks prior. The alexandrite laser was again used but now at an intensity of 9 J/cm2 was used. He was given 3 days of prednisone 40 mg to start following the laser treatment along with topical betamethasone 0.05%. Although he did develop symptoms again within 3–4 h following the treatment, the duration of the intensity of itching decreased to 2 days.
5 weeks later, the patient returned for his fourth treatment. He had been on dupilumab for 9 weeks at that time. He pretreated with prednisone 40 mg for 2 days prior. The alexandrite laser with intensity of 9 J/cm2 was again used – similar to session 3. Following the laser, he experienced similar symptoms for about 36–48 h and with significantly less discomfort.
Slight redness of the skin is common after laser hair removal. This patient developed a rare reaction with hives and intense itching within 3-4 hours of laser treatments. These lasted many days (5-6 days). Persistent hives is not something cosmetic practitioners generally counsel patients
In 2012, Landa et al reported 36 patients with hives after laser. 33 of 36 patients had a history of allergies and this was mostly dust mites.
The cause of this patient’s hives in this case is not clear. The authors considered various causes of what is known as physical urticaria (which includes dermatographism, delayed pressure urticaria (DPU), exercise-induced urticaria, cold urticaria, or heat urticaria) but it did not seem in this case this was likely. He had no prior history of cold urticaria which could lead to hives with the cryogen used in laser. He did have a history of dermatographism but those urticaria resolved within hours.
This case highlights a rare side effect that deserves further study. It could be that patients with a history of moderate-to-severe environmental allergies could have a small chance of persistent hives. Whether this is a 1 in 100,000 or 1 in 1000 is not clear.
There’s no other body hair removal method that can match laser hair removal’s painless and effective quality. Compared to waxing, Brazilian laser hair removal results in smooth skin with long-term hair reduction benefits. However, risks and side effects, such as allergic or histamine reactions aren’t completely unavoidable with laser treatments.
So what should you do if you had rashes or hives all over your body right after your Brazilian laser hair removal treatment? Hives and rash after your laser hair removal treatment occur in very rare instances and are treated like how allergies would normally be treated so it’s best to immediately seek the assistance of a qualified healthcare provider for this.
What Does it Mean if I Have Rashes All Over My Body After Brazilian Laser Hair Removal?
Allergic reactions, such as urticaria or hives, after a Brazilian laser hair removal procedure occur in extremely rare cases, but it’s still important to properly communicate your medical history with your laser technician.
Urticaria or hives are severe, itchy rashes on areas that respond to allergic reactions as a result of sensitive skin reactions. These areas that are typically affected by rash are the legs, groin, armpit, forearms, and upper lip. These rashes commonly had red or purple color and were often in a circular shape.
Other hair removal procedures, like waxing or shaving, are more likely to cause allergic reactions, manifestations of skin irritation, or other hazardous results (i.e, razor burn) than laser hair removal. Nevertheless, it’s still a possible side effect of laser hair removal procedures, especially for those patients who already suffer from allergies such as eczema, asthma, or hay fever.
Furthermore, researchers examined a database containing details of all individuals who had laser hair removal at Spanish beauty clinics during a 4-year period. In total, 36 people out of 13,284 underwent laser hair removal and experienced hives within 4 to 6 hours of receiving treatment.
Tired of dealing with unwanted facial or body hair? Laser them away today with Ethos Spa.
What Should I Do if I Had Brazilian Laser Hair Removal Now Have Rashes All Over My Body?
If you have any signs of an allergic reaction such as hives, simply be calm about it and immediately seek the help of a healthcare provider. If you’re already prone to allergies and decided to push through with the treatment, it’s also best to prepare and expect hives to appear even before it does.
Depending on your doctor’s recommendations, you may opt to completely discontinue the succeeding treatment sessions in case of severe hives.
After you immediately remediate any allergic reactions, you can do the recommended steps for a faster recovery period and reduced itching sensation. Depending on the extent of the allergic reaction, you can also ask your healthcare provider if any follow-up appointments for the treatment of your hives are recommended.
How to Speed Up Recovery Period from Hives
Simply following aftercare instructions are enough for faster recovery from any allergic reactions such as hives. Take note of the following to reduce your recovery period and healing time from hives:
How to Reduce Itching
Individuals who developed allergic reactions were usually given corticosteroid tablets to treat the itching and visible hives on their skin. Aside from that, you should also apply a cold compress or any topical creams (i.e, calamine lotion) as recommended by your provider for itching relief.
When Do I Need to See a Doctor?
At the first signs of any allergic reactions after your Brazilian laser hair removal, immediately seek the help of a medical professional to avoid any severe adverse reactions.
It’s also ideal that you take photos of your hives so you can see if your skin condition is improving or worsening. If you don’t see any improvement in your rashes and hives, consult a healthcare provider for better advice and treatment.
How Long Do Hives Last After Brazilian Laser Hair Removal?
The rashes or hives usually subside within 7 to 30 days after intake of corticosteroid tablets over a prescribed period of time.
How to Avoid Hives on Your Next Brazilian Laser Hair Removal Session
Healthcare providers recommend taking a patch test for allergic patients, at least 24 to 48 hours before their Brazilian laser hair removal session. Taking corticosteroid tablets for 3 days prior to the treatment session was also reported as an effective preventive step to avoid allergic reactions after the treatment. Some patients who developed hives every Brazilian laser hair removal treatment session reportedly experience hives that become less severe over time.
How Safe and Effective is Brazilian Laser Hair Removal?
Treatments like laser hair removal work by using laser energy to inflict damage on the hair follicle to an irreparable extent to reduce and weaken hair growth. Because the treatment targets hair follicles based on pigmentation, the effectiveness of Brazilian hair removal procedures usually depends on the skin color and hair color.
Laser energy is generally more responsive to a darker skin tone so individuals having such may have more pain-sensitive skin or skin irritation compared to people who have light skin. Despite that, laser hair removal procedures are still more effective and painless compared to shaving and waxing. You’d be surprised how this procedure reduces excessive sweating.
The impact of laser light technology applied to your skin will only affect the superficial layers of the skin to eliminate hair up to its root, which is why it’s generally safe and instances of hives are extremely rare.
Unlike hives which is an uncommon side effect of Brazilian laser hair removal, the following are the common side effects of this hair removal method:
Despite the above side effects being common, Brazilian laser hair removal is relatively low risk compared with other hair removal methods.
Post-Treatment Care for Brazilian Laser Hair Removal
The post-treatment care required when you have a Brazilian laser hair removal session may include the following:
Achieve Flawlessness in Your Bikini Area with Brazilian Hair Removal Treatments at Ethos Spa
Brazilian laser hair removal is the most effective and painless way to eliminate unwanted hair up to the ingrown hair in the bikini area, but it’s not without adverse effects. Rarely, allergic reactions such as urticaria and hives may result from Brazilian laser hair removal treatments.
The good news is that hives can be avoided or reduced through proper communication with your laser technician and adequate preparation.
At Ethos Spa, we offer safe, affordable, and effective permanent hair removal, permanent hair reduction, waxing, and body hair removal laser treatment procedures that suit all skin types, hair colors, and skin tones (even a darker skin tone). We also offer plastic surgery services and minimally invasive cosmetic surgery services that are perfect for you.
extreme itching after laser hair removal
Worried about bumps and itching after laser hair removal? We got you covered. In this post, we’ll give you the deets on how to prevent and treat them.
Laser Hair Removal is a generally safe and effective procedure for removing hair and preventing future growth. Because of this, many consider it a permanent solution for unwanted hair growth.
This procedure uses a concentrated beam of light (laser) to target and eliminate hair follicles. It does this by emitting light energy, which is then absorbed by the pigment in the hair (melanin). This process turns the light energy into heat which, in turn, damages the follicles. When the hair follicles are damaged, it becomes impossible for the hair to regrow.
Laser Hair Removal is usually done on areas where hair may be awkward and unsightly for the patient. These areas include but are not limited to the underarm, upper lip, chin, and bikini line. Because the laser targets pigment, people with darker hair make better candidates.
But like many cosmetic procedures, it doesn’t come without risks. Most people who go through a laser hair removal procedure complain of experiencing bumps and itching on the skin. While these are common side effects, they can be unsightly and uncomfortable. If you’re experiencing this right now, here are some tips on how to prevent bumps and itching after laser hair removal.
What Causes Bumps and Itching After Laser Hair Removal?
As mentioned, the laser hair removal treatment involves damaging or killing the follicles so the hair can’t grow again. These follicles are connected to your skin so naturally, your skin will react to this damage. It becomes red, tender, and slightly swollen in the affected areas. That’s why along with hyperpigmentation, skin irritation in the form of bumps and itching is a common side effect of laser hair removal treatments.
Some people may be alarmed by these bumps, but they’re completely normal and usually subside within a day or two. These bumps may also become itchy, but it is crucial you do not scratch them. Doing so might aggravate the inflammation and result in unsightly scarring.
How to Prevent Itching and Bumps After Laser Hair Removal
While bumps and itching are common after-effects of laser hair removal and can’t be prevented, there are some pre-procedure routines you can do to lessen its symptoms and severity. Here are some of the things you should do before your laser hair removal appointment:
1. Stay out of the sun
Avoiding sun exposure before and after treatment is an essential part of this process. Tanned areas may get burned or discolored, as the pigment will attract the laser. You should apply sunblock with SPF 30+ on the areas you want to have the procedure done.
2. Shave treatment areas
You’ll want to shave the parts where you want to have the laser hair removal done. Doing this may prevent surface burns on hairs that protrude the top layer of the skin. You should also avoid plucking, waxing, and other hair removal methods for up to six weeks. These alternative methods may disturb the hair follicles and cause further skin irritation.
3. Avoid blood-thinning medications
You’ll want to consult with your physician about which drugs to avoid beforehand. These may include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
4. Don’t apply deodorant, moisturizer, or makeup to the treatment area
You will want to keep your skin as bare as possible before treatment, as any foreign material could interfere with the laser treatment and worsen its side effects.
How to Get Rid of Bumps and Itching
The bumps and itches you experience after a laser hair removal procedure usually goes away after a few days. However, post-care treatment is still crucial in treating laser hair removal side effects. Here are what experts advise you to do:
1. Avoid sun exposure
This part is equally crucial for the next seven days post-treatment. The treated areas will be quite sensitive, so the UV might harm the skin and cause discoloration.
2. Apply cold towels, ice packs, and some restorative gel to affected areas
This may help alleviate pain and swelling. This could also ease the itching that comes along with the bumps.
3. If the discomfort worsens, you can take Tylenol or other over-the-counter medications
You can take some pain relief medication to help you if the discomfort becomes noticeable. Don’t forget to consult your doctor first if you have any medical condition that may cause an adverse reaction to pain medications.
4. Do not apply any harsh products to the treated area for the next 24 hours
While redness is present, you’ll want to stay away from makeup and other harsh skin products. These products may irritate your skin and lead to unwanted side effects. It’s best to avoid them in the meantime.
Final Thoughts
Bumps and itching after a laser hair removal procedure shouldn’t be a cause for concern. Any disturbances to any parts of the skin will naturally cause a reaction. But if it means having hair-free smooth skin for a long time, then a few days of discomfort is definitely worth it.
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Four Seasons Laser Center is a highly renowned med spa in Boca Raton Florida. Our state of the art equipment is run by highly trained and experienced staff so you can rest assured that you are in good hands. We offer laser hair removal services for your whole body, PDO Threads facelift, safe and effective Plasma Fibroblast skin tightening, and other advanced medical beauty services to help you look your best. Contact us now to book a free consultation.
folliculitis after laser hair removal
Have you ever noticed red (sometimes painful) bumps on the skin, usually a few days after shaving? If you answered yes, you’ve most likely experienced ‘folliculitis’! Folliculitis is a skin condition caused by an inflammation of the hair follicle. It’s often confused with ingrown hairs and keratosis pilaris, however differs in cause & biology.
The most common areas to experience folliculitis is on the underarms, legs, pubic area, and arms. This is because the hair is generally thicker and therefore causes more irritation when the hair is removed. It’s a common occurance in both men & women, at any age. ‘Shaving bumps’ on the face, neck, and scalp are similar in appearance, however are referred to as ‘Pseudofolliculitis‘.
Folliculitis isn’t dangerous. However it can be extremely uncomfortable and embarrassing – especially if it’s on your arms or legs! Regardless of its appearance, we recommend treating it ASAP to prevent it from spreading and developing into a more severe infection.
Why am I getting folliculitis?
Folliculitis is caused by bacteria entering damaged follicles. Therefore it usually occurs after hair removal procedures. Regardless of whether you are waxing, shaving, or epilating, you’re still damaging the follicle. Consequently, you are still at risk of getting this bothersome condition.
Whilst not as common, it can also be caused by the friction of your clothing. If the friction is strong enough to damage your hair follicles, it can then cause the infection.
This skin condition is not usually contagious, however some forms of it can be. So we recommend avoiding skin to skin contact or sharing towels until it has completely cleared.
Try not to worry – mild cases will alleviate on their own!
How can I treat it?
There’s no such thing as ‘folliculitis removal’, however it will generally clear by itself (assuming you have a mild case). However if it’s developed into a severe condition, we recommend visiting your GP who will prescribe you with relevant medication.
To speed up recovery of mild cases and to prevent future folliculitis, Laser Hair Removal is the answer!
How?
The laser beam generated by the Candela GentleLase travels to the infected follicle, destroying the bacteria causing the skin condition. By destroying the bacteria, your symptoms should relieve within just a few days post-treatment!
Will it come back after laser hair removal treatments?
You’re likely to experience folliculitis even after laser treatments, if you do not complete your course of treatments. Laser hair removal (LHR) works by damaging your hair follicle until it is damaged enough to stop hair production. Although you’ll notice thinner regrowth after your first few treatments, it will return to its original state if left untreated.
The recommended course of treatments for each folliculitis-prone areas are:
In your LHR consultation, your skin therapist will assess your suitability for treatment and explain the treatment process. If you’re not suitable for LHR, your therapist will provide alternative hair removal procedures and preventive measures.
urticaria laser hair removal
The goal of laser hair removal is to destroy hair follicles without harming surrounding tissue. Side effects of laser hair removal include burns, which may lead to hyper- or hypopigmentation, hair stimulation (paradoxical hypertrichosis), scars, or transient erythema of treated areas. Persistent hives as a side effect of laser hair removal is not something cosmetic practitioners generally counsel patients on .
Dorgham N et al. 2022
Authors of a new study describe a case of a patient who developed persistent urticaria (hives) with severe itching in the areas treated with laser hair reduction. This phenomenon has very rarely reported in the current literature.
A 30-year-old male patient with Fitzpatrick skin type III presented for hair reduction of the chest, abdomen, lower back, and posterior neck. His past medical history included recurrent sinus polyps, severe year-round environmental allergies, and dermatographism. His daily medications included fexofenadine, levocetirizine, montelukast, fluticasone propionate nasal spray and quarterly prednisone tapers for sinus polyps and allergy flares.
The patient’s first laser treatment was with the GentleMax 755 nm alexandrite laser with an intensity of 16 J/cm2. The sites targeted were the posterior neck, abdomen, chest, and lower back. After the session, the patient immediately reported itching in the treated areas. Within 3 to 4 hour of the session, he developed a severely itchy urticarial eruption limited to the treated areas. This hive like reaction persisted for 5–6 days. The reaction was truly localized to the skin and he did not experience any oral or ocular swelling or any systemic symptoms such as shortness of breath. He did not have any relief with topical betamethasone 0.05% twice daily, diphenhydramine 25 mg daily in addition to his regular allergy treatment protocol
A few months later, the patient returned for his second treatment. This time, he pretreated with 5 days of prednisone 40 mg. The intensity of the 755 nm alexandrite laser was decreased from 16 J/cm2 to 10 J/cm2 . He again developed severe urticaria within 3–4 hours and similar to the first laser session, it lasted 5 days. The patient tried treating this reaction with a prednisone taper, fexofenadine, levocetirizine, diphenhydramine, and topical betamethasone but again there was no relief.
The patient returned back to clinic 6 weeks later for his third treatment. He reported the initiation of dupilumab treatment for sinus polyps beginning 4 weeks prior. The alexandrite laser was again used but now at an intensity of 9 J/cm2 was used. He was given 3 days of prednisone 40 mg to start following the laser treatment along with topical betamethasone 0.05%. Although he did develop symptoms again within 3–4 h following the treatment, the duration of the intensity of itching decreased to 2 days.
5 weeks later, the patient returned for his fourth treatment. He had been on dupilumab for 9 weeks at that time. He pretreated with prednisone 40 mg for 2 days prior. The alexandrite laser with intensity of 9 J/cm2 was again used – similar to session 3. Following the laser, he experienced similar symptoms for about 36–48 h and with significantly less discomfort.
Slight redness of the skin is common after laser hair removal. This patient developed a rare reaction with hives and intense itching within 3-4 hours of laser treatments. These lasted many days (5-6 days). Persistent hives is not something cosmetic practitioners generally counsel patients
In 2012, Landa et al reported 36 patients with hives after laser. 33 of 36 patients had a history of allergies and this was mostly dust mites.
The cause of this patient’s hives in this case is not clear. The authors considered various causes of what is known as physical urticaria (which includes dermatographism, delayed pressure urticaria (DPU), exercise-induced urticaria, cold urticaria, or heat urticaria) but it did not seem in this case this was likely. He had no prior history of cold urticaria which could lead to hives with the cryogen used in laser. He did have a history of dermatographism but those urticaria resolved within hours.
This case highlights a rare side effect that deserves further study. It could be that patients with a history of moderate-to-severe environmental allergies could have a small chance of persistent hives. Whether this is a 1 in 100,000 or 1 in 1000 is not clear.