In 1995, when the FDA approved laser skin treatments, the actual procedure wasn’t even on the map and an estimated 110,000 treatments were performed in 1998 in the U.S. Last year, more than 1.4 million were performed. laser hair removal procedures according to a study conducted at the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery in New York.
This booming business is not without risk for the hundreds of thousands of people who flock to receive laser skin treatments and laser hair removal. Most complications from laser hair removal treatments have occurred as a result of people performing the procedure at home, using “home laser hair removal” products without the supervision of a professional or doctor. Many of these complications have been the result of too much gel or cream being administered to the problem area, or adjusting the settings of the laser hair removal equipment to a higher level than necessary.
Some complications have been reported due to the anesthetic cream used as a local anesthetic before, during and after the procedure.
Most cosmetic surgery experts consider laser hair removal to be safe and the second most common procedure, after Botox injections, and when administered by a licensed medical professional or nurses, the procedure becomes a risk factor less.
The demand for laser hair removal is increasing and it is reported that even in a small market like Cleveland there are 25 companies now offering laser hair removal. So wherever you are, it’s important to research as many medical spas, laser skin treatment centers, and medical practices as possible, visit as many as time allows, and make sound decisions based on comfort level and price. .
Some of the rare but serious side effects that can occur are darkening of the skin in lighter skinned people and lightening of the skin in darker skinned people. Even rarer are reports of scars due to skin blisters and burns from a laser whose settings were not calibrated correctly. Some people have also complained of changes in skin texture, which could have been prevented by inexperienced personnel administering the procedure, uncalibrated equipment, excess or lack of numbing cream in the skin area.
With the increasing number of procedures performed in the United States, the industry is projected to grow into a $ 7-9 billion dollar industry by 2009, and with those kinds of numbers at stake, you can be sure there will be plenty of unqualified organizations. , companies and hackers who will put profits before their patients and seek to mistreat or misinform and execute faulty procedures. Do your due diligence, do your research, and make sound aseptic improvement decisions.