LHR for Arms and Face with NDYag Laser: Do I Listen to a Dermatologist or a Medspa Aesthetician Under Care of Plastic Surgeon?

I'm Mid-Eastern with hair on my face & arms and breakout when I wax. My derm rx Hydroquinone 8% & Finacea for face; LHR for both; never said to shave before LHR, 1st time burned arms only and said cooling spray was set too high. Rx Hq for arms. Later txts went well. Facial skin improved. I moved-went to a Medspa for LHR. Aesthetician did my arms but refused to do my face while under txt of Hq & Finacea and told me to stop use; claimed Hq was a carcinogen; says I must shave prior & derm is wrong.

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1 Doctor Answer | Asked by Wahoo in Washington, D. C.

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Laser hair removal safe while using finacea and HQ

Prior to any laser hair removal session, you will want to shave the area to be treated because you want the target of the laser - the hair - to be below the skin surface. If the hair is long and on the surface the laser energy will be absorbed there rather than down in the follicle where you want the hair destruction to occur. We usually recommend just enough stubble or regrowth so that we know where to treat. Regarding use of topical finacea and hydroquinone (HQ), these agents might... more

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anne99 29 Jan 2013

the person who said no laser on skin that is being treated with HQ is correct. And the person who said don't shave is an idiot. You have to shave at very least the day before, some practitioners like it to be the day of.

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