Laser Hair Removal Burns on Stomach - Will It Scar?

Question

I Just Got Laser Hair Removal on my Stomach but I Got Burned. I am so worried that i have ruined my stomach forever...i made a poor choice with laser hair removal i guess..this burn is two days old...do you think i will make a swift recovery or will have to deal with bad scarring? im worried : ( i have been putting maderma on during the day and neosporin on at night. i went back to the dr that did it and they said it was fine, but i know that can't be normal, so i went to immediate care and the lady told me to put neosporin on at night and stay out of sun.

Dana Goldberg, MD · Answer

For most people with fair to medium toned skin, a superficial burn won't cause permanent scarring or skin darkening. The first step is to keep it moist/hydrated and free from infection. If there are open blisters, you can use Neosporin for a few days, but stop if you develop a rash or more redness and use something mild like vaseline or aquaphor instead. Once it's completely healed, use sunscreen whenever the skin may be exposed. Keep in mind, regular clothing only has about 15 SPF, so if you are wearing thin fabrics wear sunscreen underneath. At night, use a cream with hydroquinone if the burned skin looks darker than the surrounding skin or a silicone based scar cream if it is pink or thickened. It may take several weeks to months for the color to normalize completely, depending on how you heal, but most likely it will be fine. Also, avoid further laser treatments in the area until the appearance is completely back to normal.

Steven H. Williams, MD · Answer

It is hard to say how your skin will react to the burns. Normally over time, superficial burns heal well with minimal skin changes. It may result in hyperpigmentation which you can use skin lightening creams for such as hydroquinone daily for a few months. The main thing is that you keep the area moisturized with products such as aquaphor 2-3 times a day until it's healed and avoid any sun exposure on the area while it is healing. Follow up with the provider that did your treatment to make sure things are healing properly and so that they may address your concerns and adjust future treatment settings accordingly. They may also be able to provide you with information on what you can do on your end to help reduce the chances of reactions in the future, such as sun avoidance prior to treatment and avoiding certain medications that may make you more photosensitive.

Michael Constantin Gartner, DO · Answer

Burns can happen and you are at a higher risk when the treatment is performed by an inexperienced aesthetician. The discoloration can sometimes be permanent but yours don't appear to be so.

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Post inflammatory hyperpigmentation may cause discoloration of your laser area.  I would begin a regimen of Melaquin AM and Melaquin PM immediately until the wound heals.

Ron Shelton, MD · Answer

It is not a definite that you suffered a burn, or at least, it is difficult via photograph inspection to diagnose your issue.  Swelling and redness is not unusual but bruising can also occur. If there are blisters, do not pop them.  Neosporin may cause an allergy the more you use it so be careful to stop it immediately if there is itching or new blisters that form. A dermatologist should see you to manage your skin's condition. It may leave with no scar, but there could be long term discoloration from post inflammatory hyperpigmentation, for which the dermatologist can prescribe some creams and follow you.

Laser Hair Removal Burns on Stomach - Will It Scar?

Answers (10)

Answer: Melaquin AM and Melaquin PM for pigmentation of the skin

Answer: Melaquin AM and Melaquin PM for pigmentation of the skin

Answer: Laser hair removal and burn

Answer: Laser hair removal and burn

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Laser Hair Removal Burns on Stomach - Will It Scar?

Answers (10)

Answer: Melaquin AM and Melaquin PM for pigmentation of the skin

Answer: Melaquin AM and Melaquin PM for pigmentation of the skin

Answer: Laser hair removal and burn

Answer: Laser hair removal and burn

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Everything you need to know about Laser Hair Removal

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.