Got an IPL burn. One of the burns fell off and left a hole on my leg. Should I be worried?

Question

I was at my third IPL hair removal treatment for about 2 weeks ago and immediately after the session I got some blisters on a tattoo that I have. The technician had slipped and got me burned. Today one of these burned spots fell off and created a small "hole" on my leg. I wonder if I need to be worried or will it heal properly? My tattoo is not so big, maybe around 3cmx7cm and the damages are around 5 mm on each side (3 damages).

Lisa Benest, MD · Answer

Yes, lasers and bright light devices do carry a risk of these types of accidents. I do believe these holes will fill in. You will not be left with holes. However, you may have some scarring. The legs do take a lot longer to heal than other parts of the body, so you will need at least a year to see the final outcome. You should stay in contact with the technician and the doctor who oversees that procedure. I advise you to get it looked at by the supervising doctor, so he/she can help you in any way possible. In the end, this may lighten some of the tattoo you had in the area, so you may need to retattoo those spots down the road.

Got an IPL burn. One of the burns fell off and left a hole on my leg. Should I be worried?

Answers (1)