POSTED UNDER GentleLase REVIEWS
Allergic Reaction to Laser Hair Removal - Candela GentleLASE Alexandrite Laser. Narre Warren, AU
ORIGINAL POST
So I am at the beginning of my laser hair removal...
$400
So I am at the beginning of my laser hair removal journey. I have reasonably fair skin with very dark (almost black) thick hair. I have already had one session at a different laser clinic on my under arms and Brazilian bikini area. This was using the same laser – Candela GentleLASE Alexandrite. She put the laser strength to 12 joules for both my underarm and Brazilian. My underarms had absolutely no allergic reaction. But my bikini line certainly did. Basically every area where the laser had touched the skin, swelled up like a mosquito bite and became SO itchy!!! Like unbearably. I called the laser clinic and was told to take antihistamines. That seemed to help. I was told that my skin has basically reacted like it had been stung by a mozzie or a bee – it was now treating the little burnt hairs like foreign bodies and trying to heal the area. The swelling took a good week to go down – at one stage it was so swollen it looked like I had a fat apron!
Now I have changed clinics to Myskin laser. I had my first test patch done yesterday. I have taken before and after photos, so you can see how my skin reacts to the laser. The swelling is quite impressive, and the itching even more so. I will take a photo each day to see the progress. She had the setting for the test patch on my ankle on 8 joules.
Now I have changed clinics to Myskin laser. I had my first test patch done yesterday. I have taken before and after photos, so you can see how my skin reacts to the laser. The swelling is quite impressive, and the itching even more so. I will take a photo each day to see the progress. She had the setting for the test patch on my ankle on 8 joules.
Evie.87's provider
Replies (1)
UPDATED FROM Evie.87
3 days post
24 hours and 72 hours post laser - allergic reaction - photos
Skin is still VERY itchy, and if i itch it, it swells up like a balloon. It doesn't itch all the time, just some times - i don't know what triggers it, maybe i have just gotten good at ignoring it. I have my next Brazilian and underarm appt next week. I am going to take an antihistamine the night before, and then one an hour before my appt. Hopefully if i keep myself dosed up on antihistamines, it will minimise the swelling and itchiness.
Replies (2)
October 17, 2015
You don't think it might be a burn? I saw your accutane journey, congratulations btw, and it has not been a year since your treatment meant ended. I have read that if you do lasers without waiting the alotted time that you can get some nasty burns :/
October 19, 2015
Oh thanks :) That is correct. It has only been 4.5 months since i stopped taking accutane. To be completely honest, i have no idea if it could be a burn. I don't think it is, as it didn't behave like a burn. It didn't blister or weep or peel etc. It just felt like 3 mosquito bites where the laser had made contact. Ie, itching, redness and swelling. And when it had that reaction on my bikini line, it was the same. A little mosquito bite, with a burnt hair in the middle. My underarms didnt react that way though, they were completely normal, with no redness, swelling or itching. So i'm not sure. Underarm skin is quite sensitive so i would have expected it to react the same way.
Regarding waiting times for accutane, everywhere i have read online says 6 month waiting period before starting laser. So i was very wary. My dermatologist said i could do it after 4 weeks of being off accutane, as that's when it is out of your system and due to being on such a low dosage. I went and got a second opinion from a derm that is top 3 in Melbourne, and he said the same thing. He also said that there had only ever been one research report published on the effects of having laser while on roaccutane. So i just don't know. I suppose only time will tell.
Regarding waiting times for accutane, everywhere i have read online says 6 month waiting period before starting laser. So i was very wary. My dermatologist said i could do it after 4 weeks of being off accutane, as that's when it is out of your system and due to being on such a low dosage. I went and got a second opinion from a derm that is top 3 in Melbourne, and he said the same thing. He also said that there had only ever been one research report published on the effects of having laser while on roaccutane. So i just don't know. I suppose only time will tell.
UPDATED FROM Evie.87
5 days post
5 days post laser
Skin is still red/brown from the laser. The spots where the laser hit still feel swollen like old mosquito bites, but are not too itchy anymore.
Replies (3)
April 7, 2016
Your having a histamine reaction to the lasers. I used to have them all the time unfortunately it can happen every time you get laser done. It helps if you take a antihistamine for a few days prior to treatment. I would take a bendral before bed. I also immediately put a anti intch cream like cortisone on my skin and it helped tremendously.
April 7, 2016
Immediatley after laser , being in the clinic , the nurse should apply a calming cream to help subside the swelling and redness. Best options are; Fucicort cream, Mebo oitm, Aloe Vera gel , even light hidrocortisone cream will help tremendously. For the next 3 days post-laser, same routine. After an number of sessions , the hair becomes finer and the reaction diminishes almost completely .
Thanks so much for taking the time to share your laser hair removal journey and including photos so we can see what you are referring to, so helpful for others who may have had the same reaction or to show what can happen- I look forward to your updates. :)