Too often do we let rumors ruin something for us without fact-checking it ourselves. When laser hair removal first became popular, many had their doubts about the safety of the treatment. Some people thought that using a laser on your skin would burn it, while others thought that it could cause a serious illness like cancer to grow over time. 

If you have ever asked yourself, Does laser hair removal cause cancer? 

The answer is here, according to the NHS, you do not have to worry anymore, as there is absolutely no evidence to suggest that laser hair removal causes skin cancer, laser hair removal is safe, but it can occasionally cause side effects, such as pain and discomfort, and red skin that may last for some time. 

However, it may not be suitable for everyone, including pregnant women and people with certain skin types. 

Since laser hair removal has grown in popularity over the years, often being considered the best method of choice for removing unwanted body hair, it’s a safe bet that it does a lot of good and no real harm, if it does any harm at all. 

But in order to ease your mind, here are some of the facts you should know about laser hair removal:

Is Laser Hair Removal Safe To Use On Skin?

When you first hear the word laser, you may associate it with ideas like “very hot” and “burning skin”. Neither one of those ideas would be true. Yes, the laser emits an intense light beam that becomes hot, but no, it’s not hot enough to actually burn your skin. 

The fact that it uses a thin beam means that it focuses on a very tiny area, which is usually the hair itself. The laser also uses focusing technology in order to pinpoint exactly where the hair follicles are in order to target and damage it, without causing damage to the surrounding skin. 

Also, it’s not like taking a looking glass into the sun and focusing it for some time so that the light converges to burn you – the laser emits short bursts of intense light that last a jiffy. 

Another reason why we know it’s safe to use lasers to remove unwanted hair is that it has been around since 1997 and it has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

Lasers treatments are so common that you don’t even have to go to a facility anymore to remove unwanted hair – there are so many hand-held lasers on the market that are designed to be used at home. 

Do you really think the FDA would allow such devices on the market for anyone to use if they were harmful? No, which is proof enough that it’s safe. In fact, with all the technological advancements since laser hair removal’s inception, it has probably never been safer to use.

Does Laser Hair Removal Cause Skin Cancer?

One of the common myths about laser hair removal is that usage of such treatments for long periods of time could result in you developing cancer, specifically skin cancer. Well, that’s all that it is – a myth – and one that has been proven false by scientists and dermatologists.

The idea behind the assumption is that the light beams that the laser emits are so intense that they could damage the genetic material inside our skin cells. However, while cancer can be caused by powerful ultraviolet (UV) light, the light in the lasers do not fall in the UV range.

Plenty of researchers have done studies on lasers and whether or not their use can lead to skin cancer. The National Center for Biotechnology Information and the Mayo Clinic are two of several institutions that have concluded that laser hair removal does NOT cause skin cancer.

If you are wondering whether there is a difference between the lasers used in a specialist’s clinic and those lasers for DIY at-home purposes, then you don’t have to worry about that either. The recent availability of DIY laser hair removal devices is due to the growing demand for long-lasting treatments that do not involve paying too much for it. The laser hair removal devices that you can buy on the market are just as safe. 

In fact, here are recommendations for some of the best DIY lasers on the market: Silk’n Infinity At-home Hair Removal, Tria Beauty Precision Hair Removal Laser, and Mismon Laser Hair Removal. All these devices are FDA approved and available on Amazon.com

Does Laser Hair Removal Have Any Side Effects?

Nothing is perfect, and that is the sad truth of the reality we live in. Not every person will have the same experiences when using a laser to remove those annoying little hairs. The main reason why you are not guaranteed perfect results is that everyone has different skin. 

Some people may be more sensitive to the light from the laser than others. Some people may not follow the pre and post-treatment instructions the way they should. 

Some people may have gotten the treatment from a professional who is not as experienced at handling a certain skin type than others. There are plenty of variables. 

But don’t let this discourage you. The statistics are on your side: less than 30% of laser hair removal patients have experienced side effects, and these are just mild and temporary side effects. 

Only about 5% of people experience severe side effects.

Some of the common side effects include skin irritation and redness in the area that has been treated. This is incredibly normal and well-expected. Both should be reduced after several hours. 

Pigmentation changes are also common side effects with the skin appearing either lighter or darker after treatment. Once again, this is to be expected and your skin should return to its normal color not long after.

An example of a severe side effect of laser hair removal is scarring, but this is usually the case with people who scar easily. 

Other examples include blistering, which often comes when you are exposed to too much sunlight before and after laser treatment; and changes to skin texture, which often happens when you go for laser hair removal after tanning – the laser may further damage the already sensitive skin. 

Common side effects tend to disappear after a few hours, the next day at most. However, the more severe side effects are often caused by not taking proper care of your skin before and after treatment, as instructed by professionals.

So, if you want to avoid any bad results, it would be best to do as much research as possible on the best ways to take care of your skin before you go in for a laser treatment. 

After all, going in for the treatment is the easy part, it’s the taking care of yourself when you are outside that matters most.

Does Laser Hair Removal Cause Cancer? You do not have to worry about this question anymore. Now, let us get rid of those unwanted hairs. Don’t suffer in silence!

Visit the main hair removal home page for as much information on hair removal as possible. You can also visit the main IPL hair removal page. Thank for visiting the lovely skin stuff site.  We appreciate you greatly.