Laser Treatment - Swelling

ljl7171 · 10-05-2006, 05:24 AM

I just had my first laser treatment. Did you have any swelling afterwards? My neck area is swollen and red but under my nose isn't that bad. If you had any swelling, how long did it last?

thanks,
Lana

lightfello · 10-05-2006, 06:37 AM

I haven't had too much swelling but this last time it was red and warm. Kind of like a sunburn. The redness lasted a few hours, but my skin was a little tender the next day too. Use aloe vera gel or lotion on it whenever it feels dry. That helped me a lot.
GL

mets2006 · 10-05-2006, 04:52 PM

I am a new registered user but I have been reading the message boards for a while. I was exactly in the same position after my first laser treatment this past August. My neck and chin was swollen for a few days and the areas were sore. I also had large red bumps that looked like ingrowns and small whiteheads for about 2 weeks. After that, the hairs began to shed and I noticed a huge reduction in hair. I would say at least 75%. I just went for my second treatment yesterday, and the nurse who performs all the treatments told me I most likely had a allergic reaction to the laser. (I am the type who swells up from bug bites and bee stings so it makes sense) After yesterday's treatment she told me I should try taking Benadryl to alleviate the swelling and redness. Now, I am not sure if it was the Benadryl or the fact that there is a lot less hair, but I had no swelling and just a little redness.

Getting laser treatments has made such a big difference in my life. I put my hair back all the time at work and when I go out....which was unheard of before that. I don't carry a razor with me in my purse anymore and I don't have to shave 3 times a day (maybe once every couple of days). I have always been self-conscious of my face and I feel I have my life back 100%. It is unbelievable! I still have 4 treatments to go. Hopefully, between the laser treatments and the spironolactone I will have the facial hair under control.

That is great that you decided to get the laser treatments.....you will be very happy I am sure. I wish you the best of luck!
Maria

MIKES JULIE · 10-07-2006, 04:46 AM

My friend is an electrologist and does my lazer treatments and she said it is normal for the first and maybe the second lazer treatment to leave large red bumps and some puffiness. I had this happen to me also on my first treatment (bumps lasted quite a while but red swelling only lasted a couple hours if that) but my 2nd and 3rd treatment was not too bad.. Just redness on my face but not swollen or blistered. ALOE and ICE are the keys here. I always go right home after treatment and put an ice pack wrapped in a light towel and hold it on my face for about 30 minutes ( 5 minutes at a time). and then I apply aloe.

Good luck to you.

(((HUGS)))

Julie

kristinenicolle · 10-07-2006, 05:22 AM

my laser treatment was horrible

it turns out i got superficially burned...it was disgusting...i was like sunburned all over my neck and face..it all went away within a week or so but im still peeling..i used the numbing cream and i didnt feel a single thing..it only smelled but i thought that was normal...im dark complection and have dark course hair so partiallly it was my fault cuz the laser they used wasnt ideal for my skin type

anyways hope ur next treatments go just as good as the first!

ljl7171 · 10-11-2006, 04:28 AM

Thanks everyone for your insights. I wasn't sure what to expect. Right now all I have are these dark hairs that seem to be rougher than what I normally would have had.

I am curious now, do the hairs just start falling out? I know I have read and was told that it takes about 2 weeks for the hairs to fall out. It doesn't make sense to me that if they killed the root that the hairs just fall out over time. Maybe that is what happens. Is that what happened to you?

TIA for your replies! Right now I am happy with what happened to the hair under my nose, I didn't really have a mustasche but there were quite a few black hairs there. Now they are gone. All I have are the fine white to light brown hairs that aren't noticeable. It's my chin I am wondering about, it has this nice "shaddow" look to it, even after I shave in the morning and it feels rough, not soft like it was prior to my first laser.

Thanks again!
Lana

SarahDC · 10-16-2006, 04:41 AM

I've had 3 rounds of laser treatment on my face and also experienced fairly significant swelling - I always forgot to ask the technician about this when I returned for follow-up treatment. For me the swelling was gone in about 5 days, and was a little less severe with each treatment.

Those little hair stubs remaining after treatment drove me nuts - I was told to use a "loofah" about a week after treatment, and that the hairs would easily "fall off," but what I actually ended up doing was sitting in front of a magnifying mirror, obsessively tweezing the stubs. I did wait a few days before doing this, though, until my skin calmed down and the stubs had pushed their way out a bit.

Between the swelling and the stubble (actually coming from dead roots, but still unsightly), I took about 3 days off work for each treatment (building a weekend in there so I could be in seclusion for 5) so that the freaky appearance of my face could calm down. That said, I echo what the other ladies have said: laser hair removal completely changed my life. It was painful and expensive, but worth every penny and moment of pain. I feel so liberated and can't recommend the treatment enough!

Good luck with recovery! It's totally worth it.

Sarah

ljl7171 · 10-17-2006, 12:14 PM

Thanks Sarah, I thought I was alone. I was only swollen for about 1 1/2 days. I noticed that most of the pain was that I had all these "ingrown hairs" the following day. I think that was part to having the laser done and part to the fact that I ususally "buff" my face everyday and I didn't do it after my treatment because the area was sensative. That seemed to clear up on a couple of days and I wasn't in any discomfort anymore.

I am really impressed with what results I have with one treatment. I know it is still early to see what will happen long term. My ultimate goal is to get it to a reasonable amount and not this beard I could have grown.

Thank you!
Lana