Second session - WEIRD rash

Hair Removal Methods Laser hair removal
#1

Hi Everyone! I’ve lurked here for awhile, but never had a need (or anything worthwhile!) to post until now.

I just had my second laser hair removal treatment. They are using a Candela GentleLASE machine on me. I don’t know settings - I’ll find out if I need to but I’m not sure if it’s relevant for this question. I am getting bikini area and underarms done. My first go round left me with cryogen burns in the bikini area, but underarms were fine. This time, bikini area is fine, but my underarms are a mess.

Treatment was Thursday evening. More painful than I remembered but I chalked it up to my cycle. I felt unusually sensitive/tender all the next day, with slight edema. Saturday morning I notice this rash spreading around the underarm treatment area on my left. Sunday morning, the same thing appeared on my right. It’s tender/sore but doesn’t itch, and since its appearance, it’s stayed pretty much the same. I’ve done nothing differently that I can tell (haven’t even used deoderant at all since the tx), no new clothing, soap, nothing, and the rash is ONLY near my underarms. I spoke with the clinic’s doctor over the phone - he said to come by if it’s still there next week and he’ll give me steriods. I very much got the blow-off from him, likely because I pre-paid for a whole package, and likely because ANYTHING is going to resolve itself in 10 days.

Pictures are here:




I’m really disconcerted! It’s not just, “Oh look a little red spot” - the area of this rash is greater than the area treated! I’m worried that I’m having a reaction to something from my treatment, but I don’t know what. I can’t find anything on the interwebs that talks about this. I used NOTHING on this area other than my regular body lotion, NO numbing cream or aloe.

Anyone have any insight? Has this happened to anyone before? I’d really appreciate anyone’s feedback.

Thanks so much,
Jessica

#2

It looks from the pictures like the rash is not on the actual treated area, but above it. It could be a histamine reaction. I would try taking an anti-histamine now and before your treatments.

Use witch hazel to help it heal.

Are you on any medications?

#3

Thanks for the response, LAgirl. You are correct, the rash actually doesn’t overlap at all with the treatment area; it is both above and below it. I am generally taking antihistamines daily as we’re right in the middle of allergy season. I’ve been taking the same ones for months (Claritin), and aside from those, I’m only taking a multivitamin, again, something I’ve been on for months.

What could my body possibly be reacting to, if this is indeed a reaction to the treatments? The light? That just doesn’t seem realistic… And why no similar rash on the bikini area? I am sensitive and it wouldn’t be my first histamine reaction, but it’s the first one that’s presented like this, and the timing and location of this occurrence both point to the LHR session as the cause. I know correlation is not causation but it’s pretty suspicious. I’m not being contrary, I really am just baffled because no logical explanation really fits.

The rash is splotchier and slightly more purple today; it’s starting to look like a bruise. I assume this means it’s healing as it looks vaguely better.

I go in on Thursday evening for them to take more pictures. I’ll update then, but everyone I’ve spoken with is just as baffled as I am. I’m primarily concerned that LHR is just not a good thing for my body, but they won’t let me out of my contract unless the doctor makes that determination, and I’m getting the distinct impression from him that that’s not going to happen. I am a lawyer though, maybe I’ll just have to pull out my claws. :slight_smile:

#4

I hope Choice can chime in with some thoughts. It sounds like you’re generally prone to allergies, which makes me think it is likely related to that. You may be allergic to the cryogen that GentleLASE uses to cool the area for example, since it sprays during treatment. Did they apply anything before or after the treatments? Did you?

Some people get a histamine reaction to laser treatments, and an anti-histamine usually helps.

There is no indication in any studies that laser is harmful to the body in any way. It’s been around for 10+ years now.

#5

Long before laser hair removal existed, Ms. Sensitive Skin here (& allergies too numerous to list) was diagnosed with solar urticaria. Mostly during the summer, but that could be because I was outside for longer periods of time, sunscreen or not, no rhyme or reason, I would occasionally break out in hives from sun exposure.

Now that I am under the influence of allergy meds 24/7, it happens less often, and has never happened to me due to LHR. I should also mention that in the near future I expect to be diagnosed with lupus, and this type of reaction is a symptom of lupus.

This may explain it better than I can: http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1050485-overview

#6

Thank you for both your replies.

Both sessions, I have gotten cryogen “burns” - the first time, only in the bikini area, and this second time, only in the underarm area (the cryogen burns are separate and distinct from the rash in question, and hard to see in the pictures, but very noticeable in person). Maybe I am sensitive to that - I’ll ask when I go in tomorrow if they can do the treatments without the cryogen. The only thing that was applied before/after the treatment was ice packs, and even those were covered in new plastic ziploc baggies before they touched my skin.

Choice - thank you so much for that info! I was vaguely aware of solar urticaria but didn’t know the name and hadn’t really considered it. It’s definitely plausible, I’ll bring it up.

It seems to me that a histamine reaction could also have been the cause of the mild edema (generalized, not perifollicular) and general skin sensitivity I experienced the day after the treatment. It fits. Or, it doesn’t not fit. :slight_smile: The after-effects, while mild, really felt systemic, not just local to the tx areas. To me, this seems like a fairly helpful clue as to what’s going on, but we’ll see if the people at the clinic agree, or if they look at me like I’m crazy and tell me it’s all in my head.

Things have cleared up a lot. It’s definitely still there, but over the last 24 hours it turned purpley and now it’s a reddish-brown that looks much more like a fading bruise than a rash. Still tender, never been itchy and it’s still not, and the skin is entirely intact still.

still baffled

Thanks again for the responses. :slight_smile:
~jess

#7

You can consider getting treatments with another alex laser like Apogee that doesn’t use cryogen.

#8

Well, my answers from the clinic are as follows:

  1. Cryogen burns are a relatively routine reaction. I should exfoliate and they’ll go away. And it’s not an option to do treatments without cryogen because that will burn my skin and leave marks worse than the cryogen burns.

  2. Maybe my rash isn’t related to the LHR treatments at all.

I don’t believe either of those statements, but I don’t really see that I have any option other than accepting their response. I’m stuck doing the treatments since I paid for a package and not per session. So, I’ll see if the next round does the same thing and get in to my dermatologist immediately if it does, and exfoliate in the meantime. exasperated

Thanks again for the responses, it’s much appreciated!

#9

So the rash is subsiding. That area wasn’t treated, right? So how can it be burned? I would think exfoliating would cause more irritation as opposed to using an OTC aloe cortisone cream. Just my opinion, I’m not prescribing. The laser center trumps me.

Dee

#10

I agree. Those responses and incorrect and inadequate. You should be able to demand your money back. You shouldn’t feel like you’re stuck with this clinic if you’re potentially allergic to cryogen, and they don’t have other lasers that don’t use it. That’s enough of a legal reason to get out of the contract.

#11

There are clinical trials going on right now. Check this out and click on the tabs as well:

You may be allergic to the cryogen. You can relate your story and pictures to the principle investigators if you desie. I bet they would be interested.

Dee

#12

Dee - The rash is/was NOT on the area that was treated. I don’t believe anyone is saying that the rash is, or is from, a burn. The rash is separate and distinct from cryogen burns, which ARE on the area that was treated (and for which the exfoliation was recommended). Thanks for the clinical trial link - I was actually aware of that and had looked into it, but quite honestly I’m not sure I want to deal with the hassle of getting involved (not to mention I’m nowhere near CA). Apparently the corporate office of my clinic will be reviewing my case; I may indeed forward on my story and photos to the PI’s of that study, though - good idea.

I’m not really sure I’m allergic to cryogen, as my first treatment didn’t result in a rash. I’m planning to go to my next session, follow all of the clinic’s recommendations to the letter, and see if the rash recurs. I think there’s a chance I had a reaction from something other than the tx itself, and to that end, I’m willing to give it another shot before I raise hell.

I am having contract issues with the clinic which are unrelated to my actual treatments and these reactions. I really only have the time and energy to fight one battle at a time, and I’m afraid of muddling the several different issues that are going on now.

The rash now just looks like a slightly darker patch of skin; you probably wouldn’t notice unless you were looking for it. I’m hoping it’ll continue to lighten. I’ll be happy when this whole thing is over - I wish I had just gone w/ electrolysis in the first place (heck, at this point, I’d rather just shave for the rest of my life!)

Thanks again for the replies. :slight_smile: