Worried About Scarring

Hair Removal Methods Laser hair removal
#1

Hello,

Hello, I am a 30 year old white male with skin type 1 or 2. I have been having my back, shoulders and upper arms treated for Hair removal with a ruby laser and I am about to have my sixth treatment. I am starting to see a great reduction in hair growth, but have some concerns. After my second vist, I started to have some serious discoloration on my lower back. It looks like really bad acne, but isn’t (it’s red in color, but smooth, not bumpy). I’m pretty sure this is where the laser singed the hair that I could not get to when shaving prior to my visit.

My question is, Is this scarring or is this just hair dots/“tombstones” (the destroyed folicle pushing the hair up)? I asked the tech who is doing the procedure and she swears it’s just ingrown hears that need to be exfoliated. She is recommending loufahs and a glycolic acid cream to help remedy the situation. How can I tell the difference and if it is scarring, how can I treat it?

This is really bugging me and I would REALLY appreciate some insight/suggestions.

Thanks in advance.

#2

If the damage looks like little pinpricks or tiny scabs the size of a pinhead where the hairs used to be, this will probably resolve itself without a noticeable scar. If the marks are the size of a cigarette burn, that’s an indication of overtreatment. Sometimes these burns can be crescent-shaped, due to the operator holding the handpiece at an improper angle.

If you do have lightening or darkening like this, you should probably consult a dermatologist.

#3

Thanks, Andrea. They are more like the tiny pinprick sized “scabs”. I’ll continue with the treatment she prescribed and hope for the best. Thanks again for the reply.

#4

I had red spots like that and they all went away. You’ll be fine. The redness will go away in a week or two and you may be left with some black dots where the singed hairs are. They will eventually go away too. Be patient.

RJC2001