Laser Hair Removal And Skin Cancer
One of the most feared risks of laser hair removal is ‘skin cancer’. Most of the people think that laser hair removal can cause cancer. Actually there is no proof for that, and laser hair removal itself is not a known cause for skin cancer. But there is a connection between them, the laser hair removal weakens the body natural protection from the sun, which may triggers skin cancer.
Laser Hair Removal
The laser hair removal treatment is using the physical fact that dark matter absorbs light in greater quantities than light matter. The laser hair removal works when the light is pulsed at dark hair on a light skin. The contrasts of the skin and the hair, causes all the energy to be directed to the dark hair follicle.
All this light energy is turned into heat at the hair follicle, this heat is destroying the hair stem the bulb of the root until the hair growth is malfunctioned. Laser hair removal is considered risky for dark skinned people, because the light can be absorbed by the surrounding (dark) skin tissue and not the hair, and cause skin burns.
It’s Not The Laser It Is The SUN
The number one cause for skin cancer is the exposure to the sun. The sun harmful UV rays cause the skin cell changes called Melanoma, which is one of the most common skin cancers in the world. It is a fact that at sunny places the numbers of people with skin cancer is much higher than in northern, colder areas. You will find a higher percentage of skin cancer at Texas than at Canada. At places where the earth Ozone layer is known to be thinner, there would be more skin cancer illnesses.
So when looking for laser hair removal risks of cancer, you need to check the connection to the place you live at, and the behavior before, during and after the laser hair removal sessions. Here is one of the best books written on prevention of skin cancer. You can download the first chaper for free on your computer!
Prevention of Skin Cancer (Cancer Prevention-Cancer Causes)
The Laser – The Sun and Skin Cancer
The laser hair removal does not cause cells to mutate! Nor does IPL light! But the sun UV rays do cause cell mutation!
The sun has two kinds of UV rays: UVA (long rays) and UVB (short rays). The short rays (UVB) are the rays that cause tanning effects and burning effects. At summer times (earth closer to the sun) the short rays reach earth at much greater levels of energy. The longer sun rays (UVA) are regular sun light which we receive all year round, and they are the same in June and December.
Both UV rays can cause skin cells to mutate. The shorter rays (UVB) have effect on the upper layers of the skin (epidermis), while the UVA rays (long wavelength) have possibility for penetration into deeper skin layers. This means that summer rays UVB are added to the regular UVA rays, and together they harm the skin in higher UV exposure.
How To Reduce The Risk For Skin Cancer
People with black color skin never get sun burns, while pale skin will get red after a few hours in the sun. The melanin cells are in charge of the skin color, is the natural way the skin protects itself from the sun. Excessive laser light (or IPL) can cause the natural melanin cell production to be altered.
The most problematic side effects of laser hair removal are:
- Hyper-Pigmentation – Melanin production freaks into over production causing dark skin patches to appear.
- Hypo-Pigmentation – Melanin production is destroyed and white patches show on skin.
Below are the tips you should follow to reduce the risk of skin cancer after laser hair removal sessions. The tips are for safe behavior and skin exposure to the sun before, during and after the laser sessions.
- One tip for you to reduce the risk of skin cancer, is to avoid summer time laser hair removal! It is much wiser to plan the laser treatments into the winter times.
- Before the laser hair removal treatments avoid sun tanning! Tan skin means lower skin/hair contrast, which will require higher levels of laser to heat the hair.
- Avoid before laser hair removal any use of tanning beds!
- During the laser hair removal sessions, be aware to stay away from the sun, some will say for a week, others will say three days.
- In those days use UVA & UVB sun block creams. Regular sun tanning SPF have been found by FDA as scams.
- Wear a wide hat! Use UV sun glasses.
- Wear long sleeve clothes and walk in the shade.
- make sure you drink enough water – When skin cells dehydrate they do not protect the skin as well hydrated cells.
IPL / Laser Hair Removal And Skin Cancer Risks
Walking in the shade, wearing long sleeve clothes will protect you from UVB (short rays) only, the UVA (long rays) can penetrate clothes and reflect as sun light even when you are in the shade. Following these tips all year round may help you protect yourself from the harmful sun rays, which are the main cause for skin cancer.
Regular SPF sun screen lotions was found as non-efficient by the FDA. If you do not have UVA & UVB sun block creams, make sure you get some ASAP. Check here for low cost sun block at Amazon.
The laser hair removal does not cause skin cancer, but the laser or IPL hair removal (Intense Pulsed Light) can damage the natural melanin production and place the skin in a much vulnerable situation, where it is defenseless against the sun cancerous UV rays.
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Read More Relevant Posts:
- Yervoy FDA Approved – New Melanoma Drug
- Sun Tanning Facts, Risks & Protection Tips
- Long Term Dangers of Laser Hair Removal
- Does Laser Hair Removal Cause Skin Cancer