Laser hair removal and moles

In autumn, a hot season begins in laser hair removal salons. Women are in a hurry to resume procedures after the summer break. At the same time, it often happens that due to intense tanning after a vacation, many new moles appear on the body, and the old ones grow or change shape. Therefore, many are worried about whether the laser hair removal procedure is compatible with birthmarks. Is there a risk of injuring the mole, provoking a burn, or even worse - the rebirth of the mole into melanoma? We tried to figure it out in our article.

What are moles and what they are

Moles come in many shapes, sizes and colors / istockphoto.com

Moles or nevi are on the body of every person. From a physiological point of view, this is an accumulation of specific cells on the skin called melanocytes. These are the cells that produce the pigment melanin - it is responsible for the color of our hair and the "coloring" of the skin during tanning. Moles come in different sizes and colors. If they are located in a place of accumulation of blood vessels, then they are painted in pink, red, burgundy or purple. However, most often, moles under the influence of melanin are brown or black in color.

The shape of moles can also be very different. They are usually flat and do not protrude from the surface of the skin. But there are also convex moles that resemble small bumps - it is from them that hairs can most often grow (mainly such moles are localized on the face and on the hands). In the overwhelming majority of cases, moles are benign neoplasms on the body that do not pose a threat to health and are not a contraindication to laser hair removal. But there are a number of cases when it is necessary to carry out laser exposure on areas with moles with caution.

How does laser hair removal affect moles?

Moles need to be painted over for laser hair removal / istockphoto.com

The action of laser hair removal is directly related to melanin and melanocytes. In short, melanin has the ability to absorb laser radiation. Because of this, the hair during the procedure heats up along its entire length, including the hair follicle. Some hairs "burn out", and some are rejected over time due to the death of the bulb (hair base). That is why it is strictly forbidden to use a laser on moles. Since the concentration of melanin there goes off scale, you can overheat the nevus and get a thermal burn. In some cases, this burn can provoke a birthmark degeneration from benign to malignant.

However, this does not mean at all that it is forbidden to do laser hair removal due to moles. You just need to avoid direct exposure of the beam to the nevus. To do this, before the procedure, the master examines the client in an orderly manner and paints over the moles. with a special corrector - a white pencil, or applies to these areas a white paste containing zinc. Moles “disguised” in this way are not exposed to the laser (white color “reflects” up to 95% of the laser pulse), therefore, the risk of overheating is practically zero.

When is laser hair removal not performed?

The accumulation of moles can greatly complicate the procedure / istockphoto.com

"Masking" of moles for laser hair removal is performed if they are located on the body pointwise and individually. Where there is a large accumulation of nevi, it is better not to use a laser. Even if they are small in size, hiding them under a pencil will not be easy. And if they are also close to each other, then the master will not be able to accurately bypass each nevus with the handpiece of the device.

Also, you should not carry out laser hair removal on moles from which hair grows. This is not a contraindication to the procedure in general, but you need to be careful with this area. The laser will most likely fail to destroy the root of this hair. But you can easily earn a burn, because such moles are usually bulging and large - which means there are a lot of melanocytes and melanin. If you have only one mole with hair, the master will carefully paint over it with a pencil and carefully go around the maniple. And in this case, it will be safer to simply cut the hair regularly with scissors.

Also, with caution, the masters advise to treat moles that have recently increased in size, changed their color (darkened) or acquired uneven, asymmetric outlines. This could be a sign of a malignant mole or melanoma forming. And in this case, laser hair removal is categorically contraindicated. So, if you notice you have a suspicious nevus, it is better to apply for consultation with an oncologist.

Can laser hair removal cause melanoma?

Moles should be watched after laser hair removal / istockphoto.com

Sometimes it happens that after laser hair removal, moles change their color. This happens if the master accidentally touches the nevus with the device. If the mole has brightened, there is nothing to worry about. This phenomenon after the laser is a variant of the norm. But if it has darkened or turned red, or bleeding has begun from it (while you are sure that you did not touch or injure the birthmark), this is a reason to see an oncologist. Also, a change in the shape or size of a mole, and the appearance of painful sensations, should be alarming. Most likely, this is a sign of a burn, as a result of which the mole can be reborn.

A mole burn is the only risk that can lead to the development of melanoma after laser hair removal. And then with a probability of 5-7%, experts say. In most cases, after a burn, the mole simply peels off and disappears without a trace (that is, the nevus is removed with a laser). However, it is still necessary to monitor this area. In all other cases, laser exposure to healthy skin is absolutely safe. Modern devices emit radiation with a wavelength of 800-900 nanometers. This is enough to destroy the hair follicle, but not enough for pathological changes in the structure of cells.

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