Anyone else had laser hair removal and then acne outbreak?

[EggyBreadAndBeans]

Hi there

I've been having laser hair removal on my face since the spring of this year, and for the first time ever, have what my laser lady calls "acne" . I've always had the odd spot on my combination skin, but now have a whole swathe of them (those lovely big, hard, painful, shiny ones with no 'head' to speak of) all across one cheek, part of the other, and around my chin and neck ... curiously in exactly the area I'm having the laser hair removal.

The laser therapist insists all spots are hormonal, and discounts the coincidence of the laser treatment with the spot outbreak. If it is hormonal, why now? Ds is two-and-a-half, and nothing hormonally significant happened at the start of this year.

Does anyone else have experience of acne kicking in after having laser hair removal treatment? Why would this be? The only thought I have is the laser might be drying the skin out, and the skin then overcompensates with excess oil production. Did your spots go away once treatment ceased? (End of treatment is spring next year for me.)

Grateful for any insights. EBAB

you could have an infection in the hair follicles? do they touch your skin with anything?

Message withdrawn

Thanks, Enid and Dior.

Yes, something does come into contact with my skin - a laser "plate" (the glass end of the wand through which the laser travels). Maybe I've picked something up from another client there? The lady who treats me seems pretty good with hygiene; it's a fairly professional set-up. Hmm.

Interesting what you say about your hair, Dior. Thinking along similar lines, I have lately toyed with getting all mine cut off for the first time in 20 years!

The extent of the spots, and in areas outside of my usual combination "T" zone (along my cheeks, jaw and neck), is unusual for me. So a bacterial infection definitely seems worth investigating. Am off to town now - will get some Hibiscrub!

Thanks, ladies.