Laser hair removal has been a growing fad for the past decade, especially for people living throughout the New York area. Women and men are having the hair on their chins, faces, upper lip areas, underarms and bikini areas removed with the use of a laser as an alternative option instead of plucking, shaving or waxing the area. However, when the treatment is performed improperly, injuries can occur that lead to scars, burns and even infections.
If you have undergone such a treatment and suffered injuries, you are not without legal recourse. You may be able to receive compensation for your injuries.
How Does Laser Hair Removal Cause Injuries?
Laser hair removal involves the use of equipment to produce a laser or pulse of light. This equipment is placed against the skin as the light penetrates to the hair follicle, heating it to the point where the hair burns away. Laser hair removal procedures are normally performed multiple times until the hair no longer grows. When you get laser hair removal, it may feel as if you experienced a mild sunburn as there may be redness or swelling. Anti-inflammatory creams and lotions will be given to you to help with the recovery stage.
Unfortunately, since the laser equipment uses light and heat to penetrate the skin, second or third degree burns may result. The intensity of the light may be too strong for some people, especially those with sensitive skins. If you experience a second degree burn, it means that the laser equipment caused damage past the first layer of skin as you will have blisters and scarring.
A third degree burn is more serious, as the heat penetrated through all the layers of skin to cause internal injuries. In these cases, you could have blisters, scarring, nerve damage, or blood vessel damage. If left untreated, the third degree burn can lead to an infection or other medical complications.
Why Do Laser Hair Removal Injuries Occur?
In New York, the laser hair technician does not require any type of licensing to perform such a procedure. So you can often find medical spas, salons or wellness centers offering this treatment. A licensed physician may not actually be the person to provide the treatment as the task will be performed by their staff member or clinician who has not been properly trained. Some staff may have only had a single day course in training to use the laser device and will perform the procedure without having the physician in the room.
Another factor is that laser hair removal equipment has become more powerful as technology advances the industry. The technician may be using it at the wrong setting based on the person’s skin type and the technician’s lack of training. Lastly, the technician may be in a rush to finish the procedure so they can get to the next client. In an effort to do the treatment quickly, the technician may end up burning your skin due to negligence.
What to Do to Receive Compensation for Laser Hair Removal Injuries
The first thing to do is reach out to a professional injury lawyer to talk about the problem. You may feel embarrassed to tell anyone about what happened because of the scars and skin pigmentation changes. However, your injuries can end up lowering the quality of your health and cause emotional distress in addition to requiring medical services if the serious burns lead to an infection. Being compensated for these injuries can allow you to get the right medical treatment to prevent further complications. Also, a lawsuit against the spa, salon or wellness center may help to expose shady practices and prevent other people from becoming injured by the same technician.
Since laser hair removal procedures are not classified as medical treatments, you will not be able to sue the clinic for medical malpractice. On the other hand, you can bring a lawsuit against them for negligence and emotional distress due to the procedure.
It will be up to you to prove in a court of law that the hair removal treatment you received caused the injuries. You will need to gather information about the person who performed the procedure, their employer, as well as the owner of the facility where you obtained treatment to determine who can be held liable. You should also find out the type of equipment that was used to perform the laser hair removal so it can be determined whether or not the equipment was defective.
Gather photographs of the injuries and medical bills for treatment. In addition, if you received any rehabilitation or subsequent treatment to deal with the issues, such as scar removal treatment, you should also bring along such medical documents.
New York Laser Hair Removal Lawsuit Settlements
Second and Third Degree Burns: $225,000
After a laser hair removal procedure on and about the female genitalia area, a woman experienced severe second and third degree burns. The long-term consequences of this scarring is serious, and although it did fade, the woman suffered physical and emotional damages.
Burns Caused Scarring on Legs: $125,000
Laser hair removal treatments to the arms and legs left one woman with serious burns. The young woman’s laser burns caused a checkerboard pattern of red marks on both of her arms and legs. Although the scars have faded somewhat, they remain visible. She continues to receive treatment from a dermatologist with the hope that the scars will not be permanent. She continues to experience depressed mood, loss of confidence and self-esteem, sleep impairment, anxiety and shame over the scars.
Severe Burns on Genitalia: $75,000
A woman received multiple laser burns on her genitalia and the surrounding area after laser hair removal. Although the injury is not permanent, she endured both physical and emotional pain and suffering.
Burns to Legs: $65,000
A woman suffered laser burns on both legs as a result of cosmetic hair removal. The treatment resulted in several burns to the legs when the machine’s power controls were increased to expedite the procedure.
Blisters and Scars on Breasts: $60,000
A woman suffered laser burns, blisters and scars in between her breasts after undergoing laser hair removal. She says she was told that the treatments were safe and conducted by trained technicians.
Cosmetic Hair Removal Burns – $45,000
A woman received laser burns on her legs as a result of cosmetic laser hair removal. The second degree burns occurred all over her legs. Although the scars healed, the woman suffered painful injuries and emotional trauma.
Getting Compensated for Laser Hair Removal Lawsuits
Out of 175 legal cases that involved hair or scar removal, researchers have found 75 cases where someone other than a physician used the laser. If you have been injured in such a procedure, contact an experienced attorney who can review your case and provide the legal help you need to receive compensation.