Laser Hair Removal Leaves Patient Permanently Scarred

Case Overview

This case involves a female patient who was undergoing laser hair removal on her cheek. After beginning her first treatment, the patient got married and moved to another county. She continued laser hair removal treatment at the defendant facility in her new hometown. The patient received 3 treatment sessions at the defendant facility using a YAG handpiece. After the third visit, the patient developed 2nd-degree burns on her cheek. She was given Aquaphor and was asked to return in a week for evaluation. The patient decided to seek medical attention and presented to a burn center where she was found to have an infected burn. The patient was treated for her burns but was left with permanent scarring on her face. An expert dermatologist with laser treatment experience was sought to review the records and opine on the standard of care and causation.

Questions to the Dermatology expert and their responses

Please explain your experience with laser hair removal.

As a board-certified dermatologist, I have been trained in laser hair removal and regularly perform this procedure in my office. Although none of my patients have sustained burns from laser hair removal during my treatments, I have treated patients who present with burns following laser procedures at other facilities.

What treatment options are available for a patient that develops a 2nd-degree burn after laser treatment?

Treatments include culturing the wound, administering topical and oral antibiotics, wound care, and referrals to plastic surgery if necessary.

How does a delay in intervention affect the outcome of a case such as the one described?

In some cases, if the burn is not treated promptly it may lead to scarring or post-inflammatory changes.

About the expert

This distinguished expert earned her BA from Dartmouth College and her MD and PhD from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She went on to complete a residency in dermatology at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Medical College of Cornell University. This expert is a member of several prestigious medical societies and has received numerous awards for her contributions to the field of dermatology. She has been published extensively and lectured numerous times on topics related to her field. In addition, this expert is also a reviewer for two medical journals and sits on the editorial board of two other prestigious journals. She currently serves as an Associate Professor of dermatology as well as an Associate Attending Dermatologist at a hospital in New York.