Risks in hair removal pain management Whether  cheap and easy
methods or more powerful topical anesthetics, there
are certain minor risks associated with hair removal pain management.
The most common problem with pain management is that it turns
off the body's ability to tell if you are being overtreated during
a hair removal procedure. Topical products have additional risks
which are outlined in their package inserts.
However, several methods of dealing with hair removal pain have
far more serious risks, up to and including death.
Should be avoided:
Alcohol
Topical anesthetics used on large
areas
Not recommended:
Prescription painkillers (potentially
dangerous)
Injectable anesthetics (potentially
dangerous)
Combinations of medications (very
dangerous)
Deadly combinations
Perhaps the most dangerous thing to do is combine drugs, especially
if you have not used them individually before. Prescription drugs
should never be combined with alcohol or other prescription and
over-the-counter medications. The results can be lethal.
On 19 February 2000, 20-year old Jonathan Briese of Virginia
died from an allergic reaction to pain relief medications during
a laser hair removal procedure. Dr. James
J. Donohue IV reports he had given Mr. Briese the following:
Xanax, (a brand
of the anti-anxiety drug alprazolam)
Lortab, (a brand
of the pain reliever hydrocodone)
a topical anesthetic
cream applied to the back
Source: Washington Post (31 January 2001, p. B1)
In response to this tragic event, I have compiled a list of pain
reduction methods you should avoid, especially in combination.
Should be avoided
Alcohol: should be avoided
Risks:
impairs ability to gauge overtreatment
thins blood
impairs driving
dangerous in combination with pain
medications
Although some consumers have written suggesting this, others
find alcohol actually makes it worse. Like aspirin, alcohol
thins the blood, and it can increase the amount and duration
of bleeding/bruising, so if you have other options, you should
rely on those.
I do not recommend the use of alcohol for hair removal pain
management. If you do decide to use alcohol, don't drink and
drive to your appointment, or combine alcohol with pain relievers
or tranquilizers.
Topicals over large areas:
should be avoided
Risks:
impairs ability to gauge overtreatment
dangerous in combination with pain
medications
can cause severe allergic reaction
use on a large area can reach toxic
levels of drug absorption
Topical preparations are generally a very good option to reduce
hair removal pain, but it's important to be careful when using
them on large areas like the back or legs. Do a test with the
product on a small area, then wait a few days before undergoing
a procedure using a large dose. If you have a noticeable skin
reaction to the test dose (itching, blistering, skin color change
lasting more than a few hours), you should not use the topical
over a large area.
Not recommended
Prescription pain medications and
tranquilizers: not recommended
Risks:
impairs ability to gauge overtreatment
potentially addictive
impairs driving
dangerous in combination with pain
medications
Although some people are able to get
prescriptions for hair removal pain management, this is probably
excessive. Some readers have written to me about using
prescription drugs such as Vicodin, Lortab, Percocet, Percodan,
Lorcet, Ultram, or Paracetamol or generic equivalents such as
codeine, dihydrocodeine, dextropropoxyphene, etc. Some have
used a prescription tranquilizer like Valium or Xanax. This
is probably excessive and potentially dangerous.
First off, a prescription drug may interfere with your ability
to drive. If you are driving a car to and from hair removal,
prescription medications should be avoided.
Most importantly, prescription drugs
can be habit-forming. As Amy points out in a letter, "Opiates
are highly addictive and should be used only for the express
purpose for which they were prescribed."
S___ writes that she was having difficulty bearing electrolysis:
"I finally asked my doctor for a prescription for the pain.
He wrote me a prescription for Vicodin ES. I began taking them
regularly for electrolysis. Then for back pain. Then for neck
pain. Then to get a buzz... I knew that hydrocodone, or Vicodin,
was habit forming, but in my ignorance I thought that I could
deal with it. I couldn't. What made matters worse was the fact
that I was completely ignorant of the side effects associated
with opiates, especially coming off of them. I found myself
in the most profound depressions after each electrolysis session."
Her addiction spiraled downward into a suicidal depression.
Fortunately, S___ stopped short of the overdose she had laid
out for herself, and was able to get help to overcome her addiction.
Don't put yourself in danger of addiction just to deal with
hair removal pain.
I do not recommend using prescription pain medications for
hair removal. Try a topical anesthetic-- it should be plenty.
Novocaine/lidocaine injections:
not recommended
Risks:
impairs ability to gauge overtreatment
dangerous in combination with pain
medications
dangerous unless performed under
direct medical supervision
extremely dangerous when administered
by unqualified personnel
extremely dangerous when self-administered
While very effective (to the point of overkill), this method
is difficult to find. Some people have worked out a deal with
a dentist or doctor to get shots of anesthesia before their
electrolysis or laser appointments. However, the American Dental
Association sent a letter to all dentists in 1999 stating they
did not recommend this procedure. In some states where electrolysis
and laser is regulated, this is illegal.
A method that was advertised by Allied Health Association in
recent years was packaging a J-tip compressed gas injection
system with prescription anesthetics. This was being sold to
unqualified personnel and should be avoided. Thanks to the American Electrology Association, the
US Food & Drug Administration stepped in on 5 May 2000 to
stop this potentially dangerous problem.
Some consumers have written to me about self-injecting anesthesia
prior to hair removal. Self-injection
of anesthetics is extremely dangerous and can be fatal
if the anesthetic is injected directly into the bloodstream.
I do not recommend using injectable anesthetics for hair removal
unless done in consultation with a medical professional.
If you still decide to use one of these
methods
If, despite these warnings, you plan to
use alcohol, injectable anesthetics, prescription drugs, topicals
over a large area like the back or legs, or a combination of medications:
Do not combine
drugs.
Do not drive
to or from a hair removal procedure under the influence of drugs
or alcohol.
Ensure the practitioner
is qualified to administer drugs and knows how to handle an
adverse response.
Ensure that the
facility has proper resuscitation equipment and an emergency
response plan.
If you have a reaction to a pain reduction
method
If you begin to feel nausea, excessive
itching or rash, heart rate increase, slowed breathing, or lightheadedness,
you may be having an allergic reaction. The physician on duty
should be notified immediately and emergency response should be
undertaken. In the event of vomiting, loss of consciousness, or
stoppage of heart or breathing, 911 should be called immediately.
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