By Lewis Winehouse. Last Updated 12th September 2024. Laser hair removal has become a popular way of getting rid of unwanted body hair. Many beauty salons now offer this as one of their services. However, things can go wrong, and if they do, you could be eligible for laser hair removal burns compensation.
With laser hair removal treatments, like waxing treatments, although small, there is a risk of sustaining a burn injury.
If you have suffered a laser hair removal burn, you may be entitled to compensation.
Legal Helpline is a specialist in personal injury compensation claims against beauticians and salons.
If you need our help or advice or if you’d like to make a claim, call us on 0333 000 0729.
Jump to a Section
- When Am I Eligible To Claim Compensation For Burns From Laser Hair Removal?
- What Is Laser Hair Removal Treatment And How Can It Go Wrong?
- Examples Of Negligent Laser Hair Removal Treatment
- How To Prove A Claim For Burns From Laser Hair Removal
- Compensation Payouts For A Laser Hair Removal Burn
- Make A No Win No Fee Personal Injury Claim Today
- Learn More About Personal Injury Claims
When Am I Eligible To Claim Compensation For Burns From Laser Hair Removal?
When you visit a beauty salon, you are automatically owed a legal duty of care by its owner. Anyone who runs a public space must, according to the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 (OLA), take all steps that keep their visitors reasonably safe during their time on the premises. This includes preventing needless laser hair removal burns.
If the right steps aren’t taken to ensure customer safety, people could be at risk of injury. Consider if your situation matches these key points:
- You were a visitor to the salon, meaning they owed you a duty of care under OLA.
- They acted negligently and breached this duty. For example, staff did not follow the correct procedures for safe laser use.
- As a direct result, you suffered burns from laser hair removal.
These points are the criteria for negligence in tort law. Using proof to fulfil all three could entitle you to laser hair removal burns compensation. Just call us now for a free claim assessment and see if you could start legal action.
How Long Do I Have To Claim For Hair Removal Burns?
Under the Limitation Act 1980, the standard time limit for starting a claim if you suffer injuries, such as burn marks from a laser hair removal procedure, is three years. This starts from the date of the incident that caused your injuries.
In certain circumstances, there are exceptions to this 3-year time limit. For someone under the age of 18, the time limit is paused until their 18th birthday. Once they turn 18, they will have 3 years to start a claim. However, before this date, a court-appointed litigation friend could make a claim on their behalf.
If someone lacks the mental capacity to claim on their own, then the three-year time limit will be indefinitely suspended, and a litigation friend could claim on their behalf. If they regain this mental capacity, they will have 3 years to start their claim from this date if one has not already been made.
Contact our advisors today to see whether you could claim compensation for hair removal burns.
What Is Laser Hair Removal Treatment And How Can It Go Wrong?
Laser hair removal is a cosmetic treatment that removes unwanted body hair in places such as the arms, legs, underarms, back, bikini line, and face, usually the area above the top lip.
The hair follicles in the area where there is unwanted hair are targeted and exposed to the laser light in a pulsating motion which then destroys them. A specific wavelength of light and pulse duration is used to give the maximum effect on the targeted area, with minimum effect on any surrounding tissue.
Some of the benefits of laser hair removal are:
- By using lasers, problem areas can be targeted without having any effect on the surrounding area.
- Laser treatment is fast because each pulse of light only takes a fraction of a second to work and works on many hair follicles at the same time.
- Although considered to be a semi-permanent form of hair removal, quite often, after several treatments, permanent hair loss is experienced making it the ideal treatment for unwanted body hair for some people.
How Can Laser Hair Removal Treatment Go Wrong?
If you’ve been burned from laser hair removal, you may wonder if your injuries were caused by negligence.
Your beautician should have warned you of the risks before the procedure, such as a warning that a laser may burn your skin. They should also carry out a risk assessment on individual clients to ensure that each person is suitable for laser hair removal.
Additionally, as a laser that burns hair treatment may require aftercare, they should ensure that you receive aftercare instructions. They may also advise you on side effects to look out for.
There are various other scenarios in which harm during a laser hair removal procedure could be considered negligent. Call our advisors to discuss if negligence caused a laser to burn your skin during a hair removal treatment.
Examples Of Negligent Laser Hair Removal Treatment
The types of negligence which could lead to injury during laser hair removal are:
- The incorrect type of laser used for a particular skin type may lead to burning or discolouration.
- The laser is too strong.
- They use the laser for too long in one area.
- The beautician fails to check medical history for anything that could affect the outcome.
- Rarely but possibly, the wrong area is treated.
These acts of negligence could result in:
- Burns and blistering.
- Scarring.
- Infection.
- Blotchiness and uneven skin tone.
- Laser burns on legs.
- Hyperpigmentation.
- Hypopigmentation.
- Slight bleeding and scabbing.
- Bruising, particularly on those with sensitive skin.
- Lowered muscle tone.
If you’re unsure as to whether your laser hair removal burns were caused by negligent behaviour, get in touch with our advisors today.
How To Prove A Claim For Burns From Laser Hair Removal
When claiming for burns from laser hair removal, like with all types of personal injury claims, it’s important that you provide evidence. If you can clearly establish how your hair damage or laser hair removal burns occurred, who was at fault and how you suffered pain or loss, you are more likely to make a successful claim.
You could collect the following evidence if possible:
- CCTV footage
- Contact details of any witnesses
- Medical evidence, for example, a hospital report or a diagnosis from a medical professional
- Photographs of your injuries and the scene of the accident
- Any invoices or receipts that can prove any expenses
For free advice on gathering evidence following laser hair removal burns, speak to our advisors, and they could connect you to someone from our panel of personal injury claims solicitors.
Compensation Payouts For A Laser Hair Removal Burn
If you make a successful claim for laser hair removal compensation, your settlement could consist of two parts: general and special damages.
General damages is the part of your negligent laser hair removal compensation payout that addresses your emotional suffering and physical pain. Factors considered when valuing this amount include the severity of the laser hair removal blister, how visible it is, whether or not you suffer permanent scarring, and if you are suffering from a severe psychological reaction.
To help value hair removal compensation claims, those responsible for evaluating general damages may refer to the guidelines from the Judicial College (JCG). The JCG provides guideline compensation brackets for different types of injuries, including those you could suffer as a result of a botched laser hair removal procedure.
In our table below, we look at a few figures that could be relevant to laser hair removal claims from the JCG. It also contains a guideline figure for multiple injuries and special damages in the top row. This top-row figure is not from the JCG.
Injury Comments Amount
Multiple Severe Injuries and special damages Settlements may include compensation for more than one very serious injury plus financial losses, including lost wages and cosmetic surgery. Up to £250,000+
Scarring to Other Parts of the Body Significant burns that cover 40% of the body. Various other factors such as the cosmetic impact will affect how much is awarded. Likely to exceed £127,930
Scarring to Other Parts of the Body Multiple laceration scars, or one disfiguring scar to the back, chest, arms, hands or legs. £9,560 to £27,740
Scarring to Other Parts of the Body A single noticeable or several superficial scars with a minor cosmetic deficit to the hands, arms, or legs. In the region of £10,550
Facial Disfigurement - Very Severe Scarring Where the scarring is significant and mental distress from scarring is severe in younger claimants in their teens to early 30s. £36,340 to £118,790
Facial Disfigurement - Less Severe Scarring Where both scarring and mental effects are significant. £21,920 to £59,090
Facial Disfigurement - Significant Where plastic surgery has helped reduce the worst effects but there will still be a slight cosmetic disability. £11,120 to £36,720
Facial Disfigurement - Less Significant Scarring One scar or multiple smaller scars that do not drastically effect the person's appearance. £4,820 to £16,770
Facial Disfigurement - Trivial Scarring Any effects caused by the scarring is minor. £2,080 to £4,310
What Else Can You Include In A Compensation Payout?
If your laser hair removal claim is successful, you may also recover special damages. Special damages are the part of your compensation settlement that reimburses you for any financial losses you suffered as a result of hair removal gone wrong. This could include compensation for:
- Any specialist makeup you purchased to conceal noticeable scars.
- Cosmetic surgery.
- Specialist creams and oils to reduce and/or soften scar tissue.
- Therapy if you suffered a significant psychological reaction.
- Loss of earnings for time you needed away from work to recover.
Our advisory team is here to help you. If you have any questions about claiming compensation, get in touch using the details posted at the top of the page. They can also give you a free laser hair removal compensation valuation.
Make A No Win No Fee Personal Injury Claim Today
If you would like to make a claim for laser hair removal burns, you may wish to do so with legal representation. You could fund a solicitor under the terms of a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This is a type of No Win No Fee arrangement.
This means that you are only required to pay a success fee if your claim is successful. The percentage that is taken from your settlement is capped by law. If compensation is not awarded to you, then you do not have to pay your solicitor.
Call our advisors today to discuss your potential claim. If our advisors deem your claim to have a good chance of success, we could connect you to our panel of No Win No Fee solicitors.
To talk about your laser hair removal burns compensation eligibility:
- Use the live chat.
- Contact us online
- Call us today on 0333 000 0729.
Learn More About Personal Injury Claims
Below, you can find more useful guides on personal injury claims specifically relating to beauty treatment:
- Beauty treatment claims guide
- Hair damage claims guide
- Laser hair removal guide
- Dermal Filler Claims
- Botox Injury Claims
Thank you for reading our guide to laser hair removal burns compensation.
