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Can I Have Laser Hair Removal While Using Retin-A?

The answer is no, you should stop this medication 2 weeks before any laser hair removal treatment, regardless of the area being treated.  Retin-A, Avita and Renova are brand names for the generic drug Tretinoin.  These medications are used to treat severe acne and used to rebuild sun-damaged skin from years of tanning, reduce or eliminate liver spots, wrinkles, brown or gray growths and even precancerous lesions.

Side effects that may occur if this medication is not stopped prior to your laser treatment may include burning of the skin, hyper-pigmentation (darkening of the skin) and hypo-pigmentation (lightening of the skin).

Note:  Although it is not known if this medication shows up in breast milk, use caution and check with your doctor before using.

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