Important Consumer Information for
Injuries & Burns from Lasers or IPL
Operators of Lasers or IPL devices should be Well-Educated and Well-Trained no matter what Industry Sector you work in—No Excuses!
Protect Yourself & Others by Safe Education and Training of Lasers
Had a bad experience? Take action to prevent it from happening to someone else.
Burns from Lasers or IPL devices can happen in any industry—Beauty, Healthcare, Medical, Tattoo, Optometry or Industry & Manufacturing. If you’ve suffered workplace burns, pigmentation issues, or skin damage after an IPL or laser treatment, you’re not alone. As untrained operators become more common, so do cases of avoidable injuries. Don’t just put up with it—take action and help improve industry standards. Explore your options below to report unsafe treatment providers and prevent future harm.
Beauty, Healthcare, Medical, Tattoo & Optometry Industry
Safe treatments start with proper training—no client should suffer from poor technique or lack of care.
Treatments listed from highest to lowest risk for IPL or Laser burns:
Laser tattoo removal
A burn is an unwanted side effect that can be expected after laser tattoo removal, however, the operator should be doing everything they can to PREVENT this from occurring, burns and then blisters are more likely to occur with QS 532nm laser and or when treating a bony area, or more commonly from accidental overlapping of the laser pulse. Care should be taken to prevent issues from happening. Cooling devices such as a cold air blower and or cold packs are ESSENTIAL for tattoo removal sessions. No tattoo removal system has in-built cooling.
Laser for leg veins
An expert-only treatment. A small burn may occur occasionally with Nd:Yag laser for leg veins, again, something professional operators try to avoid where possible. Treatment without causing burns is more the norm, however, on sensitive parts of the leg, these can happen. Burns/blisters, usually occur when smaller laser spot sizes are used and higher energy is required, or when accidental overlap occurs. Leg vein treatments are very advanced and should never be done using IPL (Intense pulsed light), they should be conducted by experienced experts only, preferably medically qualified, or medical laser technicians (who may not be medically qualified but have medical knowledge)
Laser hair removal
Sadly we see more burns occur with lasers used in hair removal due to lack of training, it is not the laser’s fault. Lasers that emit shorter wavelengths such as 755 Alexandrite laser when used on darker skin types, or those with more olive or tanned skin, are prone to burns. There are also reasons burns occur when a safe laser is used on an appropriate skin type client, this is mostly due to a lack of knowledge of laser science principles. A cooling system should always be used, this might be contact cooling (touches your skin), air cooling, or cold packs. Conducting hair removal of any sort with an IPL or a laser SHOULD always be very low risk for burns and unwanted side effects if the person is well trained.
Laser skin treatments
When used appropriately by a well-trained laser technician, there SHOULD be a very low risk of causing burns to the skin, however, other complications can occur. These might include swelling, infection, prolonged redness, and scarring. Again a cooling system should be used to reduce heat to the upper levels of the skin. Certain lasers tend to attract to water, not the person’s skin colour, and are safer for this reason. However, in untrained hands, issues can and do occur - again, this is due to not being taught well.
IPL skin treatments
These should be considered low risk for burns, however other unwanted side effects can and do occur, these are mostly related to pigmentation, loss, or gain. some of which can be managed and may in fact be considered normal range for the skin condition treated. In well-trained hands, an IPL is safe, however, they can also be more unsafe than a laser if the operator has no idea of their laser science.
Well-educated and well-trained Laser & IPL Technicians do not torture their clients. Safe and effective skin cooling should always be used—No Excuses!
What to do if a burn has occurred
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Let the clinic know that a burn has occurred, in some cases they may be able to advise you that it is normal and expected (unless of course, you consider it to be painful, larger, multiple burns, deep burns, burns where pigmentation is already developing etc..) in which case please go straight to your GP. This should be reported to ACC and treated as a first-aid matter.
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Burns can generally turn infected and then can lead to scarring. Where possible we want to prevent infection by using a simple antiseptic, soothing cream. eg: Bepanthan, pawpaw, or Aloe vera
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Cover and keep moist to encourage wound healing, and keep an eye out for spreading redness, pain, or oozing, if that occurs, seek medical attention.
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We encourage clients who are not happy with the state or service from IPL (pulsed light) or Laser clinics to complain to their local councils. In the case of the regulations and breaches of the Health & Hygiene bylaw 2013, in Auckland, you can go here.
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Cases relating to unprofessional conduct or medical treatments, serious burns, or ocular (eye) damage - please go to the Health & Disability Commissioner (HDC)
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In complaints where a nurse is involved, you can go here.
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Cases relating to the unfair representation of products or services - please go to the Commerce Commission
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If the Laser or IPL operator is a member of the NZ Association of registered beauty professionals you can report them here.
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Speak with Julie Martin to instigate an independent investigation of a person in power through the New Zealand Board of Professional Skin Therapies.
Help for people affected by IPL or Laser burns
All burns are not ideal, however some burns require a higher level of care. These would be burns that are painful, worsening, where skin is lifted, or broken, and where immediate home remedies don’t seem appropriate.
In these cases please seek professional guidance from Healthline on 0800 611 116 for free advice.
Choosing a Qualified Laser & IPL Technician
What to Look for in Training & Certification
Not all laser and IPL training is created equal. Before undergoing treatment, make sure your provider holds practical, hands-on operator training—a laser safety certificate alone is not enough.
Many technicians only complete an online laser safety certificate, which is not an operator qualification. This is comparable to having a warrant of fitness for a car but no driver’s license—it provides general safety knowledge but does not teach treatment techniques, skin assessment, or correct device settings.
At a minimum, an IPL or laser operator should have completed face-to-face practical training in hair removal or skin rejuvenation. Those trained by NZ Laser Training Institute will have met the minimum required standards to safely perform treatments and are encouraged to return for ongoing advanced education. Becoming a skilled laser professional takes anywhere from 120 hours to two years of training.
For peace of mind, ask your provider if they trained at NZLT Institute—this ensures they’ve been educated to industry best practices and understand how to deliver safe, effective treatments.
Industrial, Fabrication & Manufacturing Sector
Class 3B & Class 4 Lasers can cause serious Burns, Loss of Sight and Occupational Asthma—Are your staff Aware of the Dangers?
Industrial Lasers listed from highest to lowest risk:
Class 4 Laser
These are Nd:Yag or CO2 lasers, and can cause serious injuries to skin and eyes - even blindness. A full risk assessment should be carried out by the Health & Safety team of the workplace to determine control measures necessary to ensure safe operation. AS/NZS Laser Safety Standards relevant to your specific workplace state that it is a workplace requirement that safety guards to be in place on Class 4 Lasers. Eg: ‘Duty of care’, ‘Foreseeable injury’, ‘Reasonably practicable’, and the use of the word 'Shall’ instead of ‘should’.
The plume from these lasers is leading to Occupational Asthma to Operators and those within the vicinity of the operational laser.
NZLT Institute recommends that the Health & Safety team at your workplace be involved in the creation and implementation and revising of the workplace's laser safety management programme – interpreting the existing or newly instigated Health & Safety controls as it now relates to use of lasers in the workplace. Workers near or Operators of the Laser should know, wear and put the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) on specific to your workplace.
Class 3B & 3R Laser
This type of laser can cause serious injuries to skin, and long exposure to eyes or blindness. A full risk assessment should be carried out by the Health & Safety team of the workplace to determine control measures necessary to ensure safe operation. AS/NZS Laser Safety Standards relevant to your specific workplace state that it is a workplace requirement that safety guards to be in place on Class 4 Lasers. Eg: ‘Duty of care’, ‘Foreseeable injury’, ‘Reasonably practicable’, and the use of the word 'Shall’ instead of ‘should’.
The plume from these lasers is leading to Occupational Asthma to Operators and those within the vicinity of the operational laser.
NZLT Institute recommends that the Health & Safety team at your workplace be involved in the creation and implementation and revising of the workplace's laser safety management programme – interpreting the existing or newly instigated Health & Safety controls as it now relates to use of lasers in the workplace. Workers near or Operators of the Laser should know, wear and put the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) on specific to your workplace.
Class 2M & 2 Laser
You should not stare at the laser beam this could cause serious injury to the eye. Nor should the laser beam be directed at other people or into areas where other people unconnected with the laser work may be present. Ensure the beam is always terminated at suitable non-specular (i.e. non mirror-like) surface. Prevent direct viewing of the laser source through magnifying lenses, unless these incorporate adequate levels of protection*. Prevent the use of any external optics that could decrease the beam divergence or its diameter.
Class 1M Laser
Prevent direct viewing of the laser source through magnifying viewing instruments, such as binoculars, telescopes, microscopes, optical sights or magnifying lenses, unless these incorporate adequate levels of protection*.
Class 1 Laser
No protective control measures are necessary under conditions of normal operation. (This may not be the case under conditions of maintenance or service.) In the case of embedded laser products containing a laser of higher power, follow instructions given on warning labels and supplied by the manufacturer. Special precautions may be needed for on-site servicing of embedded laser products
* The type of viewing instrument that could be hazardous may be indicated on the warning label or in the user information supplied by the manufacturer.
What to do if an injury or burn has occurred
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Let the LSO know that an injury or burn has occurred, and follow the workplace injury procedure in place.
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Burns can generally turn infected and then can lead to scarring. Where possible we want to prevent infection by using a simple antiseptic, soothing cream. eg: Bepanthan, pawpaw, or Aloe vera
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Cover and keep moist to encourage wound healing, and keep an eye out for spreading redness, pain, or oozing, if that occurs, seek medical attention.
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Advise WorkSafe must be informed immediately of any serious injury or incident caused by the laser
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All workplace accidents should be reported to ACC as they occur.
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All injuries in the workplace should be reported by the Laser Safety Officer to the Health & Safety team, who will lodge the correct paperwork and reports with internal departments, WorkSafe NZ and ACC.
Get in Touch
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