Are there side effects when using Philips Lumea?

Known common side effects of Lumea are:

Pain/uncomfortable sensation – Local pain or discomfort on the treated area during or after treatment. If your treatment feels painful/uncomfortable, reduce the light intensity setting or stop using Lumea. Pain or discomfort after treatment can last up to 1 week.

Itching sensation – Perceived itching in the treated area. These reactions typically resolve within hours but can last up to 1 week. You can cool the area with a cold pack.

Warm/burning sensation – Local warm or burning feeling on the treated area. These reactions typically resolve within hours but can last up to 1 week. You can cool the area with a cold pack.

Skin redness (erythema) – Redness without a clear edge in the treated area. This reaction typically resolves within hours but can last up to 1 day. You can cool the area with a cold pack. Skin redness lasting longer than 1 day is an uncommon side effect of IPL and a sign of a skin burn. Wait to perform the next treatment until the skin has healed completely. Make sure you use a lower light intensity for next treatments.

Known uncommon side effects of Lumea are:

Swelling (oedema) – Swelling around hair follicles appears as bumps in the treated area, sometimes accompanied by redness. This reaction typically resolves within hours but can last up to 1 week. You can cool the area with a cold pack.

Skin dryness - Skin appears rough and flaky in the treatment area. This reaction typically lasts between 1 day and 1 month. You can apply a non-scented moisturiser to the treated area.

Burns and blisters - Extensive skin redness, swelling and possibly blisters, accompanied by pain. These reactions can last between 1 day and 1 month and may require medical treatment or medication. We advise you to consult a doctor. Wait to perform the next treatment until the skin has healed completely. Make sure you use a lower light intensity for next treatments.

Superficial crust - A sharply defined brownish and crusty area that can occur on darker skin tones. These reactions can last between 1 day and 1 month and may require medical treatment or medication. We advise you to consult a doctor. Wait to perform the next treatment until the skin has healed completely. Make sure you use a lower light intensity for next treatments.

Folliculitis - Swelling and redness around hair follicles, accompanied by itching and/or pustule formation. Folliculitis may require medical treatment or medication. We advise you to consult a doctor. Folliculitis may last several days up to several weeks. Wait to perform the next treatment until the skin has healed completely.

Make sure you use a clean razor blade when shaving before treatment.

Pigmentary changes/skin discolouration - Skin of the treated area appears darker or lighter than the surrounding skin. This reaction typically lasts several weeks and, in rare cases, up to a year. Do not treat areas with pigmentary changes/skin discolourations until your skin has regained its normal skin tone. Make sure you use a lower light intensity for next treatments.

Skin infection - Appears as inflamed skin. This is a secondary effect which may occur after a skin burn or other injuries. Skin infection requires medical treatment or medication. We advise you to consult your doctor. Do not treat over skin infections.

Scarring - A scar may occur as a secondary effect after a burn or skin infection. It is important to consult your doctor if you have a burn or folliculitis to prevent formation of a scar. Do not treat over scar tissue.

Herpes outbreak - Small blisters or open sores, typically near the lip or genitals, experienced by

users infected with Herpes Simplex virus. An outbreak typically lasts for several days to weeks and can be shortened by taking anti-viral medications prescribed by your doctor.

Headache and after images — Sensitive persons may experience headache or after-images when the light flash reaches the eye. These reactions typically last between minutes to several hours.

To prevent them, make sure you use Lumea in a well-lit room and press the device firmly onto your skin before flashing.

Increased hair growth - Hair removal by Intense Pulsed Light can cause increased hair growth in some individuals. Body areas at risk include women’s jawline, neck and areas above the cheekbone and men’s upper back and shoulders. Based upon current data, the highest risk groups for this response are females of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and South Asian heritage.

If you have more questions about side effects of Lumea, please contact us for further support.