Woman is left with painful chess board burn on her neck after laser hair removal – and claims salon still made her pay and sent her a pot of aloe vera when she complained

A woman says laser hair removal left her with painful ‘checkerboard’ burns on her face and neck.

Thobe Moyo, 38, from Cape Town, suffered the burns after booking her annual appointment to tackle excessive hair growth due to polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

She decided to have the hair removal treatment in September 2023 and had previously undergone it eight times so thought she knew ‘what to expect’ from the session.

But she claims she was given an intern and the treatment on the left side of her neck quickly became painful and she felt an ‘intense and unfamiliar burning sensation’.

Thobe Moyo, 38, from Cape Town, South Africa, says laser hair removal left her with painful ‘checkerboard’ burns on her face and neck

Afterwards, Thobe was shown her skin in a mirror which revealed dark squares covering her neck and jawline.

She believes the burns occurred when the intern “forgot to turn on the laser’s cooling mechanism.”

One important aspect of laser hair removal treatments that practitioners may overlook is skin cooling.

If the skin is not cooled, hair removal lasers can be responsible for discomfort, burning sensations and even pain.

Despite her doubts about the treatment, Thobe said she still had to pay £13 for the hair removal.

Thobe, a consultant, said: ‘My neck is burned. I have dark rectangles all along my neck.

‘I really want to leave the house. I just wanted to treat my symptoms, but now I wish I had never gone there.’

Afterwards, Thobe was shown her skin in a mirror which revealed dark squares covering her neck and jawline

When she looked in the mirror afterwards, Thobe was shocked to see a pattern of dark rectangles all over her skin

Thobe, a graduate of the University of Cape Town, started growing facial hair when she entered puberty at the age of 18.

She was diagnosed with PCOS, a condition that causes irregular periods and excessive hair growth.

Thobe said: ‘I hated shaving my face. I had to shave once a day before I heard about this other treatment.

‘I was a young woman who needed razors for my face. I looked for anything that could help.’

She discovered laser hair removal after graduating from college, when a friend recommended it to help reduce her symptoms.

She was happy with the results of her first treatment and was able to stop shaving every morning.

Thobe said: ‘The first few times I had the treatment the appointment was smooth and fairly cheap.

‘All prices are different, but it’s worth it. My facial hair wouldn’t grow back for months.

“There was a slight burn, but it’s cooling down pretty quickly.”

In September 2023, Thobe tried another salon after reading ‘glowing’ reviews online.

She booked laser hair removal on her lower face for £13.

Thobe – a graduate of the University of Cape Town – started growing facial hair when she entered puberty at the age of 18

She believes the burns occurred when the intern “forgot to turn on the cooling mechanism built into the laser”

Upon arrival, she reported that her skin would be slightly red after the procedure and that a cold compress would be required.

Thobe said: ‘Everything seemed normal. They took my details and explained everything to me.

”But within minutes I noticed a zapping sensation and my skin felt like it was burning.

‘I didn’t want to complain because I assumed they knew what they were doing.

‘Although I did express my concerns because it felt very intense.

“They said it was normal and messed around with the laser machine, but luckily it wasn’t that painful after that.”

But afterwards, when she looked in the mirror, Thobe was shocked to see a pattern of dark rectangles all over her skin.

When she was 18 years old, she was diagnosed with PCOS – a condition that causes irregular periods and excessive hair growth

A month later, her skin is still poorly marked, although the dark rectangles are “slowly scabbing.”

She said: ‘I was in complete shock. I knew it wasn’t normal, my skin was burned.

‘They brushed it off and asked when I would book my next appointment.’

The salon staff assured her that all that was needed was a cold compress and some aftercare.

A month later, her skin is still very scarred, although the dark rectangles are “slowly scabbed over.”

As an avid swimmer, she hasn’t been able to get into a pool for weeks and didn’t feel like meeting her friends.

After she complained, Thobe said she received a formal apology and a jar of aloe vera for the burns.

She said: ‘I have been to more than ten appointments for my hair removal. I have never been burned or scarred.

“An apology and a jar of aloe vera won’t take away the damage they’ve done.

‘People ask what’s wrong with my face. I had to cover my face with scarves.

“It was so hard to sleep and live my life.”