A beauty practitioner who had a nightmare laser hair removal treatment said the experience stopped her feeling 'like a woman'.
Sannah Sohail, 31, visited an established laser clinic in 2018 but was left bitterly disappointed by the results.
After eight hair removal treatments, Sannah found that not only was her hair "much longer" but that a cyst had developed beneath her skin.
Sannah, who lives in Liverpool city centre, told the ECHO: "I got a cyst, they offered me to see a doctor who confirmed that it was a cyst.
"They told me I'd need to see a private doctor to remove it and promised me to provide it - the cyst removal was never provided."
Sannah also claims she wasn't offered after care advice to protect her skin effectively after the treatment.
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The beauty practitioner told the ECHO: "They don't warn you how to look after your skin, just [tell you to use] aloe.
"They don't tell you not to wear leggings or underwear, tight clothing can aggravate it.
"Now I'm scared to wear tight clothes in case it brings the cyst back.
"It stops you from feeling like a female - I'm afraid to get too hot in case it brings it back, I don't wear jeans anymore because of it."
The laser treatment didn't work for Sannah, who claims that instead of removing the hair as she expected, the treatment actually left her with even more prominent hairs.
She said: "They deceived me out of £2,200 for eight sessions that made my hair grow thicker.
"You would've thought I had hormonal issues.
"They allow you to think it's your fault, women who come for this treatment are already self-conscious about [their hair growth].
"You worry that you're the problem."
Sannah spoke to other women about their experiences and found that she wasn't alone.
Sannah told the ECHO: "I know people who had the same experience and people who've had burns."
She was so disappointed by her experience that she started doing research into laser hair removal.
After investing in a diode machine, which allows practitioners to carry out hair removal, Sannah launched her own private clinic.
After launching her own clinic, Sannah said she feels more educated on laser treatments and the different approaches required for different skin tones.
She said: "Now that I'm qualified I know that they lied to me. Intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment is a [hair] reduction treatment, not a removal. It's more similar to waxing.
"I have skin type four - they used an IPL laser so I should've been warned that it wouldn't work.
"IPL doesn't cater to skin types four, five and six which are darker shades."
