This isn't a hypothetical.
Laser and IPL:
A woman in New York was held down during a Brazilian laser session while she "moved and contorted her body to avoid the extreme heat," leaving her with second-degree burns described in court documents as "disfiguring." A 38-year-old with PCOS was left with burns resembling a chessboard across her face and neck after a trainee forgot to activate the cooling mechanism. The salon handed her a pot of aloe vera. An IPL user described her experience:
"My skin was on fire. The treated areas were bright red, then turned into painful blisters. Over the next few days, those blisters darkened into deep burns. I was left with scars, both physical and emotional." Her technician's response when she flagged the pain mid-treatment: "That just means it's working."
Depilatory creams:
The active ingredients in products like Nair and Veet are calcium and potassium hydroxide, the same chemical family as drain cleaner, at a lower concentration. Healthline notes that chemical burns are possible even when used exactly as directed. Reality TV personality Brandi Glanville applied Nair to her face and described the result as "I'm on fire", her face visibly red, raw, and burned, with commenters urging an emergency room visit.
Waxing:
Product reviews document skin ripping and bleeding during bikini wax applications. Second-degree burns from overheated wax are documented across multiple platforms. One medical case report described burns in the genital and perineal areas severe enough to cause scar formation that "affected the physical and psychological health of the patient."
In the 2014 clinical study comparing Cyperus Rotundus oil to Alexandrite laser treatment across 60 women over six months:
Zero side effects were reported.
Not fewer side effects. Not milder side effects. Zero.