What is the recommended approach for treating hair in patients with a history of herpes simplex labialis?

• A. Treat the lip line aggressively without prophylaxis.
• B. Avoid antiviral medications and proceed as usual.
• C. Restrict treatment to non-lip areas only.
• D. Consider antiviral prophylaxis and avoid lip-line irritation; discuss risk with patient and plan accordingly.

Answer: (D)

Herpes simplex labialis can reactivate when facial skin is treated with laser due to physical irritation and inflammation from the procedure. The best approach is to acknowledge this risk, discuss it with the patient, and plan accordingly. Antiviral prophylaxis started around the time of treatment and continued for a short period afterward helps suppress viral replication and lowers the chance of an outbreak. In addition, minimize irritation of the lip line during the procedure, and consider treating non-lip areas or avoiding the lip line if protection is not sufficient. If there is an active outbreak, postpone lip-line treatment and manage with antiviral therapy and patient counseling. This combined plan protects the patient while enabling effective hair removal.