A woman claimed a laser hair removal treatment which went wrong left her face and neck 'looking like a chessboard'.

Thobe Moyo, 38, experienced this ordeal after booking her annual appointment. Thobe, who suffers from excess hair growth due to polycystic ovaries syndrome (PCOS), decided to undergo the hair removal treatment in September 2023.

Having previously undergone it eight times, she thought she knew ''what to expect'' from the session. However, she claimed she was assigned a trainee and the treatment to the left side of her neck quickly became painful, with her feeling an ''intense and unfamiliar burning sensation''.

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After the procedure, Thobe was shown her skin in a mirror which revealed dark squares covering her neck and jawline. She believes the burns occurred when the trainee "forgot to switch on the cooling mechanism built into the laser". Despite questioning the treatment, Thobe says she was still required to pay £13 for the hair removal.

Thobe, a consultant hailing from Cape Town, South Africa, said: "My neck is burnt to a crisp. I've got dark rectangles along my whole neck. I'm so anxious to leave the house. I just wanted to treat my symptoms but now I wish I never went."

The University of Cape Town graduate started to grow facial hair when she hit puberty at the age of 18. She was diagnosed with PCOS - a condition which causes irregular periods and excess hair growth. She shared: "I hated shaving my face. I had to shave once a day before I found out about this other treatment. I was a young woman that needed razors for my face. I looked for anything that could help."

After finishing uni, she stumbled upon laser hair removal when a mate suggested it might ease her symptoms. She was chuffed with the results of her first treatment and finally ditched her daily shaving routine. Thobe added: "The first few times I had the treatment, the appointment was smooth and fairly cheap. All prices have differed, but it's worth it. My facial hair wouldn't grow back for months. There was a slight burn, but it cools down fairly fast."

In September 2023, Thobe decided to try a different salon after spotting some ''glowing'' reviews online. She booked in for a lower face hair laser hair removal session for just £13.

Upon arrival, she was told her skin might be a bit red after the procedure and she'd need a cold compress. Thobe recalled: "Everything seemed normal. They took my information and explained it all to me. But within minutes I noticed a zapping feeling and felt like my skin was being burnt. I didn't want to complain as I assumed they'd know what they were doing, although I did raise my concerns with it feeling very intense. They said it was normal and fiddled with the laser machine, thankfully after that it wasn't as painful.''

Thobe was horrified to see a pattern of dark rectangles all over her skin after looking in the mirror. She added: "I was in complete shock, I knew it wasn't normal, my skin had been burned."

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Despite her skin still being badly marked a month later, salon staff reassured her a cold compress and some aftercare would be enough. Thobe, an avid swimmer, hasn't been able to get into a pool in weeks and avoided meeting up with friends.

After complaining, she received a formal apology and a pot of aloe vera for the burns from the salon. She said: "I've been to over 10 appointments for my hair removal. I've never been left burned or scarred."

Thobe said: "An apology and a pot of aloe vera does not take away the damage they've caused. People are asking what is wrong with my face. I've had to cover my face with scarves. It's been so difficult to sleep and live my life."

* This article was crafted with the help of an AI tool, which speeds up Daily Star's editorial research. An editor reviewed this content before it was published. You can report any errors to starletters@dailystar.co.uk