New Laser Hair Removal For Dark Skin

New Laser Hair Removal Treatments:  Hair Removal on Dark Skin

There are plenty of myths regarding some of the new laser hair removal treatments, one of which is that the treatments are ineffective on dark skin and that in certain cases they can cause burning and blistering of the skin.  This is not necessarily true, but there are still some concerns for people with darker skin that have yet to be resolved.  While it is true that some of the new laser hair removal treatments work just fine on dark skin, some people are simply not good candidates for the procedure when certain lasers are being used.  To explore this issue a little further, here we will provide some detailed information about the new laser hair removal procedures for darker skin tones, and provide a chart to show you the types of lasers that are appropriate in each case.

New Laser Hair Removal and Darker Skin

The new laser hair removal treatments involve a laser that targets the melanin in hair—the substance that gives hair its color.  In most cases, lasers are effective because of the skin’s ability to absorb light when the laser is applied, but when skin is too dark, as it is with many Africans, the skin tends to absorb more melanin than average, which increases the odds for burning or blistering of the skin.  This fact, unfortunately, has been the impetus of many horror stories and myths regarding new laser hair removal for darker skin.

The simple truth is that even with the new laser hair removal technology, the results when working with dark skin still vary greatly.  Skin tone and the type of laser used seems to be the reason for this, because only certain types of lasers have been approved for use on darker skin.

If you are a person with dark skin and considering undergoing one of the new laser hair removal procedures, it is crucial that you do your homework to ensure the treating doctor is qualified and that the appropriate type of laser is available for your treatment.  This may involve consultations with many different doctors and clinics, but ultimately it is worth the time and effort, as it could help you avoid a procedure that is either ineffective or painful—or both.

New Laser Hair Removal:  Types of Lasers and Skin Tones

The following is an abbreviated list of the types of lasers typically used in many of the new laser hair removal procedures, along with the type of skin on which each laser is usually effective:

• Ruby Laser. This is the original type of laser used for hair removal procedures and is approved only for light to olive skin.
• Alexandrite. This laser is approved for all skin types, but because of its rapid pulsing action it is most effective on patients with light-colored skin.
• Diode. The Diode laser is approved for dark skin, but it may take up to 10 sessions to be effective depending on the area being treated.
• Nd: Yag.  Experts consider the Nd: Yag the safest and most effective type of laser for dark skin, requiring far fewer treatments than the Diode laser.

New laser hair removal is indeed approved for dark skin, but due to the risk involved with some of the early lasers it is very important that you ask the right questions and do your homework prior to agreeing to treatment.