Long gone are the days of laser hair removal being limited to certain skin tones (Fitzpatrick shades 1 through 6), but thanks to smarter technology that can distinguish between your hair colour and skin colour, treatments are now safe for most darker complexions.
As with any cosmetic procedure, it is important to choose a provider with experience treating skin of your type.
Pico Laser
The Pico offers a specific wavelength of light which targets pigmentation in your skin. By shattering its chromophore without heating it up, this laser treatment is safe for all types and colours of skin – including darker complexions like Asian skin.
As it doesn’t use heat, this laser treatment can more gently target dark spots, freckles, acne scars and other hyperpigmentation without risk to your skin, says our dermatologist.
Most patients experience only minimal discomfort during this procedure, however this depends on the area being treated. We offer topical numbing cream as part of your laser toning session to ensure maximum comfort during your laser toning experience – our patients have compared the sensation to receiving Botox but it should pass shortly thereafter and allow you to resume normal activities immediately following.
Fractionated Lasers
A dermatologist can assist in selecting the appropriate laser treatment to address your complexion needs. No matter your skin tone, non-ablative laser therapies should always be preferred to avoid complications like post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
Nd:YAG lasers offer a safe choice, as their wavelength penetrates deep into the skin without relying on melanin to reach it, making it effective at treating hair removal as well as treating melasma, brown spots, and other forms of hyperpigmentation on all skin tones.
To reduce the risk of post inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), it’s also essential that you discontinue all use of retinoids and lightening creams a week prior to any treatment. Doctors may suggest a short course of 4 percent prescription hydroquinone which relaxes pigment-making cells so they won’t trigger additional melasma (Zeichner and colleagues published a study demonstrating this combination effectively improving Fitzpatrick skin types II to III melasma). For stretch marks, Rahman uses a 1540 nanosecond fractional laser, penetrating just below the surface by mimicking small wounding mechanisms in order to produce results.
ND: YAG
Lasers with longer wavelengths tend to be safer for darker skin tones. The diode laser is the optimal choice, since its cooling device helps protect pigment from overheating and becoming damaged during treatment, says our best dermatologist in Mumbai.
ND: YAG laser’s long pulses can easily pass through dark skin surface pigmentation to effectively target hair follicles without harming nearby tissues, making it one of the best hair removal laser treatments for dark skin.
ND: YAG laser can also help fade tattoo ink by targeting melanin, which is then absorbed and removed from the body through absorption by its laser energy. Over 95% of tattoo ink colours can be treated using ND: YAG, including black, grey, and warm shades of red inks.
Nd:YAG can also be used to treat large pores, acne scars, uneven skin texture, fine lines and wrinkles as well as hyperpigmentation in all skin types including those suffering from melasma; although results may take slightly longer for those with darker complexions.
Diode Laser
Diode laser treatment, says our best Dermatologist, is a non-invasive and painless solution for quickly and painlessly eliminating dark spots on your skin. The laser uses light energy to target and destroy colour producing pigmentation (chromophores or blood haemoglobin), before leaving your natural systems to clear away affected tissue, leaving behind radiant, clear skin.
Laser hair removal offers many advantages for any area of the body – underarms, bikini line, legs and back are all eligible. Furthermore, it eliminates ingrown hair by stimulating straight, healthy follicle growth.
Conclusion
Those with darker skin should select an experienced physician when seeking laser treatments, since darker complexions may be more vulnerable to light therapies and their side effects than lighter complexions. Furthermore, laser treatments that use broad spectrum light (IPL and BBL) should also be avoided since these may lead to uneven pigmentation changes as well as permanent changes.
Click here to know more about full body laser hair removal cost.
