Why Those With Dark Skin Are Not Ideal For Laser Hair Removal

Unfortunately laser hair removal is not for everyone. Not all people respond the same way to the treatments, and for some, painful side effects may occur. In particular people with darker skin tones are more likely to have difficulty seeing results and may experience reactions that could potentially be permanent.

The reason someone with dark skin should probably avoid laser hair removal is due to the way the treatment works. A small laser is shot into the hair follicle burning and destroying it so it will hopefully stop growing hair. When this works like it's supposed to, there are only very mild side effects such as redness and moderate discomfort during the procedure.

The laser is designed to go after darker pigmentation because in most circumstances the hair is darker than the skin. However, in situations where the patient has a dark skin tone, the laser sometimes can't tell the difference and as a result the skin surrounding the hair follicle can be burnt. When this happens, burning or blistering may occur, which is painful and can lead to permanent scars or discoloring of skin pigmentation.

For this reason those who are considering laser hair removal should seek the advice of a professional before undergoing treatments or performing them at home. There are alternative methods of hair removal that a physician may be able to recommend if they think your skin tone is too dark.

The same is also true for those who have light hair. Anytime there is a low contrast from skin tone to hair color the patient is more at risk for side effects. The ideal characteristics for a laser hair removal patient are light skin with dark, coarse hair follicles. This makes it easy for the laser to differentiate between hair and skin, limiting the chances of burning or scarring.

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