Laser treatments is growing in popularity the world over, with many women ditching their waxing appointments just for this easier, less painful and much more permanent option. When laser hair removal first came on top of the scene, the perfect patient had fair skin and dark hair, so that the machine could easily recognise along with contrast and target just the pigment inside the hair. This meant in the beginning, patients with dark or black skin were warned how the treatment couldn’t survive as effective to them. But with advancements in technology, laser hair removal is now a good and efficient selection for all skin tones. Here we’ll explain everything you should be familiar with laser hair removal for dark skin.
Skin tones Explained
Firstly, let’s take a look at your skin type. A typical way of determining your type of skin is to apply the Fitzpatrick scale, which discusses your epidermis tone’s reply to UV light. Before technologies were introduced, skin tones 4-6 were at risk of damage, or not achieving their desired hair loss. These skin tones usually fit in with people of Latin, Mediterranean, Indian or African backgrounds.
The Fitzpatrick Skin-Typing Scale
Skin Type Skin Colour A reaction to Sun
1 Very white or freckled Always burns/never tans
2 White Usually burns/sometimes tans
3 White to olive Sometimes burns/always tans
4 Brown Rarely burns
5 Brown leafy Very rarely burns/moderately pigmented
6 Black Highly pigmented
Could it be Safe for Dark Skin?
The reason skin tones 1-3 were the most effective candidates for laser hair removal for dark skin could be because of the contrast between their hair and skin colour. Since darker the head of hair, greater light it will absorb, fair skinned patients might be treated at the higher intensity with no risk that their skin would absorb some of this light. Lasers couldn’t decipher between your pigment in hair and also the pigment in skin, so patients with skin tones 4-6 were previously susceptible to burns, hyper-pigmentation or other damage. However, laser hair removal is now a highly effective selection for all skin tones, thanks to new technology and therapists which were trained properly to help remedy dark and black skin.
What Laser is the most suitable?
Lasers with long wavelengths are best to help remedy dark skin, because the laser can bypass the darker epidermis and penetrate deeper to the skin where hair roots reside. This significantly reduces the risk of damage to the skin (outside of the skin). At Simply Laser, we use the ND YAG machine, that is created specifically to help remedy dark skin. However, if you’re still concerned your skin will not react well to laser hair removal, your therapist can conduct an area test over a small part of your epidermis to ensure you’re happy with the effect.
How Many Treatments are Needed?
As the number of treatments required is different from patient to patient, you will need 6-10 treatments every 6 weeks for hair on the body, every four weeks for hair on your face. Unwanted facial hair may be hormonal, which is the reason you will need more frequent treatments on this area.
It’s worth noting though, that laser hair removal can improve or even eliminate most of the skin problems that dark skinned women face using traditional hair removal methods like shaving, waxing or plucking. Quite a few patients have seen a decrease in folliculitis (skin condition that creates bumps, ingrown hairs, papules and pustules from hair removal) thanks to regular laser hair removal treatments.
Still need Questions?
Should you still need any queries or concerns about laser hair removal for dark or black skin, go ahead and get in touch with us. Either Leona or one of our trained beauty specialists is often more than happy to offer you information specific in your hair and skin type. Simply Laser is dedicated to offering the latest and very best of laser treatments to the customers, to help you rest assured that you’re in good hands with Leona and also the team.
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