Lasers were first used for dermatology in the late 1960’s. Epilation by laser was performed experimentally for about twenty years before becoming commercially available in the mid 1990s. Hair removal lasers have been in use since 1997 and the Food and Drug Administration approved it for “permanent hair reduction.”

Laser hair removal is one of several light-based methods for removing hair. The efficacy of laser hair removal is now generally accepted in the dermatology community, and laser hair removal is widely practiced. Many reviews of laser hair removal methods, safety, and efficacy have been published in the dermatology literature.

How does laser hair removal work?

Lasers stop growth of hair from its roots by selectively targeting and heating dark target matter – melanin – in the area that causes hair growth – the follicle – while not damaging the rest of the skin. Light is absorbed by dark objects, so laser energy can be absorbed by dark material in the skin. Melanin occurs naturally in the skin: it gives skin and hair its color. There are two types of melanin in hair: eumelanin (which gives hair brown or black color) and pheomelanin (which gives hair blonde or red color).

Since lasers used for hair removal are designed to target the melanin in the hair, laser hair removal is usually most effective on people with light skin/dark hair combination. Melanin is what gives our hair and skin its color, so the darker it is, the more melanin you have.

To accommodate all skin types, additional laser technology had to be developed.

Today, there are several basic kinds of lasers that are commonly used for removing unwanted hair:

* Ruby Laser
* Alexandrite Laser
* Diode Laser
* Intense Pulsed Light Source
* ND:Yag Laser

Some technologies are more painful than others and some have more long-term effects than their counterparts. Ruby and Alexandrite lasers work best on people with light skin; the Diode laser can sometimes be effective on darker skinned people and the Nd:Yag works well on people with all complexions.

The newcomer to the laser market, the TRIA laser, is the first and only FDA cleared at-home laser for hair removal that enables users to achieve permanent laser hair removal in the privacy of their own home — eliminating the need to ever shave or wax again. TRIA laser was developed by the team of scientists that invented the professional technology in the 1993 . It uses that same laser technology to deliver the same permanent results as those professional devices, which are still considered the gold-standard among dermatologists and plastic surgeons.

Regardless of the type of laser used multiple treatments are necessary to achieve satisfactory results. Hair clearance, after repeated treatments, of 30 to 50% is generally reported 6 months after the last treatment. Patients with dark colored skin can be treated effectively with comparable results to those with lighter colored skin. Although there is no obvious advantage of one laser system over another in terms of treatment outcome (except the Nd:YAG laser, which is found to be less efficacious, but more suited to patients with darker colored skin), laser parameters may be important when choosing the ideal laser for a patient.

Is laser hair removal safe?

This procedure has been around for so long is that it has undergone a great deal of progress from where it first started out. As a result, you no longer have to be concerned about its safety. However if your complexion is dark, one of the possible laser hair removal side effects can be some scarring. That is why it is recommended having the doctor do a “test patch” in an area that can’t be seen and then determining if your skin reacts well.

If you’re considering laser hair removal, be an educated consumer and learn the facts. Ask what kind of technology will be used and whether it is appropriate for your skin type.

Read more on my Laser Hair Removal: cost & facts blog. Also read about Laser Hair Removal Price, Laser Hair Removal For Bikini Line, and other methods of hair removal, such as waxing hair removal.

Generally, laser hair removal treatments work best on fair skinned people with dark hair, so if you have blond hair or dark skin, you may not be a good candidate. People who have very light colored skin and those with very dark colored skin are often not qualified for this type of treatment.

In recent years, however, new lasers have been developed to work with other skin and hair combination. They are now able to target dark black hair in patients with dark skin or light hair (blond or gray) in patients with dark skin. Some studies indicated that patients with tanned or dark skin can now achieve hair reduction equal to fair skinned patients without undesirable side effects.

You have to understand that different lasers have been developed for different skin and hair combinations, so you’ll need to find a clinic with laser that works best for your skin type and hair color. Because everyone’s skin is different so go for a consultation and have a test patch done.

Once you find the right clinic, your results will depend on:

• Your hair type and skin type
• How many sessions you have. Usually a complete treatment is 3-4 sessions, but you may need 5 or more with darker skin tones or light hair.
• Your willingness to accept the fact that you may only achieve a 50% reduction in hair
• The clinic investments in technology and new lasers.
• The laser professional skill in working with laser technology. An experienced professional can make a difference when working with more difficult skin tones.

In special situations when laser hair removal is not recommended (because of certain medical conditions, for example, lupus or diabetes), you may be referred to an electrolysis practice or, if that’s not an option either, there are also some effective temporary hair removal treatments that you can do yourself at home.

Read more on my Laser Hair Removal blog. Also read about Laser Hair Removal Price, Laser Hair Removal For Bikini Line, and other methods of hair removal, such as waxing hair removal.