Skin
Since the late 1990s, laser hair removal has been promising the dream of smooth, stubble-free skin—a blissfully razor-free future! And the long-standing hype surrounding the treatment, we’re happy to report, is firmly rooted in reality. The benefits of laser hair removal are time-tested, consistent, and more universal than ever. “It’s a really effective treatment modality for hair reduction,” says board-certified Boston dermatologist Dr. Sandy Tsao—emphasis on the word reduction, as it cannot eliminate every single hair.
While lasers can lessen hair all over the body—case in point: Brazilian laser hair removal is now trending—it’s facial laser hair removal that is (surprisingly?) most popular among women. But wherever you choose to be zapped, achieving lasting hair reduction takes commitment—six to eight treatments, spaced a few weeks apart. “You have to do it once a month for at least a few months, to target the cycle of hair growth,” says Dr. Paul Jarrod Frank, a board-certified dermatologic surgeon in New York City. After a complete round of laser treatments, some maintenance is required (usually annual presummer touch-ups), but between 70% and 90% of hair will be gone.
Innovations in laser hair removal
Given laser hair removal’s well-established track record, these basics may seem sort of ho-hum, especially to someone who’s been enjoying the treatment for decades. Recently, though, we’ve seen groundbreaking advancements in laser hair removal, which are making the procedure more effective and tolerable for its existing fan base while also expanding its benefits to an entirely new group of people.
Laser hair removal technology is, in fact, leaps and bounds ahead of where it was even just a few years back. Some of “the biggest innovations are in versatility, speed, and pain—meaning lack of pain,” says Dr. Frank. “It used to take an hour to treat each leg—and it wouldn’t be comfortable. Now we have technologies that allow us to do a leg in 15 minutes.”
More monumental still, the latest cutting-edge devices, like the Motus AX, allow practitioners to safely treat a truly inclusive range of skin tones—which has helped to mainstream laser hair removal for dark skin.
Due to the physics at play, hair removal lasers of the past would struggle to distinguish between pigment in a hair follicle—i.e. the laser’s target—and the pigment present in melanated skin. See, every laser hair removal device works by seeking out melanin within hair follicles. As the melanin absorbs the laser’s energy, light converts to heat, damaging the follicles and restricting hair growth. But if the laser confuses one source of pigment for another, complications, like burns and scars, can occur—which is why doctors have long been hesitant to perform laser hair removal on dark skin.
While technology has finally evolved to make laser hair removal for brown skin—and, yes, even laser hair removal for Black skin—infinitely safer, what remains off limits to those with darker complexions is intense pulsed light (IPL), which some doctor’s offices and medspas still rely on for “laser” hair removal (even though IPL is technically not a laser). “IPL is a nonspecific way to help get rid of hair,” Dr. Tsao says. That’s because it uses a wider, less targeted wavelength of light than a laser does, which means it’s less precise—and absolutely not safe for people with medium to dark skin.
This warning applies to DIY laser hair removal devices as well, since many of those tools are IPL machines rather than true lasers. Be sure to read the fine print if attempting laser hair removal at home for dark skin.
“In general, IPL is best reserved for patients with fair skin and dark hair,” Dr. Tsao says. Even so, lasers provide more efficient hair reduction with less discomfort.
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Minimizing risks for the best laser hair removal experience
While laser hair removal burns and side effects of laser hair removal, like skin lightening and darkening, are always possible—and dark skin types are most prone—you can minimize these risks by seeing an experienced, licensed medical professional and speaking up at the first hint of discomfort. “If it hurts a lot during the procedure, you’re in the wrong place, [you’re] getting the wrong laser, and you’re at risk for complications,” Dr. Frank says.
When it comes to choosing a provider for laser hair removal, your options will vary, depending on where you live. In some states, like California, only doctors, registered nurses, and physician associates can administer laser hair removal treatments. In others, like New York, regulations are less strict (though there is a bill currently in the assembly committee that aims to strengthen laws around who can perform these services). “An aesthetician can legally perform laser hair removal in New York state—it’s the only laser that an aesthetician can legally use,” Dr. Frank says. But without medical training, he notes, laser hair removal risks skyrocket—and aestheticians may not be prepared to handle serious complications, such as second-degree laser hair removal burns. “Of the laser complications I see in my office, at least half of them are hair removal cases administered by aestheticians.”
To curtail laser hair removal risks, those with deep skin tones should seek a highly trained expert who fully understands the nuances of lasering skin of color and has the right tools for the job. A provider with multiple treatment options can offer access to safer, more effective, less painful devices.
Related: One Woman’s Experience With Laser Hair Removal Left Her Scarred—Here’s How to Keep It From Happening to You
Picking the best hair removal laser for your skin and hair color
Which brings us to the million-dollar question: What is the best laser hair removal device? The answer is hardly straightforward, as different lasers cater to different skin colors. Some, like the diode, have shorter wavelengths that work well for fair skin. Those with longer wavelengths, like the Nd:YAG laser (aka YAG), penetrate deeper, bypassing the melanin-dense surface, making them safer for laser hair removal on dark skin.
Of course, as a patient, you don’t need to speak laser—but your provider should be fluent. Dermatologists classify skin color using the Fitzpatrick scale (type I is the fairest; type VI, the darkest), and use this schema to choose the safest and most effective course of treatment.
Here, your guide to the best laser for hair removal on every skin tone.
Laser hair removal for fair skin
For Caucasians and certain Asians: alexandrite or diode lasers
Those with fair skin and dark hair are ideal candidates for laser hair removal, due to the inherently contrasting tones. “There is very little competing pigment in the form of epidermal pigmentation,” says Dr. Tsao. “The more pigment that’s present in the hair follicle, the more effective the actual hair removal treatment will be.” Within six to eight treatments, 90% hair removal is possible, she says, with a low risk of side effects.
Caucasians and some northern Asians fall under the fair-skin umbrella; they’re classified as Fitzpatrick types I and II. Alexandrite laser hair removal devices are particularly effective and can lead to faster results for this group, says Dr. Nazanin Saedi, a board-certified dermatologic surgeon in Philadelphia who favors the Motus AX or GentleLase (both alexandrites). Diode lasers, such as LightSheer, are also good choices for fair folks.
Bear in mind, these pro recommendations and safety assurances hold only when fair skin is truly fair. “Don’t undergo treatment with an active tan—that increases your risk of potential side effects,” says Dr. Tsao. If you slip up and get sun-kissed, let your tan fade for at least a few months before booking laser hair removal appointments.
While laser hair removal for fair skin and light hair—gray, white, blonde, or red—remains a challenge due to the lack of follicular melanin, hope is on the horizon. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently reviewing a topical pre-laser treatment from Sienna Biopharmaceuticals—a solution laced with energy-absorbing silver particles—that would render light hair “visible” to the laser, but no word on how long the regulatory process may take. In the meantime, consider electrolysis vs. laser hair removal.
Laser hair removal for brown skin
For light- to medium-brown skin: alexandrite, diode, or Nd:YAG lasers
Brown skin needs extra attention to ensure efficacy and safety. “With someone who generally tans but is on the fairer side—a Fitzpatrick type III—we could potentially use an alexandrite or diode, but I’d select lower settings and longer pulse durations, to be safer,” explains Dr. Tsao.
“With skin types III and IV, laser hair removal can get a little tricky,” adds Dr. Saedi. Choosing a lower fluence—meaning the energy of the laser pulse—minimizes the risk of complications. But among some ethnicities, particularly those of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern descent, doing so has up to a 10% chance of actually stimulating hair growth instead of destroying the follicle. Doctors aren’t entirely sure why this happens, “but if it does, this doesn’t mean that a person isn’t a candidate for laser hair removal,” says Dr. Saedi. “It just means that you have to use higher fluences with a safe device so you destroy the stem cells instead of stimulating them.”
For those with medium-brown skin (type IV), the deep-reaching Nd:YAG laser is an appropriate choice, according to Dr. Tsao, because “it’s the laser that absorbs the least melanin,” curbing the risk of burns.
For dark-brown and Black skin: Nd:YAG or Motus AX
While today’s lasers are decidedly more inclusive than their predecessors, folks with the darkest of skin (types V and VI) still face “a very significant risk of side effects,” warns Dr. Tsao. She reiterates the importance of seeing a laser-trained dermatologist who has multiple devices, extensive experience performing laser hair removal on Black skin, and a willingness to try a test site on the body. Even then, she says, proceed with caution.
The Nd:YAG is very suitable for Fitzpatrick types V and VI because “it goes deeper into the skin, protecting the epidermal [surface-level] melanin more,” Dr. Saedi says. Plus certain Nd:YAG lasers can provide bonus benefits beyond hair reduction alone, further boosting the appeal of YAG laser hair removal for dark skin.
In 2019, Dr. Saedi copublished an article in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology that described impressive results with the Aerolase LightPod Neo, an Nd:YAG device typically used for photorejuvenation. “With the low-level light at a wavelength that is safe to use on dark skin, it calms down inflammation, stimulates collagen, and treats acne scars,” says Dr. Saedi. Dr. Frank has also found the Neo effective for African American patients. “As we remove the hair, it cosmetically removes all the dark stains people have from shaving and ingrowns,” he says.
Alexandrite laser hair removal, it’s worth noting, is typically a poor choice for patients with dark skin—with the exception of the aforementioned Motus AX, which “slowly delivers laser heat so that there is no burn related to skin color or hair,” Dr. Frank says. The handpiece has a sapphire tip that cools on contact, directing more energy to the hair instead of the skin. Doctors have been pleasantly surprised by its safety and efficacy when performing laser hair removal on dark skin. “Using an alexandrite on a type VI was the most terrifying thing,” Dr. Saedi says of her initial experience using the Motus AX on dark-skinned patients. “But I did test spots, and everything was fine.”
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What to do before and after a laser hair removal appointment
In advance of your first session, abstain from waxing, threading, or plucking for a month; it’s important to have the hair bulb at the base of the follicle intact so the laser can target its melanin. The day before your appointment, shave. “You don’t want to have hair on the skin’s surface,” Dr. Saedi says. The day of, avoid using oils or lotions on the area to be treated, she adds. “Anything on the skin surface can affect the laser optic, so you want as clean a surface as possible.”
After your session, treated skin may look red, but there’s no real downtime. And post-treatment care is easy: Avoid sun exposure for a week and use gentle products (no retinols or acids), to avoid irritation. Typically within a week, hair will begin to fall out—and with just a few more rounds, you’ll be practically hairless for the foreseeable future.
The cost of laser hair removal
Laser hair removal costslaser offerings
Beware of online deals that promise significantly lower prices, because bargains often signal questionable equipment. “You can find laser hair removal online for very, very cheap,” Dr. Frank says. “But if you’re going to get your whole body done for $1,000, are you going to [be treated with] a used laser with 10-year-old technology? Those lasers may be half the price of [those at] a doctor’s office, but you’ll need twice the [number of] treatments because the technology is much weaker.”
With Groupon offers, it’s highly unlikely that a provider offers state-of-the-art devices—which is a red flag, especially for people seeking the best laser hair removal for dark skin. “An [older] laser might work great on your average Caucasian, but it won’t be right for someone with dark skin,” Dr. Frank notes.
