Laser Hair Removal for Different Skin Types: Tailoring the Treatment to Your Needs

The sight of undesirable or excessive facial or body hair can be unsettling for both men and women. Thankfully, there are many hair removal options available among which laser hair removal is medically proven to be the safest, effective, and permanent. Best Laser hair removal in Hyderabad at Neya Dermatology & Aesthetics uses intense light pulses to target unwanted hair follicles. However, the results of laser hair removal vary for every individual. That’s because the effectiveness of laser hair removal depends upon several factors including skin type and ethnicity.    

This blog by Dr. Ravali Yalamanchili, an expert dermatologist in Hyderabad at Neya Dermatology & Aesthetics, provides the information you would need, to know the impact of lasers on all types of skin, so that you can confirm if laser hair removal is the right option for you.

Understanding the mechanism of Laser Hair Removal

In laser hair reduction treatment in Hyderabad at Neya Dermatology & Aesthetics, the undesirable hair follicles are targeted with pulses of concentrated light beam.

Neya Dermatology & Aesthetics, is the best laser clinic in Hyderabad and it uses the most advanced lasers to deliver safe results.

The light energy coming from the laser gets soaked into the melanin pigment in the hair. This light energy when passed through the skin to reach melanin gets converted into thermal energy that damages the targeted hair follicles and slows down further hair growth.

However, at the time of laser hair removal treatment, every hair follicle in the targeted area may not be at the same stage of the normal hair growth cycle. For the undesirable hair to get thermally destroyed and fall out, being in an active growth phase is important. This means, optimal or permanent hair reduction is possible with lasers only if multiple laser treatments are performed.

Laser hair removal is not a one-size-fits-all treatment. For effective laser hair removal in different skin types, additional laser settings and tailored treatment plans may be needed. By understanding the basic working of laser hair removal, it’s easier to customise the treatment for different skin types.

About Different Skin Types

As per skin specialist in Hyderabad, Dr. Ravali Yalamanchili, ‘There are six different skin types based on the Fitzpatrick Skin type classification. These skin types are categorised based on the skin’s response to sun exposure and the skin’s tendency to tan as well as genetic predisposition’.

• Type 1- It is the palest skin that can easily burn with sun exposure and never tanning.
• Type 2- It is light-coloured skin, slightly darker than fair complexion. It usually gets sunburnt and can minimally tan.
• Type 3- It is olive or golden-coloured skin that can sometimes get mildly sunburnt and can uniformly tan.
• Type 4- It is a moderate brown complexion. This skin type can burn minimally and always tan.
• Type 5- It is the skin that can rarely burn but profusely tan to appear dark. 
• Type 6- It is the darkest skin that can easily tan but rarely burns with sun exposure. The skin is most resistant to sun exposure. 

Understanding these 6 skin types is essential in determining the best approach for laser hair removal. If the skin is very dark, the laser may mistakenly target the melanin of the skin instead of the hair and potentially result in skin burns or hyperpigmentation. That’s why people having skin type 1-2 would need different lasers than those having skin type 5-6 to avoid side effects.
 
Furthermore, if there is a good understanding of different skin types, the skin professional and laser doctors in Hyderabad at Neya Dermatology & Aesthetics know what laser settings and treatment plans would work for specific skin types. People having dark skin may require multiple treatments with lasers at low-energy settings to achieve the same results as seen in people with fair skin. Whereas light-complexioned people may require fewer treatments with lasers at high-energy settings to effectively and safely target unwanted hair follicles. 
 

Laser Hair Removal for Different Skin Types

Based on the identified skin type, here are possible effects that one can expect from laser hair removal.

•  Type 1 or 2 (Fair skin): For people having fair skin type, the laser hair removal results are most effective and possibly seen in fewer sessions. That’s because fair-skinned people usually have dark, coarse hair. Such contrast in hair and skin colour is necessary for the lasers to act on the melanin in the hair follicles instead of damaging the surrounding skin.
   
• Type 3 and 4 (Olive/brown skin): Individuals having such skin types achieve mediocre results from laser hair removal treatment. Such individuals would need specialised laser devices that could easily distinguish the melanin in the hair from the melanin present in the skin surrounding the hair follicles. Moreover, the skin professional practising laser hair removal must take specific precautions to minimise the serious impacts of the lasers. 
   
• Type 5 and 6 (Dark skin): Laser hair removal for people having dark skin might not be very effective due to high melanin deposition in the skin. To get the best results and ensure the safety of laser hair removal treatment, a skin professional with excellent expertise and the use of a sophisticated laser device with an in-built cooling mechanism is required for the treatment of patients having dark skin.
  If traditional laser technology is used for type 5 and 6 skin, there is a greater risk of skin burn or discoloration. But, the use of non-ablative lasers like ND: YAG lasers can target only the hair follicles and not the superficial skin. Such lasers are best for dark skin people as these reduce the chances of the adverse impact of the laser treatment.

Laser technologies effective for Laser hair removal in Jubilee Hills

• Alexandrite Laser- This laser device uses a shorter wavelength of light, usually around 755nm. It tends to excel in hair removal for fair-skinned people. It has been reported that alexandrite lasers are more gentle on the skin and cause minimal pain.  
• Diode laser- This laser device makes use of a longer wavelength of light, usually 810nm, to remove undesirable hair of olive or brown-skinned people. It delivers heat to deeper skin layers and causes minimal to no damage to the superficial skin in darker-skinned individuals. Moreover, it works best for the removal of pubic hair but it tends to hurt more than alexandrite laser.
• ND: YAG laser: This laser technology emits light at a wavelength of 1064nm. It is perfect for hair removal in dark-skinned individuals. It comes with an attached cooling system that helps avoid heating or damaging the skin.

To learn more on laser hair reduction cost in Hyderabad contact the experts at Neya Dermatology & Aesthetics in Jubilee Hills. The cost of treatment is offered at a very competitive price at the clinic. The clinic uses the best laser technology and has trained staff to perform the laser treatment under the guidance of laser doctors and dermatologists. Visit now to get more insights in this treatment.

Content Reviewed and Updated by Dr. Ravali Yalamanchili on 15th July 2024