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Laser Hair Removal for Dark Skin: It Is Possible

Ready to go Buzz Lightyear on your body hair? If you've got dark skin, read this first

by Emily Woodruff | COMMENT

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Get the Right Laser First, a primer on how laser hair removal works. During treatment, the laser zeroes in on the pigment of a hair follicle and sends light through the skin, landing on its target. Once it's zapped, the hair follicle is damaged enough to hamper hair growth.

When laser hair removal became popular, it was something of a myth that it didn't work on dark skin. "Different skin types required different lasers," says NYC-based cosmetic dermatologist Paul Jarrod Frank, M.D. "The average treatment center didn't want to pay $100,000 twice for two different lasers -- so they bought the one that was more in-demand." Now there are lasers that treat any kind of skin type.

For dark skin, Eric S. Schweiger, NYC dermatologist and founder of Schweiger Dermatology, recommends finding a facility with a 1064 Nd:YAG laser. Lasers go by many different names (Frank uses Light Sheer Desire and Schweiger uses Gentlemax), but it's the type of wavelength used that's important.

SEE NEXT PAGE: Lasers Dark Skin Should Avoid

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