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.

Because lasers made for light skin target pigment, that can translate to serious burning, scarring and hyperpigmentation for those with dark skin. Scweiger says that the Alexandrite laser and IPL (intense pulsed light) should be avoided -- that includes most at-home lasers, too.

Before:
Those with dark skin should be particularly careful to stay out of the sun before the procedure, says Frank, since a sunburn makes skin irritated and prone to burning from the laser. Dark skin is already more laser-sensitive than light skin, since the dark pigment absorbs more energy, so a recent sunburn means you should stay away from a laser for two weeks. Schweiger says that using ice or a provided numbing agent before the session can reduce pain.

During:
The laser session can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour, depending on how much hair you're trying to remove. Dark skin requires anywhere from six to 12 sessions (the thicker the hair, the more sessions required) spaced five to six weeks apart.

After:
Don't walk out the door after your laser session without applying a layer of sunscreen. Laser-ed skin is more sensitive to the sun's rays and overexposure can cause it to redden and peel.

As they say, beauty is pain, and laser hair removal does sting a little, especially for dark skin. Schweiger says it's because the skin contains more melanin, which absorbs more of the laser's energy. Still, it's less painful than waxing!

There is a catch to laser hair removal: It's effective, but it's not permanent. The FDA has classified laser hair removal as an effective method of "permanent hair reduction," compared to electrolysis' categorization of "permanent hair removal." Both Frank and Schweiger say that patients with dark skin need touch-ups one or two times a year if they're using a laser approved for dark skin.