Is there One Best Hair Laser for all Skins?
No.
There are different lasers for different skin types. And for a very good reason.
Palomar became the first light-based technology company to receive FDA clearance for Permanent Hair Reduction. Since then, the company has continued to develop more powerful and effective technology to achieve the quickest possible hair clearance. We searched long and hard and reviewed and tested before we chose Palomar as our primary "hair laser" system. It's turned out to be the perfect choice.
Hair Reduction Technology is Simple
Pulsed Light hair removal works by emitting pulses - flashes - of intense light into the hair follicles. The light is absorbed by the dark pigment in the follicles and converted to heat. The heat then loosens the hair and disables the cells responsible for growing new hair. It's simple, but there's a catch.
There are "Light Skin" Hair Lasers and "Dark Skin" Hair Lasers
Hair Lasers are very "particular" in their action. The depth and time length of the light pulse determines how quickly the laser will work and also whether or not surface skin pigment might be affected. Why is this important to understand?
For super fast hair removal, the "light skin" laser is without doubt the first choice. The advantage to this laser is that it doesn't have to pay attention to anything other than your hair. For instance, if you have light skin with a Celtic background, you're a great candidate for the fastest hair laser out there. You don't have to worry about pigmentation or blistering. Because the "light skin" laser doesn't have to consider skin pigment, the pulses can be very fast so your treatment can be fast.
Laser light creates heat when it's absorbed by pigment. If the only pigment is the hair follicle, then there is no reason for the laser to slow down because the only heat generated is in the hair and follicle itself, not in the skin . The fast laser goes on its merry way, zapping anything brown or black. Many non-physician offices offer a single laser - usually a fast one because it gets you in and out quickly.
But here's the potential problem...
If your ancestors came from a part of the world where darker skin is prevalent, the light hair laser will not only be absorbed by the pigment in the hair, but also by the pigment in your skin. This is not good! Even if you are light-skinned, if your background mixes in some darker skins from southern Italy or Iran or Asia or other parts of the world that turns out bronze skin, then you have little pigment-producing cells just waiting in the wings to be activated.
Use the wrong hair laser on that kind of skin and you could well end up with blisters, scarring or brown patches (known as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation); which, by the way, can be very very hard to get rid of.
The problem solver
We have a laser system that allows us to choose the right one for your skin. We have the fast laser for those who have no pigmentation worries, but we've also got the laser for dark skin that works more slowly and goes deeper before it starts acting on pigment. The slow long wavelength carefully selects only deeper pigment that's in the hair follicle, leaving surface pigment alone. That means no hot spots, no skin blistering and no surprise ugly brown spots that show up after your hair laser treatment.
Proper laser selection is really important, so when we ask where your grandparents come from, we aren't being nosey, we're establishing which laser will be effective and safe for your skin profile.
We're picky about other things too; especially about technician training and ability. We never risk your skin with someone who's "learning." Our Physician Assistants are highly trained well educated medical staff who have gone through intensive laser-specific hands on training as well as being mentored by Dr. Fitzgerald. We don't take chances with your skin and neither should you.
