Laser hair removal has become a popular choice for women who want to save time in personal grooming. If you can afford the price of laser hair removal, then who wouldn’t want to spare themselves painful bikini waxes or ingrown hairs. However before you write that check, it might be helpful to do a little research depending on your skin color.

Skin color is an important factor to consider when shopping for laser hair removal treatments. Lasers targets dark hair which is much easier to see on a person with light skin color compared to individuals who have darker skin tones. As science progressed other lasers were developed to help target hair on people with darker skin by directing energy to the root of the hair rather than on the skin surface. These lasers deliver less damaging heat through a long pulse. Long pulse lasers including long pulse diode and long pulse Nd –YAG lasers are generally good for Asian, Latino, and African skin. The average number of sessions for laser hair removal is 5-6 treatments. Depending on the darkness of the skin tone, more sessions may be needed in order to effectively reduce hair growth.

Another consideration to keep in mind when looking for laser hair removal is whether a licensed physician is performing the procedure. Since the popularity of laser hair removal, beauty salons and private aestheticians have also begun to offering laser hair removal treatments. Receiving your treatments by a licensed physician can allow for a more accurate assessment of the number treatments as well as the appropriate laser needed for an individual’s skin tone to avoid potential side effects.

While most places that offer laser hair removal label the treatments as permanent, however it’s important to define permanent in terms of laser hair removal. The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) allows advertisement of laser hair removal as permanent as long as hair does not grow back within a few months after the treatments. However we know that a few months does not mean permanent, therefore additional treatments may be needed. Knowing this, it is best when researching potential places for laser hair removal to check if the place offers a lifetime guarantee. With a lifetime guarantee the cost is usually inclusive therefore if for some reason after a few years you notice hair growth in previously treated areas, you can always go back for additional treatments. In the long run this could possibly be more cost effective compared to paying for individual treatments as needed without a lifetime guarantee.

Although laser hair removal seems too good to be true, there are potential side effects associated with laser treatments. Pain and redness are temporary side effects whereas skin pigmentation and scarring can become permanent side effects of laser hair removal. It is best to tell the physician performing the laser treatments whether you have a history of skin diseases, hormonal problems, or are taking any medications that could interfere with treatments. Also avoid plucking, waxing, or any irritation of skin several weeks before receiving laser hair removal treatments will lessen the likelihood of potential side effects.

Laser hair removal is continuing to become a realistic option for many women and men and because of medical technology any skin color can benefit from laser hair removal treatments.