Read BBC reports on how scientists in America have developed a special laser to treat people with dark skin. The Lightsheer laser for permanent hair removal is now available at Skin Medical’s Manchester and Leeds clinics.
Scientists have finally resolved a long-term problem – how to remove unwanted hair safely with injury to people with dark skin.
Up until now all types of laser skin treatment have been ruled out for people with dark skin because of the risk of side effects.
A dermatologist backed by Lumenis (laser manufacturers) has successfully used a diode laser on a wide range of different skin types and colours to reduce the number of hairs and delay re-growth.
Problems associated with hair removal among people with dark skin have been identified by Dr Battle, who has said:
Many dark-skinned men and women have medical conditions associated to excessive hair. Hirsuitism for example is the growth of unwanted hair on any area of the body and is more common in darker-skinned men and woman. Attempts to shave can cause men with tightly coiled hair to develop painful ingrown hairs or ‘beard bumps’.
More traditional means of hair removal, such as plucking, waxing and electrolysis, can lead to dark spots in people with non-white skin.
So what is the solution to this problem?
Laser hair removal techniques traditionally targeted melanin in light-coloured skins, i.e. the pigment that determines the colour of both hair and skin.
In light-skinned people, the laser energy safely passes through the skin and is absorbed by the darker hair shaft, destroying the hair and its root.
Darker-skinned people have more melanin in their skin, which would cause too much energy to be conducted through the hair shaft causing damage to neighbouring skin. By using longer wave length of light in a diode laser less energy is transferred, thereby reducing the likelihood and risk of damage to the skin.
The Lumenis lightsheer has been refined further to include a cool tip which reduces significantly the discomfort traditionally associated with IPL and laser hair removal systems. This allows the skin to cool more effectively and to tolerate a larger total dose.
Clinical evidence was based on treating 84 patients from 20 different ethnic diverse groups. Consequently, this lightsheer system is now the gold standard for hair removal system and was subsequently approved by American Food & Drug Administration, FDA.” Skin Medical are please to report that this technology is in use at both their Manchester and Leeds clinics.
