Laser hair removal for salt and pepper facial hair?

I am 58 years old and have partially gray hair. The hair on my face is quite dense and mixed dark and white waxing is not for me and at this point I am forced to shave every day. Is there a laser hair removal treatment that would be effective? If not, would electrolysis work?

4 answers to “Laser hair removal for salt and...”

A: Laser Hair Removal for salt and pepper beard

Harold J. Kaplan, MD

Although it is not an ideal solution, we recommend a mix of laser treatments and electrolysis for those patients in your situation. We start the patient on laser hair removal and when all the dark hair has been removed, we refer the patient out to complete the removal of gray hair with electrolysis.

A: Laser Hair Removal for grey hair, blonde hair, red hair.

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD

Laser hair removal is very effective if certain criteria are met.  The process works by photothermolysis wherein laser light heats up and burns pigment in the hair follicle.  Unfortunately, there is usually not enough pigment in a blonde, white, gray, or red hair follicle to generate enough heat to... more

A: Dark hair good grey hair bad

Steven Wallach, MD

The lasers that are avialbale for hair removal work best on dark hairs. The grey hair will not respond well if at all to the hair removal lasers. 

A: lasers are not effective for gray or white hair

William Groff, DO

There is still no reliable laser treatment that can predictably remove gray, white or blonde hair.  Using a dye to change the hair color to black doesn't work either.  Lasers would be an excellent choice for treating your darker "pepper" hair.   Electrolysis is going to be... more

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