Laser Hair Removal for Tan Skin in NYC?

Even if you go to a very reputable physician with experience in laser hair removal, there is always a risk of dark or light marks left on the skin after treatment. To minimize this risk, it is important to do realistic laser test spots before a full treatment, and to wait at least a week or two after the tests, to see how the skin reacts. In addition, staying away from the sun for a month prior to and several weeks after treatment will help reduce the risk.

In my practice, we use a Palomar StarLux IPL for permanent hair removal. Even though the device is approved for dark skin-types, I will not perform hair removal on dark or tanned skin. You'll be at higher risk for burn, or change in skin color. And in the best scenario, you'll require more than the usual 6 treatments to achieve 75-90% permanent hair reduction. All the best from NJ.

Tanned skin should not be treated for laser hair removal, but skin of color can be treated with a longer wavelength laser. Dr Roy Geronemus, Dr. Arielle Kauvar and Dr. Melanie Grossman and others, in NYC, have such lasers.