{"id":16530,"date":"2020-08-26T13:33:09","date_gmt":"2020-08-26T20:33:09","guid":{"rendered":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/?p=16530"},"modified":"2023-10-17T16:14:43","modified_gmt":"2023-10-17T23:14:43","slug":"black-woman-first-laser-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/black-woman-first-laser-treatment","title":{"rendered":"I\u2019m a Black Woman Who Tried My First Laser Treatment\u2014Here\u2019s How My Skin Reacted"},"content":{"rendered":"

My skin has always been ridiculously soft, relatively clear, and a consistent brown tone that tans golden. I attribute this to my skin-care routine, which I follow religiously; the fact that I am extremely cautious about the products I put on my face; and my adamant personal belief that starting off the day with hot water and lemon makes skin glow from the inside out.<\/p>

Still, I experience oiliness and get the occasional pimple, usually timed to my menstrual cycle. During the summer months, I also tend to get a slightly uneven skin tone on my face from tanning so easily. And as 2020 takes a new negative turn every day, my skin has reacted to the stress with a level of pimple breakouts I’m not accustomed to. I was hoping to try a laser treatment that would clear up the breakouts and even out my tone.<\/p>

The provider<\/strong><\/h2>

Dr. Michelle Henry<\/a>, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City<\/p>

My concerns<\/strong><\/h2>

I didn’t go into Dr. Henry’s office with much knowledge of what lasers would work for my skin, since this was my first laser treatment. And because I am a Black woman with a light to medium complexion (type V on the Fitzpatrick scale), I act cautiously when it comes to skin treatments; I have close family with vitiligo and do not want to do anything that will affect my tone. With Black skin, the right laser is imperative—anything too harsh could cause damage. Fortunately, Dr. Henry is a Black woman herself and has extensive experience treating patients with dark complexions, so I relied on her to pick the right procedure. <\/p>

My other concern was that I knew I wouldn’t be able to wear a mask for increased protection against COVID-19 during my treatment, but Dr. Henry’s office had precautions in place that helped me feel safe. Office assistants were behind plastic shields, I was required to sign an acknowledgement form that I was not experiencing any symptoms, my temperature was checked before I entered the facility, and Dr. Henry and her entire staff wore masks the entire time. <\/p>

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