I Have Type 3-4 Skin and Want to Get Laser Hair Removal. Which is Better, Diode or Alexandrite?

Laser hair removal works best on dark hair. Since your skin is somewhat dark, there is a risk that the epidermis would absorb more energy than is desired and this can cause a burn. Therefore a longer wavelength laser, that penetrates deeper in the dermis and not as superficial as the shorter wavelength lasers, won't risk injury to the epidermal pigmentation as much. Risks still occur and test spots can be done to determine what the best energy level is. It may take more treatments and might be less effective to reduce hair growth in darker skin as the energy level must be cautiously set and not be high.

Fitzpatrick 3-4 skin and dark hair is often the best combination for laser as it targets the color in the hair (for this reason blonde haired patients are often not good candidates). There is not a single best laser to treat hair. Each laser has its pros and cons. Although many lasers are available with brand names, the key is to look at the frequency of laser to determine its effectiveness. Types of LASERS:Diode- Perhaps the best studied and good for many skin types (the type I favor in my practice).IPL- Not as effective as diode in head to head studies and not good for all skin types. May require more treatments.Nd:YAG lasers- A good selection for darker haired patients. May require more treatments than diode and has a smaller spot size typically and may require more treatmentsAlexandrite- Best for lighter skin types however it is almost as effective as diode in efficacy.

Hi ANY.  Your skin type is suitable for either laser with proper cooling, but we prefer the Lumenis Lightsheer because it uses contact cooling rather than air cooling.  As the other practitioners have stated, the long pulsed Nd:Yg laser is also an option, but we typically do not use this unless the hair is very coarse (Middle Eastern, Persian) or if the skin is very dark, African American.

With an experienced practitioner, you should do fine with the Lightsheer.

If you are concerned about the safety of laser hair removal due to your darker skin type and risk of hyperpigmentation, the longer wavelength lasers will be better for you. The Nd:YAG (CoolGlide) laser is what we use in our office with good results and little to no risk of dark marks left when safe treatment parameters are used. This laser also has contact cooling which additionally decreases the risk of hypo- or hyperpigmentation from the cooling itself.

Type 3-4 skin is borderline for reliable safety when having hair removal with lasers. Even darker skin types (type 5 for example) can have laser hair removal BUT the laser has to be a long wave length (say 1064 nm) and not the diodes nor the Alexandrite...........they may very well give you a burn. You need a doctor to carefully treat you with lasers to prevent injury (burns) and the difference between diodes and Alexandrite is not too significant. Diodes can have different wavelengths so the actual wave length is important to know where as the Alexandrite has only one wavelength (755 nm). A diode with longer wave length is safer than a diode with a shorter wave length.

Having the laser treatment done when your skin is the least tanned (mid winter perhaps?) would be the best time. Sun blocks to reduce any sun stimulation of your melanin (pigmentation) for a month or more in the area to be treated may also help reduce your skin pigment and make the laser safer.

The safest laser for darker skin types is actually the long-pulsed ND YAG laser at 1064nm.  This will allow for deeper pentration to the base of the hair follicle while avoinding the more superficial pigment of the darker skin types.  No matter which laser you choose, you should consider a test spot first to ensure that optimal levels can be tolerated with no adverse effects.

At SkinMD Seattle, we successfully use the Lumenis LightSheer Diode laser to treat all skin types. An alternative laser is the Nd:YAG. Make sure you are treated at a facility that has experience treating darker skin types.

If you wish to gauge how your skin will react to each the hair reduction lasers mentioned, I suggest you have a test patch treated, off-face and watch for any skin response over a 2 to 5 day period.