Laser hair removal is a wonderful treatment for your unwanted hair. While it works great on light skin tones, those with dark skin tones such as Africans and Asians can sometimes face challenges because their skin tones can be a little darker than those in the West.
That’s why, in this article, we’ll talk about how effective laser hair removal is, some risks that are associated with it, what can be the outcomes if you have dark Asian skin going for a laser hair removal treatment, and a great alternative to get rid of unwanted hair.
Table of Contents:- Part 1: Characteristics of Asian Skin & Hair Textures
- Part 2: Is Laser Hair Removal Good for Asian Skin?
- Part 3: Potential Risks Associated With Laser Treatment On Asian Skin
- Part 4: Ulike IPL Laser Hair Removal For At-home Treatment
- Part 5: How It Will Feel During Laser Hair Removal On Asian Skin?
Part 1: Characteristics of Asian Skin & Hair Textures
In this section, we will see how Asian skin and hair textures differ from other races.
Melanin Levels
When it comes to Asian skin, they have a little higher levels of melanin than other skin tones of lighter shades. Because of that, the skin can become a little darker. Also, because of higher melanin levels, Asians can experience hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation.
Undertones
The undertones that Asians have ranged from warm to cool. That is one of the main reasons why their skins will be at risk of pigmentation changes and their skin will react to laser treatment differently.
Hair Colour & Texture
Asians have straight and coarse hair that goes well with the laser hair removal treatment. Along with that, they also have dark brown to black shades of hair colour, which blend perfectly with the treatment. As a result, treatment becomes very effective for these people.
Why Is It Important To Have A Special Approach For Asian Skin & Hair?
- Risk of melasma: Some Asians can be at risk of melasma and getting a laser treatment can worsen the situation. That’s why it’s important to verify that the client is not prone to melasma before proceeding to the treatment.
- Custom treatment plans: Since there are so many variations in skin tones and hair colours, the clients need to get a custom treatment plan, where their doctor will assess their hair and skin condition and give the best way to proceed with the treatment.
- Risk of sunburn: A lot of Asians are sensitive to direct heat and sunlight, which is why taking special precautions like sunscreens, covering the treatment area, moisturisers, and lotions are important for them.
Part 2: Is Laser Hair Removal Good for Asian Skin?
Yes, laser hair removal is more effective on Asian skin, and here are the reasons:
- Dark hair means that the melanin will absorb more light, so, the treatment will be more effective.
- Because of coarse hair, the laser treatment will be more effective.
- If they choose Nd:YAG or diode lasers, with longer wavelengths, then the results will be impressive.
Pubmed Clinical Study
Study Overview
One of the pubmed clinical studies took 3 batches of test subjects. The first batch of people was given laser treatment thrice, the second batch was treated twice, and the third batch was treated once.
Study Results
After 9 months of the first treatment, here were the following results:
- The first batch of people, who got laser hair removal treatment 3 times, got a hair reduction of 55% after 9 months.
- The second batch of people, who got laser hair removal treatment 2 times, got a hair reduction of 44% after 9 months.
- The third batch of people, treated once, saw a hair reduction of 32% after 9 months.
Additional Observations
What’s interesting is that none of them had pigment changes or any harmful effects. But there were some acute complications.
Conclusion
We can treat Asian skin with laser hair removal techniques if using a cool and long-pulsed alexandrite laser. However, we can still expect some sort of complications despite all types of precautions.
Part 3: Potential Risks Associated With Laser Treatment On Asian Skin
In this section, we will discuss the risks of laser hair removal on Asian skin.
Too Much Sunlight Is Risky
When you stay exposed to a lot of sunlight for a long time, you are putting your skin at a high level of risk because sunlight can damage Asian skin. So, your skin will start fighting against the sunlight to maintain its texture and health.
You Can Get Burns On Your Skin
If you don’t go with a good salon and an esthetician, then there is a chance that they might not set the laser machine correctly and that can give Asian skin some burns.
Risk of Hyperpigmentation On Asian Skin
Usually, Asian skin is at a higher risk of hyperpigmentation than other skin types and that is because of extra melanin in the skin. Due to that melanin, your skin can darken and you might get some skin irritation as well. There are so many ways to avoid this bitter situation:
- You can speak to your esthetician about your skin so that they can choose the right laser technology to treat your unwanted hair.
- If you and your esthetician are not sure about the hyperpigmentation, then it is very safe to do a patch test and see the results. If nothing goes wrong, then it’s a green signal for proper treatment.
Part 4: Ulike IPL Laser Hair Removal For At-home Treatment
If you think that the local salons are very risky, you can consider an alternative for the best laser hair removal for Asian skin. That’s Ulike IPL laser hair removal treatment, which you can do at home.
Ulike IPL is a user-friendly device that you can use at home without any inconvenience. It works great on all types of skin including Asian skin. That’s possible because of several sensors and advanced features that are built into Ulike devices.
Features To Look For In IPL Devices For Asian Skin
When you want to buy IPL at-home devices for Asian skin, you should be looking for these key features that make it the best laser hair removal at home for Asian skin.
- You need to confirm if the device you chose is meant to be used for Asian skin.
- The device you choose should have adjustable intensity levels and skin sensors.
- It should have a large treatment window, so it takes less time to treat a large body part like the back, chest, arms, and legs.
What Body Parts Can They Treat?
You should check if your IPL device can treat certain areas like sensitive areas and/or bikini lines. Remember that not every IPL device is designed to treat every body part.
Part 5: How It Will Feel During Laser Hair Removal On Asian Skin?
Ideally, the entire process of laser hair removal treatment is almost similar to any other skin tone.
Mild Discomfort & Stinging Feel
When the lasers penetrate your skin, you will feel that something is stinging there. With that stinging feel, you will experience mild discomfort for less than a second. It will be similar to a rubber band snapping your skin.
A Sensation of Heat
Once the light beams get absorbed by the melanin, it gets converted into heat energy and that is exactly when you will feel some heat sensations in that area. Don’t worry about the tolerance, because the heat will be within your tolerable limits.
Why Is Aftercare So Important?
- With the right aftercare routine, you make sure that your skin gets all the nourishment that it needs after going through a rough session.
- With the application of sunscreen and hydrating lotions, you let your skin keep fighting against the sunlight and stay hydrated. That will also help you cool down your skin quickly and keep the results effective.
Conclusion
So we now know that laser hair removal treatment works just fine on Asian skin but there is always some chance of rare complications. Remember that you can also choose at-home IPL devices, such as those by Ulike to get a convenient treatment session at home.
When you are ready to begin with the treatment, we suggest that you talk to your doctor and get all the advice from them. They will tell you how you should proceed with the treatment and what things you should take care of so that you get the very best results.
