Question
Hi everyone!
I don't need hair removal (I could do with more hair!)
I am asking here on behalf of my girlfriend.
She is of indian origin and has quite dark skin (but not very dark or black). She has hair that grows mainly on her upper lip. She has her lip waxed once every month. There is noticable hair regrowth after about 1 week and towards the end of the month the hairs can be as long as 0.5cm at the sides of the lip, but shorter and finer in the middle of the lip. The hair is completely black.
Is laser treatment available for this skin type?
What is the outcome? Any side effects? How long does the hair reduction last for? Is it permanent?
She is worried that it will change the colour of her skin and that she will be left with permanent white spots.
If this sort of treatment is suitable, what are the best lasers? Anyone know of suitable clinics in the UK (preferably near Leeds)?
Thankyou very much for any help.
Mr B

Answer
Hi everyone!
I don't need hair removal (I could do with more hair!)
I am asking here on behalf of my girlfriend.
She is of indian origin and has quite dark skin (but not very dark or black). She has hair that grows mainly on her upper lip. She has her lip waxed once every month. There is noticable hair regrowth after about 1 week and towards the end of the month the hairs can be as long as 0.5cm at the sides of the lip, but shorter and finer in the middle of the lip. The hair is completely black.
Is laser treatment available for this skin type?
What is the outcome? Any side effects? How long does the hair reduction last for? Is it permanent?
She is worried that it will change the colour of her skin and that she will be left with permanent white spots.
If this sort of treatment is suitable, what are the best lasers? Anyone know of suitable clinics in the UK (preferably near Leeds)?
Thankyou very much for any help.
Mr B

Answer
I understand that a yag (such as the Coolglide) is good for dark skin. That might be an option as well as electrolysis. A small area, such as the upper lip, would really be fast with a laser. By the same token, a good electrologist could cover that area too and be a little cheaper.
Just food for thought.

Answer
hi Mr. B,
My neighbours are of indian origin too...they use gram flour with fresh milk cream and some mustard oil and make a paste.
Now they first apply it over face and let it dry, when it dries they remove it by hand, messaging all through.
They say its a good way of removing facial hair.

Answer
Hello, the good news is that your laser treatment for hair removal is available for any skin type nowadays, but the key is the use the right equipment. We highly recommend a Yag type of laser for somebody with any skin type darker than skin type 4, what we call in Fitzpatrick skin chart (1 - being the lightest white, which doesn't ever get tan and burns very easily in the sun, and 6- being the darkest African American).
The side effects are minimal if the procedure is done correctly with somebody that has experience to get the most efficacy with the Yag Laser. The result is definitely permanent. Saying that permanency does not come after one or two treatments, on average one would need to do between 7-8 or 10-12 treatments on the upper lip. And each treatment being a month apart.


Answer
if there is a lot of hair, more than 30-40 hairs, and the hair is coarse, a Yag laser would work best. She will need 4-6 treatments spaced 6-8 weeks apart. No side effects with this laser, it's made for dark skin. But of course, a good experienced tech is necessary as with any procedure for correct treatment. If the hair is fine or there aren't that many hairs, electrolysis is a good permanent method. It would only take 10-15 mins to clear the area. Several treatments are also needed, but this will probably be cheaper overall for a small area with not a lot of hair.