Question
This may sound silly, but I'm being serious.
We all know (hopefully) that sun is a "no no" when it comes to lasers.
I have been starting to eat healthier lately, and one thing I realized is that I eat a lot of carrots. Carrots can change skin pigment right? Make you look kind of orange?
Should I cut carrots out during my treatment? How does a diode laser affect orange skin?

Answer
This may sound silly, but I'm being serious.
We all know (hopefully) that sun is a "no no" when it comes to lasers.
I have been starting to eat healthier lately, and one thing I realized is that I eat a lot of carrots. Carrots can change skin pigment right? Make you look kind of orange?
Should I cut carrots out during my treatment? How does a diode laser affect orange skin?

Answer
What you are talking about is called carotenemia. I have never seen it in adults, but some babies will get this if you feed them too many carrots or anything with beta-carotene. If you are eating raw carrots, you are less likely to get this condition, because your body will absorb more of the carotene if you cook or mash the carrots (like babyfood)
The discoloration of the skin is usually seen on the forehead or palms of hands and soles of feet, not areas likely to be lasered... the discoloration seen is actually carotene, not melanin. Carotene is yellow pigmentation and melanin is brown pigmentation.
I think if you were looking at something that causes more melanin like Addison's disease or something, that would affect the laser. I don't know enough about laser yet to know if it targets specifically the melanin or just any pigment.... I will try to research some on that.
Kaitlyn

Answer
Wow Kaitlyn. That's really interesting and detailed information. Thank you.
As you say, the areas you mention are not areas I am having done, so I won't worry too much about it.

Answer
No problem. I'm glad you are eating healthy. I did a body for life challenge (before my 2 kids came along) and I was eating AT LEAST 4 cups of raw carrots a day, never turned me orange
I would rather see someone turn orange from eating carrots than die from eating big macs!!! Kaitlyn

Answer
Actually, in laser schools, they do teach to not treat people who have the discoloration from lasers. I have one client who eats a ton of carrots and her skin is discolored evenly all over.
The hair removal lasers will zap any color other than red or white.