Lasers, when used for hair reduction, destroy the hair follicle with energy beams converted into heat. The root of every shaft of hair sits in a tiny sac called the hair follicle. Laser hair removal damages this hair follicle, eliminating hair growth.

However, not all hair removal lasers are equally effective for a given combination of skin and hair colour. Moreover, it is not unusual to come across instances of painful sessions, skin burns or disappointing results. Technique matters, without doubt. However, it is just as important to start by selecting the optimal laser technology for every individual.

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The diode laser performs well on coarse, dark hair and is a good choice for back or bikini hair. It operates at a wavelength that allows deeper penetration into the skin, avoiding the melanin in the epidermis and therefore targeting the hair follicle directly.

In the diode laser device, small diodes produce light that triggers laser production. This laser has a longer wavelength than most other lasers, which makes it more suitable for darker skin tones.

In fact, diode lasers can be used on all skin colour types. In effect it means that they will not burn darker skin while targeting hair follicles.

How Diode Laser works

Laser hair removal in general, works on the principle of selective photothermolysis, which means dark areas absorb light energy from the laser better than lighter ones. However, lasers do not inherently distinguish hair from skin, and the distinction is made by colour alone.

When the hair is darker than the surrounding skin, it absorbs the light energy (the skin doesn’t) This light energy turns into heat which destroys both the hair shaft and the follicle, while keeping the skin unharmed.

What’s special about the diode laser is that it has a longer wavelength than most other lasers, enabling the light to penetrate deeper into skin and reach the hair follicle. This makes it better at avoiding the melanin pigment in the skin and by doing so, causing less epidermal injury than other lasers. This makes it safer and gentler for use on darker skin tones.

The diode laser has a high success rate and provides a permanent solution for unwanted hair. It works well on any part of the body and is very effective for darker skin tones.

You can look forward to clean, smooth skin when your unwanted hair has been removed with a diode laser.

The laser treatment may cause minor discomfort, the feeling described often as a ‘rubber-band snap’ effect. The area around the treated hair follicle will be red and swollen, a sign that the follicle has responded to the treatment.

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