Laser hair removal offers a great solution for permanent hair reduction. It works best on those patients who have naturally dark hair against a lighter skin tone. For those men and women with blonde, red or grey hair, can a little dark hair dye help them see better results?
Why Does Hair Color Matter?
Before getting into whether or not hair dye can improve the effects of laser hair removal, it’s important to understand exactly why patients with darker hair have greater success. After all, targeting laser energy at the hair should be powerful enough to reduce hair growth across all color spectrums, right?
In reality, the way laser hair removal works is more complex than just aiming concentrated energy at the hair follicle. The pigment in the hair is specifically what attracts the laser energy, all the way down to the follicle. This absorption damages the follicle enough to prevent future regrowth of the hair in that location, although this only works during an individual hair’s growth cycle; that’s why repeated sessions are necessary to treat an entire area.
Just having dark hair isn’t enough to ensure great results with laser hair removal, however. Men and women who have naturally dark skin as well as dark hair require treatment with a special kind of laser that has longer wavelengths and pulse widths. The shorter wavelength lasers that are normally used for laser hair removal are too rapidly absorbed into the pigment, not just in the hair but also in the skin. This can lead to skin discoloration, so finding a certified technician is essential.
Lighter-colored hair has less pigment, which means the absorption of the laser energy isn’t usually sufficient to completely prevent future hair regrowth, although some thinning of hair may be noticeable after treatment, depending on the specific type of laser used and the skill and experience of the technician.
Does Dying Work?
If pigment is the reason that laser hair removal works at all, then it makes sense to assume that dying the hair darker would make laser treatments more effective for patients who have naturally light hair. However, that’s not a correct assumption either; hair dye doesn’t penetrate all the way down into the follicle, and the follicle is the part of the hair that needs to be targeted for lasting results.
Some laser technicians suggest using a special carbon dye prior to treatment for patients with light hair. The first step is to tweeze, pluck or wax the light hair in the target area, clearing the follicles. Next, the carbon dye is rubbed onto the skin’s surface, ensuring penetration of the follicles themselves. The idea is that this dark pigment in the follicles will attract the laser energy the same way natural pigment in dark hair would, damaging the follicle permanently. Carbon dye may also be used by patients who already have dark hair to further enhance the energy absorption from the laser, which means more effective hair reduction.
While those with dark hair remain the best candidates for laser hair removal, it’s possible for patients who have lighter hair and skin tones to try carbon dye in combination with laser treatments. In addition, today’s advanced hair removal machines are much more sophisticated and successful in treating a range of skin tones and hair colors. If you are considering laser hair removal, it’s worth a visit to a skilled provider who is in the best position to assess your candidacy for the procedure.
Caroll Delo is a board certified laser technician at Simply Smooth Laser Center in Tampa, a niche practice that focuses specifically on laser treatments. Simply Smooth Laser Center offers the most advanced options in laser hair removal, laser skin rejuvenation and laser tattoo removal.
