Laser Hair Removal on Tanned Skin

Many people advertise lasers that work for hair removal on tanned skin. A common question I get is "Is this true?" The answer is that it is partially true. The reason for this has to do with the physics and biology involved. The target for lasers used for hair removal is melanin. Melanin is abundant in dark hairs (blond and red hairs have a different kind of melanin that does not absorb the light well). Melanin is also produced in the skin when people get a tan. In fact, the tan that is seen after sun exposure is directly due to the increased formation of melanin.

Melanin will absorb the laser or light energy wherever it is. So the melanin in the hair shaft will absorb the energy and destroy the hair. At the same time the melanin in the skin can absorb the energy and burn the skin. For this reason, people with tanned or dark skin require lower energy to prevent burns and blisters. When lower energy is used, there is also a decreased effect in terms of the hair removal. This usually means more treatments will be required.

So while laser hair removal can be done on tanned skin, it is not as effective and more treatments will likely be required if it is done on tanned skin versus untanned skin. Therefore, to get the maximum benefit from laser hair removal, be sure not to tan the few weeks before each session.

Spray tanning will not interfere with laser hair removal because it does not add melanin to the skin. Sun tanning and UV-based tanning is not recommended because it can cause signs of premature aging such as fine lines, discoloration, and laxity and because it increases the risk for skin cancer.