For years, there was a well-founded concern about laser hair removal for darker skin. Older laser systems — using 755nm Alexandrite and 810nm Diode wavelengths — worked by targeting melanin. The problem was that these shorter wavelengths were strongly absorbed by melanin in the skin’s surface as well as in the hair follicle. For clients with darker skin, significant amounts of energy were absorbed by the skin itself, causing burns, blistering, and hyperpigmentation.

This gave rise to the belief that laser “doesn’t work” or “isn’t safe” for darker skin — a belief that was accurate for that generation of technology, but is no longer true for modern medical-grade systems.

The Nd:YAG 1064nm wavelength was developed specifically to address this problem. The longer 1064nm wavelength is absorbed by melanin far less efficiently at the skin surface, while still being absorbed effectively deeper in the dermis where the hair follicle sits. This allows the laser to pass through the skin’s surface with minimal absorption and deliver its energy precisely to the follicle — producing effective hair reduction without dangerous heating of the surface skin.

At Radiant Skin House, we use the Nd:YAG 1064nm wavelength as standard for all Fitzpatrick IV–VI clients. Combined with a thorough consultation, skin type assessment, and patch test for every new client, this approach produces safe, effective results for clients of South Asian, Indian, African, Afro-Caribbean, and Middle Eastern heritage — who make up a significant part of the North London community we serve.