In-office laser treatments have long been sold as a ticket to smoother, brighter, more ageless skin. Whether you're targeting hyperpigmentation, acne scarring, fine lines, or other signs of premature aging, they are a powerful in-office tool in your skincare arsenal. But for those with deeper skin tones, the legwork goes beyond booking an appointment and waiting for a flawless complexion to reveal itself. Historically, lasers have been risky territory for melanin-rich skin because they can potentially trigger side effects (like hypopigmentation, or lightening of the skin) that are harder to treat than the original concern. For years, deeper skin tones were largely treated as an afterthought in aesthetic technology, as well as dermatology textbooks and treatment protocols. The good news is that newer technologies and more nuanced treatment guidelines have changed the landscape considerably (although there is still plenty more to be done to promote inclusivity in the aesthetics space). The catch? Deciphering which devices—and which providers—actually know how to treat deeper skin safely.
Ahead, top dermatologists specializing in lasers share the ins and outs of the increasingly popular skincare category. Discover their picks for some of the best (and safest) laser treatments for melanin-rich skin, the ones you’ll probably want to skip, and why the provider you choose is just as important, if not more so, than the device at hand.
