Traditionally, lasers have been a scary no-go treatment for Black and brown skin, but in recent years, I’ve become a massive fan. How, you may well be asking, since we’ve been left out of the beauty devices conversation for decades? Well, yes, “early laser technologies were designed with lighter skin in mind, often using wavelengths that were absorbed by melanin. In darker skin tones, where melanin is more abundant, this absorption led to excessive heat, increasing the risk of burns, scarring, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH),” explains occuloplastic surgeon, facial aesthetics doctor and MZ Skin Clinic founder, Maryam Zamani. However, “while there is still some truth to this even with laser advancements—we have come a long way!” adds Zamani.
As a beauty editor for two decades, I’ve seen the evolution firsthand, going from having few options when I’d scan a treatment list to slowly seeing more and more energy-based devices I could actually use to address my skin concerns. That’s because “newer offerings use longer wavelengths which penetrate deeper and bypass much of the surface melanin, which in turn reduces the risk of thermal injury,” shares Zamani. While others house advanced cooling systems to control energy delivery, or use light or pressure rather than heat to get the job done.
