[2010-09-03 22:57:12 - Eleanor from Philadelphia]: I was told that Laser was not effective on dark skin. I am african American with medium brown skin. I have hairs in my chin and also upper lip, which is very annoying. Please let me know if this is so, and could it be done on a permanent basis. It would also be important if you would let me know the price

[2010-09-07 08:37:48 - Dr. Ringpfeil]: The Nd:YAG laser is safely and also effectively used on darker skin (Mediterranean, Indian, African etc.) as long as the hair is not white. Hair cannot be plucked, threaded or waxed four weeks before the laser treatment, but bleaching, clipping or shaving is okay during this time. The day before the treatment the hair should either be shaved or clipped closely. On average, 5-6 treatments are needed to remove hair permanently, and they should be spaced 4-6 weeks apart for best results. Maintenance treatments are sometimes needed between once every 6 months to every 3 years because our body keeps some of our hair follicles in a dormant state. Dormant hair cannot be destroyed by any laser. When dormant hair follicles "awake" and start producing hair again, this hair can be targeted by laser, hence the need for maintenance treatments. In our office we charge $75 for each treatment of chin and upper lip. There is unfortunately no effective laser for white or grey hair on any skin type yet. Those who have just a few stray, white or grey hairs usually chose electrolysis to remove them.