A Celebrity Dermatologist Answers All Your Questions About Laser Treatments

Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about laser treatments

September marks the start of laser season! Celebrity dermatologist and Chief Medical Officer of LaserAway, Dr. Will Kirby, is here to answer all your questions about lasers.

1. Do lasers even work?

Yes, of course, lasers work. They are the gold standard means by which you impart skin fitness and improve your level of aesthetic dermatology. Generally speaking, the way lasers work is that laser light enters the skin. It then destroys either pigment, redness, unwanted hair, or tattoo ink, depending on the type of laser used and your specific needs.

2. When is the best time to get laser treatments?

The best time to get a laser treatment is when your skin has not been exposed to the sun. That’s why there is a laser season, which typically begins in the fall and ends in the spring. If you start laser treatments during the fall, then you’ll be able to time treatments just right to be ready for next spring and summer when you want to show off your skin.

3. Is there anything I need to do before a laser treatment?

The single most important thing you can do before a laser treatment is to avoid the sun. Ideally, you should stay out of the sun for at least two weeks before your first treatment to achieve the best results.

4. Are lasers safe on all skin types?

It depends. Laser hair removal, for instance, can be implemented on all skin types safely. Some treatments, such as IPL (which is not technically a laser!), can only be used on fairer skin types because of the underlying technology. But, laser facials, laser tattoo removal, and laser hair removal can be done safely on all skin types and tones.

5. Is there any downtime associated with laser treatments?

There is a little bit of downtime involved, but it’s usually really minimal. However, the length of downtime all depends on individual factors and the specific laser treatment used.

6. Which laser facials does LaserAway offer?

LaserAway offers three different types of laser facials. We have intense pulsed light (IPL) facials, to treat unwanted brownness and redness in certain skin tones. It works well on sun-damaged skin. We also have Clear + Brilliant, which is safe for all skin types. It primarily improves skin texture. The third type of laser facial we offer is Fire + Ice that has minimal downtime involved. The treatment gently resurfaces the skin on your face and is followed by a cooling mask that’s infused with proprietary ingredients to help your skin heal.

7. Do lasers hurt?

Most laser treatments are very tolerable but slightly uncomfortable, and that’s dependent on a lot of different factors. One such factor is your individual or cultural perception of pain. Laser facials tend to be more tolerable while laser tattoo removal might hurt just a little bit more. But, there are ways to help mitigate that discomfort using topical anesthetics.

8. Do lasers have side effects?

Laser light is sterile, so it can’t cause an infection in and of itself. That being said, there are a few side effects to be aware of: your skin might feel itchy for a few days after a laser treatment, there might be some downtime involved, and the treated area might feel swollen or slightly uncomfortable right after being treated. All of these side effects are temporary.