People with darker skin can now benefit from laser treatment for skin problems ranging from leg veins to birthmarks.
Lasers have opened up a whole new dimension in both medical and cosmetic dermatology. But, until recently, laser treatments caused problems of loss of pigmentation and scarring in people with darker skin.

Dr Min-Wei Christine Lee of the Department of Dermatologic Surgery at the University of California now describes the latest research into laser treatments for people with dark skin. Good results have been obtained in treating acne scars, for instance, especially if radiofrequency energy is added to the treatment. This gives the skin an especially clear appearance after treatment.

Vitiligo is a skin condition where there is patchy loss of pigment and it is especially problematic in people with darker skin. But now vitiligo too can be treated with laser technology through skin re-pigmentation techniques.

And of course lasers have come into their own in treating the signs of aging. A CO2 laser can 'resurface' the skin, using extremely high-energy laser light to vaporize the skin tissue one layer at a time, revealing fresh skin underneath. Following this treatment with a so-called ablative laser treatment is very effective if you have darker skin - it dramatically reduces loss of pigment and shortens recovery time. You can expect worthwhile results with laser dermatology, but be sure only to accept it from a fully qualified person.