What should practitioners do if treating clients with darker skin?

When treating clients with darker skin, practitioners should use longer wavelengths, such as those offered by Nd:YAG lasers, and make necessary adjustments to the settings. This approach is important because darker skin contains more melanin, which absorbs laser light more aggressively than lighter skin.

Longer wavelengths penetrate deeper into the skin's layers, allowing for targeted treatment of hair follicles while minimizing the risk of damaging the surrounding epidermis. Adjusting the settings, such as increasing the pulse duration or modifying the energy levels used, helps optimize safety and effectiveness specifically for darker skin tones.

Using lasers with shorter wavelengths can lead to an increased risk of burns or hyperpigmentation since they are more readily absorbed by the melanin present in darker skin. Applying the same settings used for lighter skin does not take these considerations into account, which could compromise the safety and efficacy of the treatment. Performing treatments without any special considerations for skin type could result in adverse effects and should be avoided.