First and foremost: if you had a tan within last two weeks (or plan to get a tan in next two weeks after laser skin treatment) you shouldn’t be treated. Now, a lot of laser hair removal salons wouldn’t ask you or would treat you even if you did, but it’s your skin, not theirs. Of course you will be able to get your money back, but what good these money for if your skin will look 20 years older just because you were too busy to stop and think of consequences?

Second – if you have any kind of skin conditions or allergies you must let the technician know. The reason behind it is not to charge you more for different numbing cream (like some of people think), but to prevent a permanent damage of your skin. It may regrow or it may remain damaged, even doctor is unlikely to predict the outcome, so why risk it?

Third – if you have any other medical condition, you should ask if that might affect your treatment. Laser hair reduction and laser skin treatment are mostly medical, not cosmetical, procedures. Any laser treatment spa or laser hair removal center must operate under a medical supervision, you get skin soothing and numbing medication administered during the procedure, so you should think of it as a visit to a doctor – if you want a proper treatment.

There is a notion, quite noticeable in New York, less so in other places, that laser hair reduction and removal procedures are somewhat similar to hair styling. Like it’s something you can get between a tanning salon and a restaurant date tonight. Quite often it isn’t so, therefore being mindful about the consequences is greatly advised.

Almost on par with regular hair removal or reduction, comes acne, scar and pimple treatment and tattoo removal. These treatments are based on laser’s ability to penetrate the skin’s surface to get to the root of the problem. And while the actual effect differs in each treatment, the principle remains the same – laser either damages or destroys unwanted part of the skin and lets the body regenerate a healthy replacement. Similarly, laser beam damages the tattoo’s paint bubble contained in the depth of the skin and allows it to be washed away. Laser tattoo removal is fast, painless and yields great results. Similarly, laser pimple and acne treatment burns the root of the pimples’ out thus preventing them from reappearing. After just a few sessions, depending on how heavy the skin’s condition is, the skin may look almost flawless.

Another popular treatment is called smart lipo (derived from smart liposuction). This treatment, instead of actual painful sucking out of body fat, melts it out through the pores while stimulating the skin to rejuvenate. The result of the process is reduced fat while tighter skin and almost no need for recovery period. The procedure is minimally invasive (the small tube-like device is inserted under the skin) and is performed under local anestesia. Most doctors recommend smart lipo for people close to their ideal weight but still have some problematic areas that respond poorly to excersice, dieting and other methods of reducing body fat.

Not exactly the skin treatment, but still involves the use of cosmetic laser – laser teeth whitening. Using the argon laser to speed up the process of bleaching has become a more widespread technique, surpassing the use of arch lamp and chemical bleaching mostly due to reduced risk of heat or chemical burns and as generally more safe and accurate procedure. Since laser can target smaller areas the use of laser in teeth whitening process also preferred when certain areas are not responding to ordinary bleaching techniques.

Obviously, all of these treatments require different equipment, as different laser procedures have to be performed with lasers of various types, wavelengths and powers. Always consult with experienced laser technician or supervising doctor, since performing a laser procedure on a wrong equipment may result an injury to your skin.