Glossary
- Fitzpatrick Skin Type
- A classification system (Type I to VI) describing how skin responds to UV exposure, from lightest to most melanin-rich. Type IV–VI skin requires specific laser wavelengths and treatment approaches to avoid burns or discoloration.
- Hirsutism
- The medical term for excess coarse, dark hair growth in a male-pattern distribution on a woman — chin, upper lip, chest — most commonly caused by elevated androgen levels, as seen in PCOS.
- Nd:YAG Laser
- Short for neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet — a true laser (a single, coherent wavelength of light, unlike the broad, unfiltered spectrum used by IPL devices) emitting at 1064 nanometers. That long wavelength passes more safely through melanin-rich skin to reach the hair follicle, making it the preferred laser type for dark skin tones in hair removal.
- IPL (Intense Pulsed Light)
- Not a laser. IPL devices use a flashlamp to emit a broad, unfiltered spectrum of wavelengths at once, rather than a laser’s single, coherent wavelength. That broader spectrum scatters more in the skin and is absorbed less precisely, which is part of why IPL carries higher risk in melanin-rich skin than a true Nd:YAG laser.
- Mandelic Acid
- An alpha-hydroxy acid derived from bitter almonds with a larger molecular size than most AHAs, allowing gentler, slower penetration — making it a safer exfoliating and brightening option for melanin-rich skin.
- Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH)
- Dark marks that form after skin inflammation or injury — from acne, shaving, ingrown hairs, or aggressive treatment — caused by melanin-rich skin’s tendency to overproduce pigment in response to trauma.
- Androgen
- A category of hormones, including testosterone, that in elevated levels can drive coarse hair growth and oil production — central to conditions like PCOS-related hirsutism and hormonal acne.
- Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (PFB)
- Also known as razor bumps — a chronic condition where curly or coily hair curls back into the skin after shaving, causing inflamed bumps. Extremely common in Black men.
- Electrolysis
- A hair removal method that treats individual follicles with an electrical current, working on any hair color — including white and gray hair that laser cannot target.
- Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS)
- A chronic inflammatory condition causing painful lumps and abscesses in skin folds like the underarms and groin, unrelated to hygiene, requiring combined medical and cosmetic management.
- Keloid
- A raised scar that grows beyond the original wound boundary, caused by an overactive healing response — significantly more common in melanin-rich skin.