Chances are, if you don't have many freckles or moles – this question won't have crossed your mind. However, if your skin is kissed with freckles and moles we advise you keep reading as it's important to check if you can safely do laser hair removal on moles.
Can you have laser hair removal on moles?
Yes and no. Leading dermatologists say it's safe to laser over light freckles and moles. But when we say light, we mean light. This is because moles contain more pigmented cells than the skin that surrounds them and laser hair removal is designed to be absorbed by anything that contains pigment.
In short: our RoseSkin Co IPL Laser Hair Removal Handset works because the intense pulsed light (IPL) targets pigment which over time destroys hair follicles and stops regrowth. If you were to target skin with a dark mole, it would disrupt the cluster of the pigment and may cause it to lift off the skin. Not only is it painful, but it's potentially dangerous as you could burn your mole.
A good rule of thumb is to remember if your freckles are light and your moles are light and small in size, then it will be safe to do laser hair removal on that area. If you're unsure and perhaps don't have many moles, then simply laser around the mole.
An alternative is to colour your moles and freckles with a white pencil – a standard eyeliner pencil works just fine. Should you do this, it's still not safe to laser the mole itself; the white pencil is simply added protection and you should laser around the mole.
Does laser hair removal cause freckles?
Surprisingly, laser hair removal doesn't cause freckles but it can cause your current freckles to turn darker. As mentioned above, laser hair removal technology targets pigment in the skin causing damage to hair follicles. However, some people find consistent treatments can cause their freckles to turn slightly darker.
In fact, if you have freckles, they will already go darker in the sunshine so this isn't anything to worry about. And in time, your freckles will start to fade in the same way they fade after exposure to the sun.
Does laser hair removal fade freckles?
No, laser hair removal does not use the same technology as laser mole removal. This means treatments will not remove or fade freckles or moles. You can also rest assured, laser hair removal does not contain any UV light so your skin (particularly moles and freckles) won't become damaged like it does with exposure to sunlight.
Finally, if you do have a lot of freckles and moles, please first check to see if your skin tone and hair colour is suitable before starting laser hair removal treatments.
