A discussion of Laser Hair Removal by John Keller M.D. Ph.D., Board Certified Laser Physician of Toronto Ontario.

Many patients ask about the need for test spots prior to treatment. Many non-medical spas advertise that they do these for free, and suggest they are vital for better results. In fact, there are several published articles in peer-reviewed journals that demonstrate test-spotting really is of little use. This is because patients often will develop mild side effects like hyperpigmentation or crusting, which always resolve, even after several treatments at the same laser settings. They are unpredicatable. At our clinic we only test spot type 6 skin. In other cases, using moderate settings, and carefully monitoring the first treatment is the best route to safe, effective treatment.