Dispatch · July 1, 2026 · 6 min · By Zahra Pemberton
Electrolysis or laser for ingrown hairs on deeper skin tones
Both reduce the hair driving ingrowns. They suit different hair colors and budgets.
When shaving routines and exfoliation are not enough for persistent, scarring ingrowns, the most reliable long-term answer is to reduce the hair itself, and the two ways to do that permanently are laser hair reduction and electrolysis. They work differently, and the right choice for textured hair on deeper skin depends on your hair color, budget, and patience.
Laser targets the pigment in the hair, so it treats large areas quickly, a few sessions can clear a beard line or bikini area, and with the right long-wavelength device (a Nd:YAG) it is safe and effective on deep skin tones. Its limit is that it only works on dark hair; it does not reduce gray, white, red, or very fine light hair, because there is no pigment for it to find. For most people with dark, coarse, curly hair driving their ingrowns, laser is the faster, more practical route.
Electrolysis treats one follicle at a time with a fine probe and is the only method that removes hair of any color, including gray and light hair, and is considered truly permanent. The tradeoffs are time and cost: it is slow, needs many sessions, and on deeper skin an experienced electrologist matters to avoid marking the skin. A common real-world plan is laser first to clear the bulk of dark hair, then electrolysis to finish any remaining light or resistant hairs. Whichever you choose, treat the dark marks already left behind separately, and go to a provider experienced with textured hair and deeper skin tones.
Related reading: Laser for ingrowns in textured hair and dark skin.