What should you know about use of Nd:YAG laser?

The laser emits a wavelength that can be selected for a particular target, such as hair pigment, visible blood vessels, or pigment within a nail. The practitioner chooses settings based on the target, skin tone, body site, hair or nail features, and prior response. Protective eyewear is required because laser light can injure the eyes.

A snapping, warming, or stinging feeling may occur, followed by temporary redness, swelling, or sensitivity. Skin can react differently where pigment is more active or where there has been recent tanning. A treatment plan should identify the condition being treated; a laser is not a general solution for every mark, rash, or nail change.

Use a qualified medical provider who can name the device, explain its intended target, and perform a skin assessment or test area when appropriate. Share medicines, recent tanning, a history of pigment changes, cold sores, scarring, and any condition affecting healing. Follow instructions about sun exposure, hair removal methods, creams, and shaving for the treated area.

After treatment, protect the skin from sunlight, keep it clean, and avoid rubbing, picking, heat, or unapproved products until it settles. Follow the schedule for repeat sessions because hair growth cycles and nail growth affect the plan. Do not treat an unexplained lesion without a diagnosis.

Contact the clinic for worsening pain, blistering, open skin, increasing swelling, pus, or a marked change in skin colour. Seek urgent care for eye pain or visual change after laser exposure, or for facial swelling with breathing difficulty. Prompt review is also sensible when a treated nail or skin area becomes increasingly tender or inflamed.

Ask what target the laser is treating, why Nd:YAG is suitable for your skin and condition, what eye protection and cooling will be used, and what alternatives exist. See [Nd:YAG Laser](/technology/nd-yag-laser/), [Laser Hair Removal](/treatments/laser-and-energy/laser-hair-removal/), and [Laser Treatment For Nail Fungus](/treatments/laser-and-energy/laser-nail-fungus-treatment/) for related explanations.