A woman wrote asking about getting laser for her teenaged daughter, who has braces. Here’s what I had to say:
</font><blockquote><font size=“1” face=“Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif”>quote:</font><hr /><font size=“2” face=“Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif”> Many people with braces get treatment. You just need something completely opaque between the laser and braces.
Either opaque foam or a piece of completely opaque white material made of cardboard or plastic is adequate protection for braces.
Foam has the advantage of comfort. The handpiece is usually pressed into the skin, which can cause discomfort if the opaque material isn’t padded with something. She may want to schedule treatment so it’s not right after a tightening.
EpiLight is OK, but it doesn’t have as good a track record as alexandrite and diode lasers in terms of effectiveness and side effects. If the technician is VERY experienced, it can be a good option.
I would still do a test spot away from the face before doing a treatment right on the face, in case there’s not a good skin response. Try to find a place where skin and hair are about the same color and amount as the area to be treated. It’s very important to avoid sun before and after treatment, too, so make sure your daughter is diligent about sunblock to avoid discoloration that can last months.
Best of luck with the treatment! I’m glad you have the means and understanding to help your daughter-- many parents don’t understand how much of a confidence boost this can give girls that age. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size=“2” face=“Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif”>