On the flip side, if you’re still in the process of finding a psoriasis treatment that works for you, Dr. Shokeen says all hair removal methods carry a high risk. “Anything that’s causing repeated, mechanical trauma could potentially trigger your psoriasis.”
The Best Hair Removal Methods for Psoriasis-Prone Skin
If your psoriasis is well managed and the hair removal method is performed correctly, the dermatologists interviewed for this piece agree you’ll likely be fine to use any hair removal method, so long as you do so carefully. However, they note you should ideally speak with your own doctor before trying anything new.
It will ultimately be a matter of trial and error to find which method works best for you, but these are a few safer options to consider.
Shaving
All three dermatologists interviewed for this piece agree that, aside from the risk of accidental cuts that could cause skin trauma, shaving is one of the safest hair removal methods for people with psoriasis. With shaving, “you’re [removing hair] above the follicle, not pulling it out,” Tracy Evans, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and medical director of Pacific Skin and Cosmetic Dermatology in California, explains.
Dr. Wieder agrees and notes that it’s especially important for people with psoriasis to use a sharp razor and shave in the direction of hair growth rather than against the grain. Both of these things will help ward off the skin irritation that can trigger Koebnerization. And if you’re trying to navigate around a psoriasis plaque, proceed with caution. “Avoid shaving off the scales, because it’ll bleed underneath,” Dr. Wieder says.
Laser hair removal
Laser hair removal might sound like it carries a high risk of causing trauma, but all the dermatologists interviewed for this piece agree it’s actually one of the safer options for psoriasis patients, as long as it is administered correctly. (Laser burns have the potential to cause, say it with us, Koebnerization.) “Even though you would think [a laser] would be traumatic to the hair follicle, it does seem to be safe,” Dr. Wieder says, pointing to studies on lasers that have shown their potential for treating psoriasis. Dr. Evans echoes this, noting that “heat and light” don’t seem to be an issue for people with psoriasis.
“I do laser hair removal on psoriasis patients all the time,” Dr. Shokeen says. She notes her preference for long-pulsed Nd:YAG lasers (1064 nm), though she says diode lasers (about 800 to 810 nm) can also work if the settings are dialed down. Either way, it can be a tricky balance to get the levels just right, and the settings will need to be adjusted for each individual patient.
“If the energy of the device is too low, you’ll actually get hair regrowth,” she says. “It’s complicated to treat a psoriatic patient [with lasers], to say the least.” That’s why she always recommends people with psoriasis get laser hair removal in “a physician-supervised, medical-grade setting rather than a standard laser chain. There are more med spas than McDonald’s,” she says, noting her skepticism that all the people employed in those many locations would be fully trained in treating people with psoriasis.
Hair Removal Methods to Approach With Caution
As mentioned above, if your psoriasis is well controlled, you will likely be okay no matter how you remove unwanted hair, as long as it’s done carefully. However, these methods carry some extra risks worth considering.
