Rachel is a health and beauty writer with seven years of experience in the industry. She began her career as a practitioner of bio-feedback and...
All of us have body hair, and most of us want less of it. That’s just a fact. Love it or hate it, hair removal is an important aspect of modern life. But shaving sucks, waxing is scary and painful, chemical treatments are smelly and dangerous, and professional laser treatments can cost you hundreds of dollars per appointment.
So what should you do?
Get your own home laser gun, of course! They’re cheaper than professional treatments, and just as effective. In this article, we’re going to look at the best 8 home laser hair removal devices on the market today, and give you some handy tips and tricks on how to use them safely and effectively.
Silk’n Flash&Go Hair Removal Device
This device is FDA cleared for personal safety, and uses a high-speed laser pulse to ensure effective and quick treatment.
Inexpensive, and with a flash cartridge good for 5000 flashes, (and a 120K flash extra available for a low cost), this product is recommended especially for those with sensitive skin, or for use in sensitive areas such as the bikini line.
After just two-to-four self treatment sessions, you’ll notice diminished hair, comparable to professional procedures, with 80% of users noticing a large reduction in body hair after 3 months.
Tria Beauty Hair Removal Laser 4X
The Tria Beauty Hair Removal Laser 4x features one of the first FDA-cleared lasers available for home use, using the same diode laser technology used by professionals to permanently disable hair follicles Preferred by dermatologists, this technology is finally available for home use.
Its powerful laser technology diminishes visible hair in the treated areas by up to 70% with just one treatment every two weeks for three months.
If you’re short on time, flush with cash, and looking for a top-grade laser with high pedigree, this is the product for you.
LumaRx IPL Hair Removal Device, Full Body
This device from LumaRx is highly efficient, with a large 3x2cm treatment window and an DFA cleared laser diode good for 65,000 flashes. 3 treatments per month followed by touch-up treatments render a 94% hair reduction.
Recommended for light skin tones with dark body hair, this product is safe for both men and women, and can be used on sensitive areas, and on female facial hair such as cheeks, sideburns, and above the lips.
A proprietary ComfortFilter technology helps protect harmful UV and infrared energy as well, ensuring that only your unwanted hairs are targeted.
Gillette Venus Silk Powered by Braun
This device is unique among most laser devices in that producer has cleared for use without safety goggles – the proprietary laser diodes and safety features within this product make it totally safe to use, even without protective equipment. SensoAdapt technology ensures the right light intensity for your skin tone; and the speed of treatment is incredible – an entire arm or leg that you can treat in just 8 minutes.
In addition, this device requires no gels or cartridge replacements, ensuring no hidden cost. It also comes with a Venus razor by Gillette, allowing you to shave your body hairs before treating them, and increasing efficacy of treatment.
Silk’n Flash&Go Compact and Trim
This tiny laser removal device comes complete with a hair trimmer, allowing you to cut down unwanted hairs before treating with the laser hair remover.
Coming with an attractive carrying case, this is perfect for anyone looking to treat themselves on the go. A standard 4 treatment sessions delivers visually diminished hair comparable to professionally administered laser procedures.
Me My Elos Syneron Touch/pro Ultra Permanent Infra-red Light Laser Radio Frequency Hair Removal System
This device by Syneron is the ultimate in comfort and convenience. Forget having to shave your legs with a traditional razor before treating yourself, or before touch-up treatments. This all-in-one device includes an electric razor, meaning it’s got everything you need to treat yourself all in one attractive in one convenient package.
In addition, it comes with a spare pulse cartridge, which ensures plenty of time for treatment, no matter your individual requirements.
Remington iLIGHT Ultra Face and Body Hair Removal System
This product by Remington is cleared for use on all body hair, and on female facial hair. A huge 65,000 flash capacity gives this device a long lifespan, and the large laser window allows for fast treatments.
Most users of this device report up to a 94% reduction in targeted hair in just 3 treatments, and its skin tone sensor and skin contact sensor make it very safe product to use.
How To Use Laser Hair Removal Devices
So you’ve got your IPL laser removal device, whatever it may be. Now, how can you use it safely, and ensure an effective treatment with minimal discomfort? Follow these simple steps.
Get Shaving!
Laser hair removal works directly on the follicle; and because of that, effective treatment requires a clear path to the area where you’re directing the laser energy.
Therefore, efficacy is increased by quite a bit when you clear the extraneous hairs from the region that you’re treating; so we recommend either using a wet shave or an electric razor to clear as much hair from your chosen treatment areas as possible before beginning treatment.
Keep It Clean!
Any debris on your treatment areas can decrease the efficacy of the treatment device; so we recommend taking a bath or shower before treating yourself, or a spot-clean of your chosen treatment area
Stay Safe!
Most of these lasers are quite powerful, and can damage your eyes if you look directly into them; or stare into the scattered laser beams. If your kit didn’t come with them, make sure to purchase the appropriate eye protection. The type of glasses you will need is specific to the brand of IPL device you get; so read the instructions, and make sure you’re protected.
Don’t Overdo It!
Follow your treatment instructions, and don’t overdo it. Overdoing it won’t help your hair follicles deactivate any faster; and if you treat the same area too much or too often, you risk inflaming and irritating your skin, which is counterproductive if you’re trying to clear away your body hair.
Have patience, and follow the instructions listed on your device. Remember that the hairs will take up to 7 days to fall out; so you’re not going to see instantaneous results.
Cool Off Afterward!
Due to the high amount of energy directed into your skin to deactivate your hair follicles, even normal treatments can sometimes irritate or inflame your skin. This is uncommon, but does happen to people with light or sensitive skin.
Any irritation is very temporary and will go away; but if you’re looking to minimize it, we recommend treating yourself with some aloe vera gel; or another soothing body lotion.
You’re Not Done After Initial Treatments – Maintain!
Remember that you do have to maintain your laser hair removal treatments after finishing your initial regimen. Generally you do it about once every 2 months with a low-intensity treatment on all affected areas of the body; and this ensures that the IPL treatments deactivate the hair follicles remain inactive.
If you do not maintain your treatments as instructed, you will see hair regrowth. So if you’re looking to minimize that, it’s important to stay regular with your treatments; even after the initial intensive regimen.
That’s It!
Check out those products and read through our guidelines (and read the instruction manual!) and you’ll be good to go! Enjoy your carefree, hair-free life!
