What's the best laser for hair removal?

The answer to this question is more complicated than one would at first think.

There is not a single “best” laser for hair removal on all patients. The list of machines available for laser hair removal includes the diode, ruby, alexandrite, and Nd:YAG laser, as well as intense pulsed light devices. Many different variations of these lasers are available from numerous manufacturers.

The best laser for laser hair removal for each person depends on his or her skin color. In my experience, the diode laser is the most effective laser for removing hair on lighter skin, whereas the Nd:YAG is the safest and best laser for more darkly pigmented skin. I have not found any laser to be particularly effective in permanently reducing very blond or white hair.

My answer is pretty detailed, but keep this in mind: the best laser for you depends on several factors. Of particular importance is your skin type.

Multiple lasers exist for hair removal. Different laser types, which emit distinct wavelengths of light, are better for treating different skin types. There are a number of manufacturers that make these laser types:

• Alexandrite lasers emit laser light at 755 nm. These lasers work best on lighter skin.

• Diode Lasers. These emit light at a wavelength of 810 nm. This is my choice for laser hair removal. Lighter skin types do well with this type of laser, as do some darker skin types.

• Nd:YAG lasers. These emit a 1064 nm wavelength. This laser is best for darker skin types, as the higher wavelength reaches deeper into the skin. This helps to avoid superficial skin melanin, which pigments our skin. The problem with Nd:YAG lasers is that many doctors find them less effective for hair removal overall. With well selected settings, however, good results can be seen.

• IPL, or Intense Pulsed Light, has been used for hair removal. Lasers emit light at one wavelength. IPL machines produce a range of wavelengths, and are not lasers. So there is no such thing as an “IPL laser” or “IPL laser hair removal”- it’s a marketing ploy for businesses that have IPL machines and not hair removal lasers. The only exception are the few machines out there that have both lasers and IPL machines in them.

Several studies have shown that IPL is not as effective as dedicated hair removal lasers, and carry higher risk of burns, blisters and changes in pigment. I use IPL to improve “brown spots” and “red spots,” which are commonly caused by sun damage. However, I do not use or recommend IPL for hair removal.

Dr. Crutchfield makes an excellent point: darker hairs are more effectively removed by hair removal lasers. Every medical laser has a “target.” For hair removal lasers, the goal is to selectively target the pigment in hair follicles. The hair follicles are living cells which make hair below the surface of the skin. When the pigment is selectively heated, this destroys the hair follicle cells. The lighter the hair, the less melanin the hair follicles will have in them. As a result, hair that is blond, white or grey does not improve with laser hair removal. In practice, I have actually seen some patients notice a decrease in lighter hairs, but it’s the exception and not the rule.

What causes darker skin to be dark? Melanin! The same target that the hair removal laser is trying to reach in hair follicles. Hair removal lasers may target the pigment in skin as well as in the hair follicles. The result can be burns, blisters and change in skin pigment. As a result, lower settings and longer laser pulse times must be used for darker skin to avoid damage. More overall treatment sessions will usually be necessary.

Remember- laser hair removal is a Medical Procedure. Always consult with a Medical Doctor with extensive experience in lasers and laser hair removal. This will maximize your chances of a great result.

What determines the ideal laser or IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) for hair removal is determined by the skin color of the person, as well as the color, thickness, and location of the hair. Choosing the correct device and the correct setting requires a great deal of experience on the part of the person performing the treatment. The most popular lasers for hair removal, in the order of efficacy, include:

• IPL with filters of 645 nm, 695 nm, and 755 nm (such as the Lumenis Epilight or Vasulight)
• Diode lasers with 810 nm wavelength (such as the Comet by Syneron)
• Alexandrite laser with wavelength 755 nm (such as Candela GentleLase or Apogee)

The most effective lasers are the Lightshear, Alexandrite, and Intense Pulsed Light.

The Long pulsed 1064nm Nd:YAG is, at best, only half as effective and requires many more treatments but is best for dark-skin types.

Laser hair-removal works best on dark hair and works very poorly, if at all on blond or grey hair.

Having done tens of thousands of laser hair removal treatments, we would agree with Dr. Crutchfield that the Lumenis Lightsheer is the gold standard for hair removal. However, for darker skin types there are also many long pulsed yag lasers (1064nm wavelength) that work very well and are safer than the Lightsheer. In our practice we use the Lightsheer for lighter skin types and we use the Sciton Profile long pulsed yag for darker skin types.

We do not agree at all with Ms. Rogers that IPL is the safest form of light therapy for hair removal. In fact, for darker skin types it can be very dangerous. On top of this fact, most IPL devices are underpowered and do not lead to the same level of hair reduction that lasers do.

Web reference: http://www.celibre.com/hairremoval.aspx

IPL (“Intense Pulsed Light”) is the safest form of light therapy for hair reduction and is able to treat more skin colours than laser. Having personally experienced it in my Brighton salon, I highly recommend it. As you can see I have very dark hair, which had been a nightmare for years with painful waxing and waiting for hair to grow, visibly, to be treated.

It’s also perfect if you have in-growing hair problems as the light can travel through the hair follicle.

Always go by a recommendation of a therapist or salon for these treatments and check that they are registered with the Care Commission at www.healthcarecommission.org.uk.

The gold standard in laser hair removal is the LightSheer laser. In broad strokes, you need monthly treatments for four to six and then two to four treatments a year to maintain a hair-free state. The darker the hair, the better it works.

This is the premier laser for hair removal. I have access to all kinds of hair removal lasers, and this is the one that I use on my wife, myself, and my family.