What is the Best Hair Removal Treatment?

Laser hair removal is safe when performed by a trained physician or in doctor's office, effective, and more efficient and cost-effective in the long run. A wide variety of medical lasers and light systems are used to remove unwanted hair, however most lasers are not effective for all skin types and hair colors. 

Laser hair removal has come a long way since the first laser for hair removal received FDA clearance in the mid 1990’s. Older generation lasers were slow, very painful and worked only on individuals with very dark hair and very light skin. Today, lasers can work on all skin colors and some lasers are even safe for treating tanned skinned. Lasers for hair removal can be performed on any (yes, any) area of the body.

There are several lasers for hair removal available. No one laser is ideal for every individual. Depending on your skin color and hair color, some lasers will be more effective than others.

The Ruby Laser is the "original " hair removal laser. Its deep red color at 694nm is very well absorbed by the melanin pigment in hair, making it an excellent choice for fine and light hair. However, because melanin is present in the skin as well, the Ruby laser cannot be used on patients with skin that is not very light, including tanned skin. Because of this limitation, slow repetition rate, and relatively small spot size, Ruby lasers have become less popular for laser hair removal in recent years.

The Alexandrite Laser produces reddish light. With its large (up to 18mm) spot size and high repetition rate, the Alexandrite laser is the fastest hair removal laser, and is suitable for rapid treatment of large body areas in patient with light to olive complexion. An entire back can be treated in less than 30 minutes.

The diode lazer consists of a high power laser diode emitting infrared (invisible) light at ~800-808nm. The longer wavelength allows deep penetration into the skin and safety for darker skin types, but with less efficacy for lighter and finer hair. A smaller spot size means a longer treatment. That may mean a more expensive treatment. A longer treatment may also increase discomfort and a need for topical numbing.

The long pulse Nd:YAG Laser can be used on all skin types, including tanned skin. Large spot sizes and fast repetition rates allow large areas to be treated quickly. Then disadvantage is less effective clearance for fine and light hairs than some other hair removal lasers.

IPL devices are not lasers, because they emit non-coherent light of many different wavelengths. However, because most of the light energy is in the shorter wavelengths, treatment of darker skin types is less effective than with the appropriate laser.

A larger spot size offers not only the advantage of faster hair laser treatment, but also additional safety and efficacy. As spot size increases, a lower percentage of the delivered light energy scatters outside of the treatment area, increasing the depth of penetration, and allowing a lower energy setting to be used for treatment. It is important that a laser have consistent cooling in order to ensure patient safety and comfort. Although complications with new lasers for hair removal are rare, in the event of a complication, you need to know who will provide medical attention.

It is important to use the right laser or light source for your skin type. The Alexandrite (755nm) and NdYag (1064nm) are generally considered the best lasers for LHR, but the NdYag is safer on darker skin types as the Alexandrite attracts pigment. As long as the hairs being treated have color (pigment), the treatment will be effective. We usually recommend 6 to 8 treatments spaced 4 to 6 weeks apart for optimal, long-lasting results. LHR is expensive, but when you consider that the results are long-lasting if not permanent, there is a huge cost savings long-term. LHR also is less irritating to the skin than shaving, waxing or electrolysis.