Laser Hair Removal For Men (2021)

Laser hair removal for men remains a popular albeit costly option for male hair removal. Laser hair removal has long been the standard by which permanent hair removal is often spoken about for guys who want more than what shaving or waxing offers.

Permanent hair removal isn’t actually being offered unfortunately so we need to get that out of the way right off the bat. If you see a clinic or other practitioner offering permanent hair removal with laser, you’re being misled.

But that doesn’t mean that laser hair removal can’t offer men long term hair reduction and hair free happiness because it can. We just need to set expectations up front.

Let’s talk about hair growth, why laser hair removal isn’t permanent, what hair removal option is permanent, and how laser hair removal is actually still a great choice for many man who desire a long term reduction of hair.

The Hair Growth Cycle

Hair grows in cycles and there are 4 phases of the hair growth cycle that exist:

• Anagen (growth phase)
• Catagen (transition phase)
• Telogen (resting phase)
• Exogen (shedding phase)

(NOTE: The “fifth” phase on the far right hand side of the picture is the beginning of the first phase again so it really is a 4-phase hair growth cycle.)

So the four phases of hair growth go from initial growth of the hair all the way through to when it falls out and then the cycle starts over again.

It’s important to hit the hair in the correct phase (growth phase) for maximum chances of long term hair removal success.

It’s also important to complete laser hair treament on short, trimmed hair. The shorter your hair, the less the laser has to travel down to the shaft of the hair follicle. Your hair removal practitioner should take care of this at the time of treatment.

Permanent Hair Removal

Permanent hair removal is only offered by electrolysis and the best that laser hair removal can offer is permanent hair reduction over time and with multiple visits. To be sure, while electrolysis offers men permanent hair removal as approved by the FDA, it’s really only effective on small areas of your body.

Think chin, lip, eyebrows, underarms.

If this sounds like something that women would be interested in, you’re right. For the longest time, electrolysis was marketed as – and thought of – a hair removal option just for the ladies. This wasn’t the case but that was the common belief.

I did an interview with an electrologist who specializes in hair removal for men so please do check that link out to learn about how electrolysis works and how it can benefit men.

Back to laser hair removal…

Speaking of which, the back – and shoulders, chest, arms and legs – tend to be larger areas where men have undesired hair that they wish to get rid of or at least reduce in amount. Electrolysis tends to be too time-consuming and thus expensive to handle the work of these larger, often hairier body parts.

That’s where laser hair removal comes in.

There are currently four types of laser hair removal procedures offered. Let’s take a look at each in detail.

Ruby Laser Hair Removal For Men

Ruby laser hair removal for men remains a popular option for males to achieve hair reduction on large body areas despite the Ruby’s status as an older laser technology.

The Ruby laser is an infrared laser and was the first laser hair removal system on the market. As such, it has a longer track record than other laser hair removal options but is also an older technology.

Ruby Laser Hair Removal For Men

Ruby lasers tend to be ideal for people who have light-colored skin and dark hair because the laser it emits is highly absorbed by the skin’s melanin. Laser is attracted to the melanin so the more melanin you have the better the laser can perform.

Different companies produce their own Ruby laser products so it’s good to familiarize yourself with them as clinics often refer to their machine by their brand name. Popular Ruby laser brands include Palomar E2000, RubyStar and EpiPulse Ruby.

Ruby Laser Hair Removal Features

The Ruby laser has a shorter wavelength when compared to newer laser technologies so it uses more energy in order to properly penetrate the skin to effectively treat the hair.

A Ruby laser works by emitting a pulse of light from a handheld device that is held up against the area of skin to be treated. Once the pulse has been delivered, the practitioner moves to the next area of skin and the process is repeated until the entire area has been covered.

Since it’s an older technology, there are other newer laser hair removal options that are becoming more readily available than the Ruby laser and that might be more effective, too. It largely depends on what your chosen practitioner offers and more importantly to you, your personal situation ie. your skin color, your hair color.

You might want to familiarize yourself with various popular Ruby options as different companies produce their own version. Well-known Ruby laser hair removal brands include: Palomar E2000, RubyStar, and EpiPulse Ruby.

Here are some things to think about if you’re considering the Ruby hair removal laser option.

Ruby Laser: Benefits

• Offers good results for people with light skin and dark hair
• Tends to offer long term hair removal albeit not necessarily permanent hair removal
• Works well on small areas of the body moreso than other laser options
• Hair that grows back tends to be finer and sparser and therefore less noticeable
• You may find less pain than with other laser hair removal options
• Often has a cooling technology built in to help cool the skin

Ruby Laser: Considerations

• Tends to be expensive and requires multiple treatments
• Tends to have difficulty successfully treating darker skin types
• Can only cover a relatively small area of hair at a time
• Has a slow repetition rate (ie. the light pulse works every two seconds) which increases the treatment time involved
• Side effects could include scars, burns, skin discoloration, redness and swelling
• Like some other lasers, doesn’t work with light or white hair

Diode Laser Hair Removal For Men

Diode laser hair removal is the one of newer forms of laser hair removal on the market but is currently the most popular of all laser hair removal options. It’s a modern technology and some practitioners use a cooling function to minimize pain to patients that laser hair removal often otherwise causes.

As with other newer laser hair removal options, the Diode laser has limited research showing evidence of long term results. And as with other laser hair removal technologies, it won’t guarantee 100% permanent hair removal but may offer permanent hair reduction over time and with repeated visits.

Diode Laser Hair Removal For Men

The Diode laser hair removal procedure may be a good choice for men who look to achieve long term hair reduction in large areas of their body such as the back, shoulder, chest or even arms and legs. It’s a widely produced machine even given its relatively new status when compared to older, more well-known laser hair removal options.

Like other laser hair removal machines, the Diode is often known by specific brand names and models. The more popular ones include Infinity, SLP 100, F1 Diode, MeDioStar, Light Sheer, LaserLite, Apex 800, and Epistar so you may read about these names when visiting a clinic offering Diode laser hair removal.

Diode Laser Hair Removal Features

The Diode laser utilizes a longer wavelength than both the Ruby and Alexandrite lasers enabling it to achieve deeper penetration of the skin which allows it to treat darker skinned patients than either of these two lasers. The deep penetration also tends to make the Diode a safer choice for people of color than other laser options.

In fact, the Diode is generally considered the best laser hair removal option for all skin types across the spectrum but is best for skin types I-IV. Do click the link if you’re unfamiliar with the Fitzpatrick skin tone scale as it helps to understand how skin color and hair color correlate to hair removal.

Still, the Diode generally doesn’t treat darker skinned patients as well as the Nd YAG laser system which currently tends to be the best available option for people of color. We’ll talk about that below.

Having said that, Diode hair removal tends to work well on dark, coarse hair like on your back and shoulders. With its ability to treat relatively large spot sizes, it is also an option for large body areas like the chest.

Here are some things to think about if you’re considering the Diode hair removal option.

Diode Laser: Benefits

• Compared to most other lasers, has a longer wavelength which might offer better results for people with darker skin.
• The longer wavelength offers deeper skin penetration and safer treatment of darker skin.
• Works well with dark (ie. black and brown) hair.
• Tends to allow rapid treatment of larger body areas and has a fast repetition rate.
• Has a long pulse width that can be adjusted by the practitioner doing the treatment.

Diode Laser: Considerations

• Like other lasers, doesn’t work with light or white colored hair.
• Also tends not to work well with fine, thin hair.
• Generally not as successful as treating darker skin types as the Nd: YAG laser.
• Side effects could include scars, burns, skin discoloration, redness and swelling.

Long term success and possible side effects of hair removal will also vary by patient. To get a sense as to how Diode laser hair removal may work, check out this page from a Philippines-based hair removal clinic who uses Diode laser with a cooling gel. Their process appears to be very modern. You’ll also see how the clinic very bluntly mentions how the Diode tends to work well on the skin tone of the average Filipino.

Alexandrite Laser Hair Removal For Men

The Alexandrite laser hair removal machine works in a similar fashion to the Ruby laser but has a slightly longer wavelength than the Ruby. The Alexandrite is also used to treat skin conditions like age spots and spider veins among other things.

It’s one of the newer forms of laser hair removal on the market but is also one of the most widely used laser hair removal technologies being used currently.

Alexandrite Laser Hair Removal For Men

As a relatively new hair removal option, the Alexandrite doesn’t have as much research available as the Ruby. Several companies offer their own Alexandrite laser hair removal product so it’s good for familiarize yourself with these options so you’ll know when you see the names. Major brands include Apogee, GentleLase, and EpiTouch Plus.

People with light or grey hair are not considered “ideal” candidates since these two types of hair are very difficult to treat.

Having said that, a light-skinned, dark haired person generally sees the best results.

Alexandrite Laser Hair Removal Features

The Alexandrite laser can cover a relatively large spot size and unlike the Ruby laser, can treat people with olive complexions but like the Ruby, is still limited to treating people with relatively light skin tones.

The Alexandrite is the fastest laser available, works well on light skins tones and is also capable to working on thinner and finer hairs that other lasers can’t.

Here are some things to think about if you’re considering the Alexandrite laser hair removal option.

Alexandrite Laser: Benefits

• Works best on light colored skin and dark hair.
• People with skin type 1 is often a good candidate as are skins types II and III. Skin type IV can also be treated with a lower setting.
• Tends to allow rapid treatment of larger body areas with a fast repetition rate.
• Has a slightly longer wavelength than Ruby lasers which means it can treat slightly darker skin tones ie. olive skin.
• A very widely used laser hair removal laser so it is easily found.
• Tends to work well with lighter and finer hair, moreso than other laser options.

Alexandrite Laser: Considerations

• Tends to be expensive and requires multiple treatments.
• Tends to have difficulty successfully treating darker skin types.
• Like other lasers, doesn’t work with light or white hair.
• Side effects could include scars, burns, skin discoloration, redness and swelling.
• Severe side effects for darker skinned patients may include white patches of skin if melanin is destroyed due to wrong operation of the machine.

Long term success and possible side effects of the hair removal will vary by patient. You may need 3-6 treatments for average hair removal success but it depends of course on how much hair you have to be removed.

You’ll probably find that hair removal sessions are spaced 6-8 weeks apart for greatest success so that the next time you have the treatment, previously dormant hairs have had a chance to grow and thus be treated.

Nd YAG Laser Hair Removal For Men

The Neodymium: Yttrium Aluminum Garnet laser is also commonly known as the Nd YAG laser hair removal option and is one of the newer forms of laser hair removal.

Nd YAG lasers are not only used for hair removal but in some cases are also used for tattoo and pigmented lesion treatment.

Nd YAG Laser Hair Removal For Men

As a newer form of hair removal the Nd YAG thus has some benefits that other older laser hair removal technologies don’t, namely its ability to work well with patients with dark and tanned skin. Other laser hair removal and the Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) option don’t perform as well in this regard. I have two links to articles regarding IPL at the very bottom of this post.

As with other laser products, a number of manufacturers use the technology under their own brand name. Popular Nd YAG brands include GentleYAG Pro, CoolGlide, Athos, Medlite IV, Varia, Laserscope Lyra, and Image. When you visit a clinic offering Nd YAG, it’s likely that you may run into these and other brand names depending on which machine they use.

Nd YAG Laser Hair Removal Features

Perhaps the biggest advantage that the Nd YAG laser has is that it generally works on all skin types I-VI and in particular, on people with darker skin tones which is something that other lasers cannot always do. People with skin types IV and V tend to be particularly good candidates for Nd: YAG unlike other laser hair removal options, and Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) for that matter.

Nd YAG has a long wavelength compared to other laser hair removal options. Longer wavelengths such as the one provided by the Nd YAG laser means it is safer for darker skin because less energy is absorbed by the skin than with other laser options.

An interesting feature of the Nd YAG involves the application of a lotion prior to treatment. Your Nd YAG practitioner will apply a carbon lotion to the skin being treated to help each hair follicle absorb the light from the laser.

Here are some things to think about if you’re considering the Nd YAG hair removal laser option.

Nd YAG Benefits

• Generally works on most skin types from I-VI included dark and tanned skin.
• Unlike some other laser options, can successfully treat darker skin tones.
• Has the ability to reach deeper layers of skin than other lasers due its high wavelength.
• Tends to allow rapid treatment of larger body areas with a fast repetition rate.
• Utilizes a carbon lotion that is spread on the skin to be treated to absorb most of the laser energy (as opposed to the energy being absorbed by the skin).

Nd YAG Considerations

• If the carbon lotion doesn’t penetrate the skin properly, it can negatively affect the effectiveness of the treatment.
• Like other lasers, doesn’t work with light or white hair.
• Nd YAG lasers tend to be less effective on fine hair than other laser options.
• Uses high power which can be painful.
• Side effects could include scars, burns, skin discoloration, redness and swelling.

Laser Hair Removal Comparison Table

Below we summarize and compare Ruby, Diode, Alexandrite and Nd YAG lasers for hair removal. We compare the:

Wavelength used: What is the wavelength of the light pulse? It’s measured in nm (nanometer) where 1nm = 1 billionth of a meter.

Spot Size: How much skin can the machine cover with a single pulse? The more skin it can treat at one time, the shorter the treatment time. Different manufacturers and laser types may offer slightly different spot sizes.

Pain: How much pain should you expect to experience relative to the other laser options?

Skin Colors of the ideal candidates: Based on the six-type Fitzpatrick Skin Code Chart I-VI where I is very pale skin and VI is black skin.

Hair Color of ideal candidates: What color should the unwanted hair be to achieve best results?

	Ruby	Diode	Alexandrite	Nd YAG
Wavelength	694nm	800nm	755nm	1064nm
Spot Size	up to 10mm	up to 14mm	up to 18mm	up to 12mm
Pain	Less	Middle	Least	Most
Skin Colors	Light skin only	I-IV	Light-Olive	I-VI
Hair Colors	Darker hair only	Darker	Darker	Dark

NOTE: Newer laser hair removal brands are on the market that may offer different specs that what is listed above. Check with the hair removal practitioner or clinic you visit for their machine’s specifications.

Which Laser Is Best For Hair Removal?

If only there was a simple answer. The answer is…it depends.

As you can see from the information above, a number of factors determine which laser might be best for you including your:

• Skin color and tone
• Hair color and coarseness
• Location of the hair to be removed
• Budget (how much money do you have to spend and on how many treatments?)
• Choice of practitioner (how skilled are they?)
• Practitioner’s choice of machinery, brand and the machine’s specifications
• Ability to follow instructions (do you avoid tanning and tweezing, waxing, etc before treatment?)
• Treatment schedule (do you attend treatments at the prescribed frequency or is it hit and miss?)
• Age (unwanted hair might not show up until later in life after you’d had hair removal treatment.)

Hair grows in cycles and it’s important to hit hair in the growth cycle to get as much of the unwanted hair at one time. When you return for your next appointment you should be hitting as much hair in the growth phase again. And so on.

Laser Hair Removal Summary

Ruby laser hair removal is the oldest laser hair removal option. From a laser practitioner’s point of view, Ruby lasers use a high amount of power to operate so combined with the other considerations, they might look at offering other newer laser hair removal options instead. Still, the Ruby laser has a long track record that generally shows that it can offer long-term hair reduction when operated by a skilled and trained professional. The amount of pain felt by the patient tends to vary on a case by case basis.

Diode laser hair removal tends to offer good results for those with coarse thick hair (ie. back hair, chest hair). The Diode laser uses a long wavelength which allows it to penetrate deep into the skin and as a result is more suitable than Ruby laser for darker skin tones which Ruby has difficulty with.

Alexandrite laser hair removal operates on a shorter wavelength than Diode. Thus the Alexandrite laser is more suited to lighter skin and darker hair. It can offer success for other slightly darker skin tones and lighter hair though, too.

The Nd YAG laser is currently the mostly broadly used laser hair removal option. It’s the overall best one for treating all skin tones and colors including tanned skin. As with other laser options, it tends not to be good with fine, white or light-colored hair however.

Long term success and possible side effects of any laser hair removal option will also vary by patient and by the quality and skill of the practitioner.

Laser Hair Removal Comparisons

Looking for comparisons to other similar hair removal options? You may want to learn more about Intense Pulsed Light or IPL and more specifically, my personal experience with IPL. I had 16 visits in total for back and shoulder hair removal and on this page, discuss my experiences, the pain involved, the time spent and the results.

Just want the facts about IPL instead? I also talk about IPL hair removal in more detail in terms of the pros and cons and the actual process itself if you’d like to learn more about that topic.