What Laser Type Works Best For Hair Removal?

The best laser machine for hair removal is one that matches your skin tone as some laser technologies work better than others for different skin types. Modern laser machines also feature skin cooling technology to reduce the chance of injury and make the process more comfortable.

There is no one size fits all answer for laser hair removal and the best choice for you is based on your skin tone as well as other factors that we’ll discuss in detail below.

Factors to determine what laser type works best for hair removal

Here are the major factors to consider when searching for a laser hair removal clinic for any body part(s) you wish to remove unwanted hair.

Type of laser machine

There are four kinds of laser machines used for hair removal: Ruby, Diode, Alexandrite and Nd:Yag. You can read more about each in my article Which Laser Hair Removal Is Best to learn about the benefits.

The Ruby is the oldest technology and should be avoided since there are newer models that do a better job of hair removal. It’s mentioned only for completeness.

Some laser machines suit certain skin colors better than others not only in terms of quality of hair removal but safety: An Alexandrite laser for example is better for light-skinned people whereas Nd:Yag is better for dark-skinned people.

But how do you define light or dark skinned? Speak with local laser clinics to discuss your personal situation. Some ultra modern laser machines can automatically detect your skin tone to adjust the machine to your specific skin color.

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) is a light-based hair removal option and is not laser but is a competitor. There are some modern laser machines that combine IPL alongside a laser technology for versatility.

Your skin type

Related to the above point regarding the type of laser is your skin type. Laser hair removal uses the Fitzpatrick Skin Type chart which defines skin tone from Skin Type I (light skinned) up to Skin Type VI (dark skinned). Depending on your skin type, one machine might be better for you than another.

So the more you know about your skin type before visiting hair removal clinics, the better you’ll be able to only target ones that have a machine(s) that meets your skin type. If you visit the website of a local hair removal clinic with only an Alexandrite laser and you have the darkest skin tone VI, you don’t have to waste your time visiting them because this laser is not safe for you.

Larger, modern hair removal clinics will have multiple options but not all smaller clinics do.

Your ability to withstand pain

Laser hair removal can be painful but some people might overstate how painful it is. It depends on what body part(s) you’re having treated because some areas like underarms and above the lip are more painful than say the arms or legs. More on that below.

Your ability to deal with pain is thus also a consideration. More so because modern laser hair removal machines come equipped with cooling features that help to soothe and cool the skin during laser treatment. Some use air or gas to quickly soothe the skin before, during and/or after each laser cycle. This reduces the pain and chance of injury to the skin.

Cost of treatment

The average price of a single laser hair removal treatment is around $287. While no one wants to overpay for anything, laser hair removal is one of those things you don’t want go cheap with and then end up paying for it in the end either with subpar results or injury. Or both.

Be very careful about fly by night clinics offering super cheap laser hair removal. If a clinic is unfamiliar with skin types, refers to offering permanent hair removal (only Electrolysis does that), tries to tell you that IPL is a laser or just has an overall poor knowledge of hair removal, keep shopping.

Sometimes you’ll see the cheap Groupon-type ads offering laser hair removal but it’s actually IPL or referred to as IPL laser which is inaccurate.

Body part(s) to be treated

This also ties into the first three points:

Some machines are faster (Alexandrite) than others (Ruby) and therefore can handle a larger area of unwanted hair. This means shorter treatments and probably better results too.

Your skin type also matters since not all hair removal clinics have every type of laser and may or may not be able to meet your personal needs.

Finally, some body parts hurt more than others when doing hair removal! Your underarms are particularly sensitive and have dense coarse hair. The area above your lip is sensitive, too. Areas with unwanted hair that are near bones around the surface of the skin also tend to produce more pain during laser hair removal. I can speak from experience that pain around the collarbone area from laser is quite sharp.

Summary

The more you learn about laser hair removal technology before you speak with laser clinics, the less time you’ll waste and the more knowledgeable you’ll be regarding what you need. Learn about your skin type and develop realistic goals about hair removal.

Learn about the concept of permanent hair reduction which is the best you can hope to achieve with laser and not permanent hair removal which is something only offered (according to the FDA) by Electrolysis. If you can fit your budget, time frame and expectations in line, you’re closer to getting hair removal results you’ll be happy with.

Want to learn more about laser hair removal and what to consider before you go ahead with it? Check out my article called 12 Questions To Ask Before You Get Laser Hair Removal.