Are at-home laser removal devices safe?

Ward explains that if you use your device correctly, it’s generally safe but still advises to never run the light over pigmented areas (like moles), tattoos, or around the eyes and genitals.

How do you use at-home laser removal devices?

This will depend on your device of choice, but most are to be used on shaved skin (free of all skincare) once a week. You should run your device over the entire treatment area before repeating the process several times (check your instructions for specifics).

How do the results of at-home laser hair removal devices compare to in-office treatments?

Ward explains that the main differences are that in-clinic machines are more powerful and often bigger, so they can cover a treatment area faster and do a better job at eradicating hair. In-office treatments are generally more advanced, too, which is why those with light hair or a deep skin tone are often better off seeing a professional (given it’s within means).

Can you use at-home laser hair removal devices be used on hormonal-based hair growth?

Yes! IPL devices are effective on hormonal-based hair growth. People who have hair growth from PCOS, for example, are cleared to use at-home IPL devices.

Can you use an at-home laser hair removal device on a tattoo?

No. The frequencies used by an at-home IPL device might cause a skin reaction on the skin that is covered by a tattoo. It's best to use your device around areas with tattoos.

Can you use an at-home laser device on dark skin?

If you have dark skin, you’ll need to seek out a suitable device, otherwise, you can risk burning your skin or bringing on hyperpigmentation (this is due to the fact the laser light is not only attracted to the dark hair follicle but the melanin in your skin).

The 10 Best At-Home Laser Hair Removal Devices of 2023

If you’re someone who chooses to remove hair from someplace on your body, you’ll know what a royal pain it can be—in terms of time, money, and pain. For those sick of shaving or those who aren’t keen on waxing until the end of time, laser is by far one of the most popular (and effective) alternatives.

According to cosmetic chemist and beauty educator Michelle Wong, laser hair removal works on the premise that dark colors (your hair) absorb light (the laser). The light from the laser then heats the hair follicle to a point where it becomes damaged, resulting in no growth at all, or hair that’s much finer. The results are semi-permanent and only require maintenance once or twice a year after initial treatments.

Laser hair removal is traditionally administered by a professional in-office, but these treatments don’t come cheap and require multiple sessions to see a semi-permanent reduction (making for a costly and exhaustive process). Thankfully, plenty of effective, easy, cost-efficient at-home laser devices are available on the market.

While these won’t measure up to that of a trained, qualified professional, they may do just the trick if you’re looking to save time and a few hundred dollars. We spent hours researching and reading through countless reviews to find the top-rated at-home laser hair removal devices that money can buy. We then tried a few out for ourselves and cross-referenced our picks with that of our experts. Find the most effective at-home laser hair removal devices ahead.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Braun Silk-Expert Pro 5 at Amazon

Jump to Review

Best Drugstore:

MiSMON IPL At-Home Hair Removal Machine at Amazon

Jump to Review

Best for Small Areas:

SmoothSkin Hair Removal Device at Amazon

Jump to Review

Best for Bikini:

nood The Flasher 2.0 at Amazon

Jump to Review

Best for Medium Skin:

Braun Silk-Expert Pro 3 at Amazon

Jump to Review

Best for Sensitive Skin:

Silk'n Infinity Hair Removal Device at Silkn.com

Jump to Review

Most Comfortable:

DEESS GP590 Permanent Hair Removal System at Amazon

Jump to Review

Best for Dark Skin:

Elos Me Me Sleek at Brookstone.com

Jump to Review

Best for Large Areas:

ORA Iluminage Touch 4ever Home Permanent Hair Removal System at Nordstrom

Jump to Review

Best with Cooling Technology:

HappySkin IPL Hair Removal Handset at Happyskinco.com

Jump to Review

In This Article

Our Picks
Final Verdict
What to Look For
FAQ
Why Trust Byrdie

4.8

Amazon

View On Amazon View On Braun.com

What We Like

Recommended by the Skin Health Alliance
SensoAdapt technology adjusts intensity to skin tone
10 power settings

What We Don't Like

Expensive

We consider our number one pick the Rolls Royce of at-home hair removal devices. The Braun Silk-Expert Pro 5 is fast, effective, and delightful to use. Recommended by the Skin Health Alliance and cleared by the FDA, it utilizes a technology called SensoAdapt that adjusts the flash intensity for your skin tone as you’re using it—making it suitable for use on most skin tones. The device also boasts 10 different power settings, allowing you to tailor treatment to your skin tone and pain threshold. Needless to say, it may be pricey (as most of these devices are), but it sure is impressive.

Price at time of publish: $372

Type: IPL | Flashes: 300,000

Amazon

View On Amazon View On Aliexpress.com

What We Like

Affordable
Ergonomic grip
LCD screen

What We Don't Like

Doesn't have unlimited flashes

This laser device from MiSMON is surprisingly affordable for what it is. Featuring a range of energy levels and an LCD screen that tells you how many flashes are left (it comes pre-loaded with 300,000 flashes), it’s easy to customize to your needs. The easy hand-held grip makes it a cinch to use on legs, arms, armpits, butt, and the bikini area as well.

Price at time of publish: $190

Type: IPL | Flashes: 300,000

Amazon

View On Amazon

What We Like

Dual safety sensors to check skin suitability before every flash
Precise, targeted flashes
Unlimited number of flashes

What We Don't Like

Not effective on dark skin tones

If you're looking to target smaller areas, particularly on your face, this device is amazing. It's FDA-cleared and is equipped with safety sensors to check skin suitability automatically before every flash. In other words, the device adjusts to the level you need without doing a thing, which is why we love it for the face. Its precision also makes it ideal for hard-to-reach areas like the upper lip. Although it's priced higher than some options on the list, we love that this device has unlimited flashes, extending its longevity. Our only gripe is that it isn't suitable for dark skin tones, so we'd suggest going with another option if that's a concern for you.

Price at time of publish: $379

Type: IPL | Flashes: Unlimited

Nood the Flasher 2.0 IPL Laser Hair Removal Handset

Amazon

View On Amazon View On Trynood.com

What We Like

Fully digital display
90-day money back guarantee
Wide window for faster treatments

What We Don't Like

Comparatively fewer flashes out of the box

You've seen this affordable, buzzy device pop up all over social—and with good reason. It uses a multi-spectrum bulb to zap and permanently reduce hair, which makes it less painful than laser devices. For this reason, we love it for the sensitive skin around the bikini area. The extra wide window also makes treating this area easy. The FDA has approved this device, and the brand guarantees permanent results within eight weeks.

Price at time of publish: $189

Type: IPL | Flashes: 6,000

Amazon

View On Amazon View On Target View On Walmart

What We Like

Precision head allows for easy treatment on small areas
Said to work on medium to deep skin tones

What We Don't Like

Doesn't have unlimited flashes

Braun is one of the most highly regarded brands in the at-home permanent hair removal game, and the Silk Expert lives up to the hype. Pre-loaded with 300,000 flashes, it’s one of the few devices on the market that is said to work on medium to deep skin tones (level V on the Fitzpatrick scale). The included precision head is also useful when treating small areas like the bikini or face.

Price at time of publish: $250

Type: IPL | Flashes: 300,000

Silkn

View On Silkn.com

What We Like

Syncs with a reminder app
Five power settings
Can be adjusted to cater to sensitive skin

What We Don't Like

Expensive

Bad at sticking to a routine? This device comes with a handy app to remind you of your next appointment because when it comes to at-home laser hair removal, consistency is key. The five power settings mean you can tailor intensity as well (a nice feature for sensitive skin types or those with a low pain threshold).

Price at time of publish: $429

Type: IPL | Flashes: Unlimited

DEESS GP590 Permanent Hair Removal System

Amazon

View On Amazon

What We Like

Features soothing cool technology
Rechargeable with unlimited flashes
Includes three different heads

What We Don't Lke

Cord could be longer

Those who are bad with pain (even something minimal like permanent hair removal) will take comfort in the fact this DEESS device comes kitted out with cool technology to soothe the skin after treatment. It’s rechargeable and comes with unlimited flashes, so in theory, it should last a really long time. There are also three heads—some of which are for skin rejuvenation, but our advice is to stick to it for hair removal only.

Price at time of publish: $300

Type: IPL | Flashes: Unlimited

Amazon

View On Brookstone.com View On Nordstromrack.com

What We Like

FDA cleared for all skin tones
Unlimited flashes
Sleek design

What We Don't Like

Expensive

With unlimited treatments and FDA clearance to work on all skin tones, there’s a lot to love about this Me Sleek laser device. it boasts unlimited flashes and a ultra-sleek design. We love the luxe charging cradle as well.

Price at time of publish: $299

Type: IPL and radiofrequency | Flashes: Unlimited

ORA Iluminage Touch 4ever Home Permanent Hair Removal IPL & Radio Frequency System (FDA-Cleared)

Amazon

View On Nordstrom View On Brookstone.com View On Lookfantastic.com

What We Like

Uses IPL and radiofrequency
FDA cleared for all skin tones and hair colors
Unlimited flashes

What We Don't Like

Very expensive

If you want to treat your arms, legs, or back, you need a device with a larger head, such as this one from ORA. The combination of IPL and radiofrequency used in this is actually patented by the brand—in fact, the technology was originally developed by scientists behind in-clinic machines, so you know you’re in good hands. It’s also one of the few FDA-cleared tools that are said to work on all skin tones and hair colors.

Price at time of publish: $449

Type: IPL and radiofrequency | Flashes: Unlimited

HappySkin

View On Happyskinco.com

What We Like

Features cooling technology
Great for sensitive skin
Three different modes

What We Don't Like

May be too large for smaller areas

This handset from Happyskin is fitted out with cooling technology to mitigate any stinging or redness post-treatment, so it’s a nice choice for sensitive skin. With 999,000 flashes and three modes (including auto, glide, and manual), it’s not bad for the price point. Bonus points for its sleek appearance as well.

Price at time of publish: $269

Type: IPL | Flashes: 999,000

Final Verdict

The Braun Silk-Expert Pro 5 wins for us, hands down. It’s smart, effective, quick, and safe—all features that are really great value given the price point. We also love the affordable nood The Flasher 2.0, which is approved by the FDA and offers a money-back guarantee on permanent hair reduction within eight weeks.

Meet the Expert

Michelle Wong is a Sydney, Australia-based cosmetic chemist, beauty educator, and the founder of Lab Muffin. Wong started Lab Muffin in December 2011, frustrated that there weren’t enough easy-to-understand explanations of the science behind beauty products online.
Rachel Ward, MD, is a dermatologist based in Cleveland, Ohio. She is a Cleveland Clinic-affiliated practitioner.

What to Look For in an At-Home Laser Hair Removal Device

Laser vs. IPL

According to dermatologist Rachel Ward, MD, there are two types of at-home hair removal methods: true laser and IPL. Both use light to heat the hair follicle; the only palpable difference is the light they actually use (laser uses one wavelength, whereas IPL uses multiple). All of the options on this list are equipped with IPL.

Skin Tone and Hair Color

Because the laser is attracted to dark pigment, it’s tricky territory for dark skin tones due to the possibility of the laser getting confused and heating the actual skin instead of the hair (and causing permanent damage). These days, technology has come far enough (and rightly so) that people of color can reap the rewards of laser hair removal, but it’s important to seek out the right tool, which in this case is the Elos Me Me Sleek device. If you're really in doubt, hedge your bets and speak to a professional from the get-go. Even if you don’t commit to a series of treatments, you’ll at least have peace of mind and a better understanding of what you can and can’t do.

Likewise, those with fair body hair should also consider their options because at-home devices might not be intelligent enough to pick up the hair follicle (remember, they’re attracted to dark pigment).

Size

Consider each device's design and intended use before adding it to your cart. If you're looking for a device to use across a large area of the body (like the legs, for example), a large option is best. We like the ORA Iluminage Touch 4ever Home Permanent Hair Removal System, a system designed to work on your arms, legs, and back. On the other hand, if you're trying to eliminate hair on a small area of your body, we're fans of the SmoothSkin Hair Removal Device, an FDA-cleared tool that utilizes precise, targeted flashes on hard-to-reach areas like the upper lip.

FAQ

Are at-home laser removal devices safe?

Ward explains that if you use your device correctly, it’s generally safe but still advises to never run the light over pigmented areas (like moles), tattoos, or around the eyes and genitals.
How do you use at-home laser removal devices?

This will depend on your device of choice, but most are to be used on shaved skin (free of all skincare) once a week. You should run your device over the entire treatment area before repeating the process several times (check your instructions for specifics).
How do the results of at-home laser hair removal devices compare to in-office treatments?

Ward explains that the main differences are that in-clinic machines are more powerful and often bigger, so they can cover a treatment area faster and do a better job at eradicating hair. In-office treatments are generally more advanced, too, which is why those with light hair or a deep skin tone are often better off seeing a professional (given it’s within means).
Can you use at-home laser hair removal devices be used on hormonal-based hair growth?

Yes! IPL devices are effective on hormonal-based hair growth. People who have hair growth from PCOS, for example, are cleared to use at-home IPL devices.
Can you use an at-home laser hair removal device on a tattoo?

No. The frequencies used by an at-home IPL device might cause a skin reaction on the skin that is covered by a tattoo. It's best to use your device around areas with tattoos.
Can you use an at-home laser device on dark skin?

If you have dark skin, you’ll need to seek out a suitable device, otherwise, you can risk burning your skin or bringing on hyperpigmentation (this is due to the fact the laser light is not only attracted to the dark hair follicle but the melanin in your skin).

Why Trust Byrdie

Over the years, Emily Algar has experienced and spoken to dozens of experts in the permanent hair-removal treatment space, figuring out what works and what doesn’t. For this feature, she has borrowed the expertise of two professionals (a dermatologist and a beauty educator) to break down the how's and what’s of at-home laser hair removal.

According to our Diversity Pledge, 15% of products in our newly-published market roundups will feature Black-owned and/or Black-founded brands. At the time of publishing, we were not able to find any at-home laser hair removal devices from a Black-owned and/or Black-founded business. If you know of one we should consider, please email us at contact@byrdie.com, and we will evaluate the product ASAP.

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