The 15 Best Laser Hair Removal Devices You Can Safely Use at Home

After years of shaving, waxing, and sugaring, your go-to hair removal process can understandably start to feel like a serious hassle—so much so that you may start considering a more permanent alternative. When it comes to getting rid of unwanted hair on your legs, underarms, bikini area, or face, laser hair removal is a safe, long-lasting treatment that can eliminate stubble and fuzz for good.

Unfortunately, these treatments can come with a price tag in the thousands. A single laser therapy session might cost a couple of hundred dollars, but for full results, you'll need to get four to six sessions. Depending on where you're getting laser hair removal (say, your upper lip versus your legs), the cost can also go up. Luckily, there are plenty of at-home devices that come at a fraction of the price of in-office treatment and can be used safely and effectively. However, there are a few things to keep in mind before you buy one.

Best Dermatologist-Approved Device: Tria Hair Removal Laser
Best Budget-Friendly Option: Iston Permanent Painless Hair Removal Device
Best Travel-Friendly Option: Silk'n Infinity
Easiest to Use: Mismon Hair Removal Machine
Best Anti-Aging Option: BoSidin Painless Permanent Hair Removal Device
Best for Reducing Ingrown Hair: Braun Silk Expert Pro 3
Best for All-Over Use: XSOUL Painless Hair Remover Device
Best for Fast Treatment: Braun Silk Expert Pro 5
Best for Sensitive Skin: Yachyee Painless Laser Hair Removal Device
Best for Dark Spot Treatments: Faustina 3-in-1 IPL Device
Best for Bikini Line: AMZGirl Hair Remover Device
Best for Coarse Hair: Imene Hair Remover
Best for Touch-Ups: Finishing Touch Lumina Painless Hair Remover
Best for Legs: Gozye Wholebody Hair Removal Device
Best for All Hair Colors: Ora Iluminage Touch Permanent Hair Reduction System

What Is Laser Hair Removal?

Before any kind of medical procedure, it's a good idea to fully understand what you're undergoing—the same is true for laser hair removal. Essentially, a device emits light, which is absorbed by the pigment in a hair follicle. "You're heating up the pigment that is in the hair follicle," explains David J. Goldberg, MD, of Schweiger Dermatology Group in New York City. "That heat damages the follicle, so it reduces in size and eventually doesn't produce hair."

There are two different types of technology that are used in these kinds of hair removal devices: laser-based and intense pulse light, or IPL. Joshua Zeichner, MD, founder of Zeichner Dermatology in New York City, explains that the main difference between these devices is the light they emit—lasers emit one wavelength, whereas IPL devices emit several wavelengths. While they're different, he says they both work to remove hair: "We have very effective laser devices and very effective IPL devices." In terms of at-home tools, however, you're far more likely to find ones that use IPL.

Because this technology targets the pigment of the hair, it's not suitable for everyone. Laser hair removal doesn't work on blonde or white hair, and for those with darker skin tones (or tattoos!), it can prove more challenging and even dangerous. "These devices cannot tell the difference between melanin in the hair and melanin in the skin when they are close in color," explains Caroline Robinson, MD, founder of Chicago's Tone Dermatology. This can result in risks such as irritation, blistering, and dramatic hyperpigmentation. Many at-home hair removal devices provide charts that show their level of safety and effectiveness for different hair and skin tones. If you're unsure whether laser hair removal, either with an in-office treatment or an at-home device, is suitable for you, speak with a dermatologist before trying it.

How Does At-home Compare With In-office Treatments?

"At-home devices utilize the same technology as many in-office devices, but at much lower energy levels," explains Jessie Cheung, MD, founder of Chicago and New York-based Cheung Aesthetics and Wellness. "That translates to slower heating of the hair follicle, so each treatment takes much longer and there is less damage to the hair follicle, so more treatments are needed."

While home devices are less expensive than an in-office treatment in the long run, they require far more patience and consistency. While you might come in once a month for a professional treatment, Dr. Goldberg suggests using a home device once a week for six to eight weeks. "Compliance often becomes an issue, but if you can stick to it, you'll get a reasonably good result, but it's not going to be as good as an office device because it's not as powerful," he tells Health. "The more power you can deliver and the more you can heat up the follicle, the better it's going to be."

Because at-home laser hair removal devices aren't quite as powerful as the professional alternative, they are a great option for people to use after they've already received an in-person treatment—after all, although it will grow back slower and finer, hair can still grow back after it's lasered. "Nothing's ever perfect," Dr. Goldber says. "We have to be realistic." He adds that it's important to realize how long at-home hair removal can take—because home devices have less power and a smaller surface area than those you'd use at your dermatologist's office, it can be time-consuming to treat larger portions of your body, like your legs.

Dr. Zeichner suggests that home devices can alternatively be a good starting point. "As you use these devices, the hair gets finer and grows slower, since the laser stuns, if not partially destroys the follicle. Even if the hair grows back, there are longer shave-free intervals," he tells Health. "When you're left with just fine hair, you often need a more powerful laser to finish the job."

Effectively Use an At-home Laser Hair Removal Device

Because these devices target the root of your hair, avoid plucking, waxing, or sugaring a few weeks before you start the removal process. Shaving is okay, but let your hair grow a day or two for the best results. "You just want enough hair to conduct the heat to the root, but not too much at the surface so that the heat gets trapped there," Dr. Cheung tells Health. If you've had a tan, she adds, wait at least two weeks so the pigment cells in your skin are less active, so they won't reach the heat of the device.

Like you should with any skin product, patch test it before using it on especially sensitive areas, like your bikini line or face. You might feel a pinching or stinging sensation when you use it, but it shouldn't be more than mild discomfort. "I've never had anybody complain that they couldn't use a home device because it hurt too much," says Dr. Goldberg. If you're especially sensitive to pain, he advises using a topical pain reliever (like Apercreme).

Think at-home laser hair removal could be the right decision for you? Here are the best devices, according to these dermatologist guidelines and customer reviews, for safely and effectively zapping away unwanted stubble from the comfort of your own home.