Types of Laser Hair Removal

There are various types of laser hair removal devices that can be used to effectively reduce hair growth. Some laser technologies are approved for lighter skin tones. Others can be used on all skin types including dark skin. 

Alexandrite Laser: This type of laser hair removal device operates at 755nm wavelength, which is a shorter, more superficial wavelength with powerful absorption by melanin in the skin’s epidermis. This protocol is therefore more suitable for lighter skin types with finer, superficial hair. A larger spot size can be used with the Alexandrite laser which will cover larger areas quite rapidly, so it can provide short treatment times for larger areas such as the back or the chest.

Diode 808 laser:This type of laser hair removal device operates at 808nm wavelength, which is a longer wavelength and allows for a deeper penetration into the skin, theoretically avoiding the melanin in the skin’s epidermis and instead penetrating the skin right through to target the deepest follicles directly. This helps avoid superficial skin damage and pigmentation changes that can happen with shorter wavelength laser types. The diode laser performs well on skin types including dark skin with coarse, dark hair and is a good choice for back or bikini hair.

Nd:Yag: This type of laser hair removal device operates at 1064nm wavelength, a long wavelength which can penetrate the skin right through the deepest follicles, avoiding melanin in the skin’s epidermis. At the same time, melanin barely absorbs Nd:YAG laser light, so dark skin types can safely be treated with minimal risk of injury. This kind of laser is the most gentle and therefore may require more sessions to achieve hair reduction goals.

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