Best At Home Laser Hair Removal For Dark Hair

Laser hair removal is a popular procedure for those who want to remove unwanted hair, but there are some things you should know before you get started.

If your hair is dark and coarse, laser hair removal may not be the best option for you.

For starters, lasers work by targeting the pigment in your hair follicles. The more melanin in your skin and hair, the harder it will be for the laser to target those follicles and destroy them. That’s why people with darker skin often have better results from laser hair removal than people with lighter skin.

Laser hair removal is a popular option for those looking to permanently remove unwanted body hair. It’s especially popular among women and people with darker skin, because it’s less likely to leave you with unsightly scarring or hyperpigmentation.

A lot of people think that laser treatment is only for women, but there are actually a number of male-specific benefits as well:

-If you’re a man who wears a beard, laser hair removal can help keep your facial hair looking fuller and more defined by removing the shorter hairs that grow in between longer ones.

-Many men who get laser treatment find their acne symptoms improve significantly. The heat from the laser helps kill bacteria that make acne worse, while also reducing inflammation and redness in the surrounding skin.

-Laser hair removal can help treat ingrown hairs caused by shaving or waxing (and even waxing mishaps).

We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products—learn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

Laser Hair Removal

Getting laser hair removal done professionally can be quite costly, but there are several at-home devices that are more affordable and still effective for zapping off hair. The thought of lasering your face or body may sound scary, so we talked to dermatologists to get the scoop on everything you need to know about at-home laser hair removal devices. When researching devices for this list, we looked for models with FDA clearance, proper safety features, and customer seals of approval..

SmoothSkin has been in the laser hair removal game for more than 30 years, so it’s no surprise its FDA-cleared Pure Fit device is one of the best all around. Not only does it go up to 10 energy settings, but it also has three different comfort modes (power, speed, and gentle) and two operating settings (stamp and glide) so you can customize the experience for different parts of your body. The precision head lets you tackle trickier areas like the bikini line, upper lip, and even the fingers and toes. It has a built in skin sensor that selects the right intensity for your skin tone as well as prevents accidental activation. The brand recommends using it once a week for 12 weeks, after which you can use it once every one to two months to maintain the results..

Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Joshua Zeichner recommends this Tria Hair Removal Laser because “it uses diode technology, which is the same that is used in the office. The energy, however, is lower so it can safely be used at home.” The FDA-cleared device has a smaller laser cap that targets hair follicles more precisely and uses less intense light emissions as it goes up to five levels, so it won’t bother your eyes. It also has a clever sensor that lights up green if you have the right skin tone to use the device safely; otherwise it won’t unlock when you put it over your skin. With a 60 day return policy, you can try it out risk-free..

Does Laser Hair Removal Work Better On Dark Hair

The Braun Silk Expert System uses intense pulsed light (IPL) that has been clinically tested to be a safe and efficient at-home hair removal treatment. Not only does the FDA-cleared device work quickly (you can treat both legs in just nine minutes), but it also comes equipped with over 300,000 flashes, which equals out to an average of 16 years worth of treatments. The precision head lets you zap smaller areas like your bikini line or armpits with ease. For extra safety, the SensoAdapt™ sensor continuously reads your skin tone and adapts the intensity of the flashes. The kit also comes with a Venus razor to use to shave beforehand, so you have one less thing to worry about.

While it’s nice that today’s devices come with so many settings and features, sometimes you want a simple design that you can use quickly. Consider SmoothSkin’s Bare +, the pared down version of our Best Overall pick. You still get the brand’s strong, FDA-cleared IPL technology and safety skin sensor in a compact design that delivers 100 flashes per minute, meaning you can treat your entire body in about 10 minutes. Rather than having different power and comfort levels, it just comes with two modes: stamp and glide. It does require a little more consistency than the Pure Fit (treatment every 2-4 weeks for maintenance), but if you don’t mind consistent but short sessions, this is the device for you.

Anyone that has tried to shave their bikini line knows it’s no easy feat — it feels like you have to do gymnastics to reach all the nooks and crannies. With a head that rotates 180 degrees, this FDA-cleared device can get all the angles down there. The cooling setting is also great for treating sensitive areas and reducing any swelling or redness. The system uses the same optimal pulse technology which combines laser and IPL technology to achieve the perfect blend of energy level and wavelength. The sleek design feels good in the hands and looks as if you truly brought the salon to your home.

Yes. Since the laser itself is drawn to the pigment in the hair follicle, really dark hair actually benefits from laser hair removal the most. The more pigment there is in your hair, which is more pigment in darker hair, the more successful laser hair removal will be.

Permanent Hair Removal At-Home

Hair removal cannot be done permanently at home. One might be able to permanently or semipermanently slow down hair growth, though.

based on one study

IPL (intense pulsed light) equipment made for at-home usage by trusted sources are secure and efficient at removing hair when used consistently.