Fastest Laser Hair Removal

Laser hair removal at home is possible with small electronic devices. These are less powerful than the equipment that clinics use, but they can still be effective if a person uses them repeatedly over time.

Best overall: Tria Hair Removal Laser 4X

• Price: $499
• Number of pulses: 200,000
• Skin tone suitability: light to medium
• Hair tone suitability: light brown to black
• Body area for use: all
• FDA cleared: yes

Tria laser hair removal devices use diode lasers, the same technology many clinics use.

The LED screen helps guide treatment and shows the remaining battery life.

The Tria Hair Removal Laser 4X scans skin and hair tone, only unlocking if safe to use. It also chooses a safe setting for each individual. Higher settings are more painful and more effective, but they are not suitable for every skin tone.

This product comes with a one-year manufacturer’s warranty and a 60-day risk-free trial. The company offers free shipping.

Pros and cons

The Tria hair removal laser 4X has the following advantages:

• it features advanced diode laser technology
• it has an LED display that guides the user through each treatment
• it has inbuilt safety features

However, it has a short battery life of 30 minutes. Additionally, it has a small laser which may increase use time on the targeted area.

Best travel-friendly: Silk’n Flash&Go Express

• Price: around $279.65
• Number of pulses: 300,000
• Skin tone suitability: light to medium brown
• Hair tone suitability: light brown to black
• Body area for use: all
• FDA cleared: yes

The Silk’n Flash&Go Express is small, portable, and easy to hold. However, its wide head may make it less effective on curved areas of the body, such as the underarms, knees, or upper lip.

The Silk’n Flash&Go Express comes with a free app. This helps the user schedule treatments for the most effective long-term hair removal.

It uses IPL technology, which may mean that it takes longer to see results.

This product comes with a 2-year manufacturer’s warranty, free shipping, and a 60-day money-back guarantee in the US and Canada.

Pros and cons

The Silk’n Flash&Go Express has the following advantages:

• compact and lightweight size
• a free app to schedule treatments
• a range of power settings
• provides up to 15 years of use for full body treatments with monthly top-up treatments
• features multi-plug adaptors, making it convenient for travel

However, it may be difficult to use on some smaller, more curved areas of the body. Additionally, it does not feature an LED display.

Best low-cost: MiSMON IPL

• Price: around $190
• Number of pulses: 300,000
• Skin tone suitability: light to medium brown
• Hair tone suitability: light brown to black
• Body area for use: all, apart from the face
• FDA cleared: yes

This laser hair removal device is an affordable and lightweight option. It is one of the few models with safety goggles to protect the eyes from the bright light that comes with IPL technology.

The MiSMON IPL hair remover relies on the user to judge the right setting for their hair and skin tone. This may increase the risk of burns or skin damage.

This device comes with a 12-month manufacturer’s warranty and 3-months free return or replacement.

Pros and cons

The MiSMON IPL hair remover has the following advantages:

• it is lightweight and affordable
• the gun-shaped design can reach out to certain body parts better than some other default-shaped IPL devices
• safety goggles are included to protect the eyes
• it is waterproof

However, there is a delay between pulses which means that hair removal sessions may be slow. Additionally, this product does not come with special attachments for different body parts, making it may be more difficult to use on smaller, more tricky areas.

Unlike many other devices, this model does not automatically detect skin and hair tones, choosing the safest setting for the user.

Best for efficiency: Braun Silk-expert Pro 5

• Price: from $399.99
• Number of pulses: 400,000
• Skin tone suitability: light to medium brown
• Hair tone suitability: light brown to black
• Body area for use: all
• FDA cleared: yes

The Braun Silk-expert Pro 5 has a wide range of intensity settings, and the user can easily adjust it to suit their individual pain threshold. It uses IPL technology and automatically adapts to a person’s skin tone for safety.

It features three power modes: normal, sensitive, and extra sensitive. It can easily be adjusted to suit the person’s skin type.

It is one of the fastest at-home laser hair removal devices on the market. Using it should be less time-consuming and provide quick results. However, tracking treatment may be less easy as the device does not have an LED display.

This device comes with a 3-year manufacturer’s warranty and free shipping.

Pros and cons

The Braun Silk-expert pro 5 has the following advantages:

• it features a high number of pulses
• it has skin tone and skin type settings
• it provides a quick and efficient hair removal

However, this device heats up quickly and does not come with an LED display.

Best for ergonomic design: JOVS Venus Pro II IPL

• Price: around $400
• Number of pulses: 500,000
• Skin tone suitability: light to medium
• Hair tone suitability: medium to dark hair
• Body area for use: all
• FDA cleared: yes

The JOVS Venus Pro II IPL hair remover combines optimal pulse technology (OPT) with continuous pulses and red light to help break the hair regrowth cycle.

According to the manufacturers, OPT is an advanced and improved version of IPL and may provide a more effective result.

It features a cooling system that reduces the heat of the pulsed light on the skin. This means there is no need to pre-treat the area with gels, creams, or ice packs. It also has an ergonomically designed head that rotates 180 degrees to fit into and reach difficult areas.

This model also features an LED option which may help reduce visible signs of aging.

The manufacturers state that pulses flash at 0.7-second intervals, which may make the hair removal experience quick and less painful.

This device has six function modes and six intensity levels, targeting different body parts. It also has six adjustable energy intensities to accommodate different skin sensitivities.

The JOVS Venus Pro II IPL hair remover has a 2-year manufacturer’s warranty and free shipping.

Pros and cons

The JOVS Venus Pro II IPL hair remover has the following advantages:

• a built-in cooling feature
• six treatment heads
• may help treat signs of aging
• ergonomic rotating head

However, this model is A higher cost than other options on the market. Additionally, it is not suitable for light hair or dark skin.

Best for sensitive skin: SmoothSkin Pure Fit

• Price: around $380
• Number of pulses: unlimited
• Skin tone suitability: light to dark
• Hair tone suitability: medium to dark
• Body area for use: all
• FDA cleared: yes

The manufacturer claims that the SmoothSkin Pure Fit can give noticeable results in 2 weeks, removing up to 99% of hair after 12 weeks of treatment.

This device features three comfort settings: power, speed, and gentle. These have ten intensity levels. Additionally, it has precision head adaptors for small areas and safety features such as a UV filter and automatic skin tone adjustment sensor to protect the skin.

The SmoothSkin Pure Fit has a 2-year manufacturer warranty against faults, a 90-day money-back guarantee period, and free shipping.

Pros and cons

The SmoothSkin Pure Fit has the following advantages:

• it is easy to use
• it has precision head adaptors to tackle even the smallest areas
• it has in-built safety features to protect the skin
• it has a built-in UV filter
• unlimited flashes

However, results are not permanent or long-term, and it can take up to three months to obtain full results.

Best for beginners: Braun Silk-expert Pro 3

• Price: around $236
• Number of pulses: 300,000
• Skin tone suitability: light to medium
• Hair tone suitability: light to black
• Body area for use: all
• FDA cleared: yes

Braun states that this product can treat both legs within 9 minutes at its lowest energy level.

It features a skin tone sensor with UV protection which continuously reads the skin tone and automatically adapts the light intensity for safety.

This product comes with a Gillette Venus razor to remove hair before the IPL treatment, a precision head, and a carry pouch. These additional accessories, along with its small and light design and gentle mode setting may make it a good option for beginners.

The Braun silk-expert Pro 3 comes with a 2-year manufacturer warranty and free shipping.

Pros and cons

The Braun silk-expert Pro 3 has the following advantages:

• it has a light, compact design
• it has a skin tone sensor with UV protection
• it has a gentle mode setting

However, it may take people longer to see visibly permanent results as the Braun silk-expert Pro 3 is less powerful than some other competitor brands. People with light skin tones may also benefit from a more powerful IPL.

Dermatologist Recommended At-Home Laser Hair Removal

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Razor bumps, strawberry skin, and semi-permanent underarm shadow? Forget about the side effects of shaving and the pain of waxing — at-home laser hair removal makes it easy to achieve smooth, lasting results from the comfort and privacy of your own home. 

Laser hair removal is a great option if you’re looking to minimize the amount of hair, its thickness, or the rate at which it grows on certain areas on your face or body. It works by emitting a beam of light that is attracted to the pigment in a hair follicle, where it then heats up and destroys the follicle, effectively reducing and delaying hair growth. 

At-home laser hair removal is a more affordable way to achieve the results of professional sessions, but from the privacy of your own home and on your own schedule. However, these devices require more frequent and consistent use in order to achieve the same results, explains Dr. Kim Nichols, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of NicholsM. While professional sessions are usually every 6 to 8 weeks, at-home devices can be used as directed up to twice a week. Most at-home devices rely on Intense Pulsed Light (IPL), which is a less powerful laser than what is used professionally. 

“Convenience and privacy, if you’re looking to treat a private area that you don’t want others seeing, are two major benefits of using an at-home hair removal device,” explains Dr. Nichols. When it comes to shopping for a device that you’ll be able to use consistently, she suggests looking for those with clinical studies performed on the results, and features such as safety glasses to protect your eyes. 

While at-home laser hair removal devices can help to minimize hair growth at a fraction of the cost of in-office treatment, some devices are more reliable and deliver more consistent results than others. Our PEOPLE Tested team tried out a wide variety of at-home laser hair removal devices, and those that scored highest across our tests are included on this list. We narrowed down our top picks based on efficiency, ease of use, comfort, and overall value.

Best Overall

Silk’n Infinity Hair Removal Device

AMAZON

Pros

• Incredibly lightweight, weighing under 5 oz.
• Features pulse and glide settings for use on different areas
• We saw results of hair reduction and thinning in just 5 weeks

Cons

• Comes in over $400 at full price
• Can produce a mild heat on the highest setting (which is normal, but those with sensitive skin should be cautious)

Lightweight, easy-to-use, noticeably effective at reducing hair thickness and suitable for both your body and face — these are just a few of the reasons Silk’n Infinity Hair Removal Device earned our top recommendation. This dermatologist-approved, dual-voltage device is super easy to set up and to maneuver, even for those of us with small hands. We love that it arrived ready to use and with detailed instructions — although we ultimately found that watching a YouTube tutorial about the device was a faster, more helpful way to feel confident using it than reading through the instructions. It was a breeze to use on both the pulsing and gliding setting, with the former targeting smaller areas and the latter offering a quick and painless way to cover large areas like our legs in just 15 minutes. We felt no pain on any of the five settings — which you should work your way up through according to your own pain tolerance and skin tone — although the fifth setting, which is the most intense, did produce a mild heat (although this normal and expected, but worth noting for those with sensitive skin). After just five weeks of using this every other week, we started noticing hair reduction, and by the end of our testing period, our hair was growing back thinner. 

While this device is on the higher end of the price range of those that we tested, it equals out to roughly the cost of one session of professional laser hair removal. When you consider that this offers endless at-home convenience — it’s designed to provide a lifetime’s worth of treatments without ever requiring a refill cartridge — it’s easy to see why it’s a worthwhile investment, and why we’ll be relying on this instead of monthly trips to the waxing salon.

Price at time of publish: $300.30 (orig. $429)

Intensity Levels: 5 | Flashes: Unlimited | Suitable For: Full body and face

Best Overall, Less Expensive

nood The Flasher 2.0

5

NOOD

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use 5/5
• Features 5/5
• Comfort 5/5
• Effectiveness 5/5
• Durability 5/5

Pros

• Boasts 7 intensity levels for a customized experience
• There’s a wide, easy-to-read digital display
• Treatments can be achieved in under 10 minutes
• Costing around $200, it’s on the lower end for effective at-home laser hair removal devices

Cons

• Size of the device is slightly difficult to grasp for smaller hands
• Doesn’t offer unlimited flashes like our other best overall pick

Ingrown hairs and stubble-induced shadows are a thing of the past since we’ve been hooked on Nood The Flasher 2.0. With seven intensity levels and a fully digital display, it’s easy and painless to use over large areas and even on sensitive skin or on hormonal-based hair growth, like PCOS. The new and improved model features a wider treatment window and a higher intensity bulb, meaning we were able to achieve rapid body treatments in just 10 minutes with fewer flashes (our armpits only took five minutes!). 

While the larger size felt a bit bulky in our hands and the brighter flash visually startled us at first (and may be triggering for those with epilepsy), it was still comfortable to use and was worth it for how much faster we could run through treatments — it’s a dream for those of us who are always rushing out the door. Costing around $200, it’s also the most budget-friendly option on our list, and while you’ll get fewer features, we’d highly recommend it as an effective and affordable alternative to the other picks on this list. 

Price at time of publish: $198 (orig. $265)

Intensity Levels: 7 | Flashes: 600,000 | Suitable For: Full body and face

Best Cooling

Ulike Sapphire AIR+ IPL Hair Removal Handset

5

ULIKE

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use 5/5
• Features 5/5
• Comfort 5/5
• Effectiveness 5/5
• Durability 5/5

Pros

• Sapphire Ice Cooling Technology keeps the window ultra cold throughout application
• Device boasts five intensity levels
• Provides unlimited number of flashes, so no refilling a cartridge

Cons

• Device felt slightly large for smaller hands, making it slightly more difficult to maneuver
• Highest setting caused slight discomfort and may not be suited for sensitive skin

Worried about the warm or tingling sensations that certain at-home laser hair removal devices emit? This handset from Ulike has got you covered. Available in dark green and white, this remote-shaped wand boasts proprietary Sapphire Ice Cooling Technology, which we found kept the glass window ice-cold to the touch and greatly helped to minimize discomfort by cooling down the skin as we used it. It features five intensity levels, and only on the fifth, most intense level did we experience slight discomfort akin to snapping a rubber band against our skin. 

We love that this comes with plenty of extras like a razor, a case for the razor, protective glasses to wear during use (to help reduce the possibility of migraines from the light flashes), and a travel case. We found the lightweight device easy to hold and maneuver, but noted that it’s a bit thick for smaller hands, and since it’s not handheld, the wire occasionally had to be moved out of the way. Overall, this rarely impacted the smoothness of our ability to use this wand all around our body and on the lower half of our face. 

Price at time of publish: $239 with coupon (orig. $359)

Intensity Levels: 5 | Flashes: Unlimited | Suitable For: Full body and face

Best for Light Hair

Iluminage Touch Permanent Hair Reduction System

4.6

SKIN STORE

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use 4.8/5
• Features 4/5
• Comfort 5/5
• Effectiveness 4.5/5
• Durability 5/5

Pros

• Device comes ready to go — no need to charge before initial use
• Precision adaptor makes it easy to target smaller areas
• Only option we tested that’s FDA-approved

Cons

• Most expensive option on our list
• Epilator is not particularly user-friendly, so this wouldn’t be the best option for beginners

At-home devices that are actually effective and approved for use with light or red hair are few and far between. We found this model from Iluminage to be the strongest contender, as we tested it on light hair and noticed our hair growing back slower and sparser after just six sessions of weekly use. 

There’s no need to charge the device before use  — you can just plug the base into the wall and attach it to either the epilator cartridge or precision adapter and go. We found the epilator, which is recommended for removal of light hair before treatment, to be difficult to use even after reading the instructions, but that didn’t affect the efficacy of the device on the whole. We just may caution it may not be the best option for those new to these types of tools. On the other hand, we found that the precision adaptor was great for targeting smaller areas and underarms. While the device is easy to grip and maneuver, we wish the wall plug-in was longer; you’ll have to post up somewhere very close to an outlet in order for this to work. 

This is the most expensive pick on our list, but for those with light hair or particularly fair skin tones, it may be worth the investment: It’s been clinically proven, it’s the only FDA-approved option, and it is still significantly less of an investment of time and money than in-office treatment. 

Price at time of publish: $449

Intensity Levels: 3 | Flashes: 300,000 | Suitable For: Full body (except bikini area) and face

Best User-Friendly

RoseSkinCo. Lumi IPL Hair Removal Handset

4.9

ROSESKINCO. 

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use 5/5
• Features 5/5
• Comfort 4.8/5
• Effectiveness 4.5/5
• Durability 5/5

Pros

• Very rapid and simple set-up — just plug it in and it’s ready to use
• Offers three modes (stamp, glide, and auto) for efficient hair removal
• One of the lower cost options we tested, especially when discounted

Cons

• We wish it had a more ergonomic design, as the curved device can be difficult to maintain a good grip on at certain angles

Lumi makes at-home laser hair removal more straightforward than any other option we tried: Just plug it in, press the power button, and select which of the three modes (stamp, glide, or auto) you’d like to use, based on which body part you’re targeting. We found stamp mode, which delivers a pulse every time you click, to be super effective in more precise areas, like our bikini line and armpits. Glide and auto don’t require repeated clicks, so those were our go-to for larger areas, like our arms and legs (which are the two places we saw the most noticeable dip in hair growth). The compact device easily fit in our palms, but we wish there were ridges or indents for an easier grip, as the rounded shape proved difficult to hold at times. 

We also love that there’s a quick and handy quiz on their website to figure out if Lumi will be effective for you (TL;DR: It is better suited for light skin to medium brown skin, and dark blonde to black hair; it isn’t great for super fair or dark skin, or hair that’s light, red, or gray.) This is another wallet-friendly option that showed us promising results after twice-weekly use over three months. 

Price at time of publish: $189 (orig. $219)

Intensity Levels: 6 | Flashes: 900,000 | Suitable For: Full body and face

Best Features

Jovs Venus Pro II Hair Remover

4.8

JOVS

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use 5/5
• Features 5/5
• Comfort 4.8/5
• Effectiveness 5/5
• Durability 5/5

Pros

• Exceptionally easy to maneuver, thanks to the ergonomic design
• Head rotates to achieve the ideal angle, which was especially helpful when using on our backs
• Features a cooling sensation that helped minimize discomfort during our tests

Cons

• At more than $400, it’s one of the more expensive options on this list (however, you can sometimes find it on sale)

From the first moment we laid eyes on the JOVS Venus Pros II Hair Remover, we could tell that it was different. Unlike the majority of remote or egg-shaped devices on the market, this comes in an ergonomic L-shaped design, with a 330-degree rotating head to help you find the perfect angle — a detail that came in ultra handy for us when testing this on our backs. It’s loaded up with features that we found useful, like a cooling system that provided a refreshing sensation and minimized discomfort during application, a skin rejuvenation mode to lighten hyperpigmentation, and an auto-flash mode that allowed us to cover large areas in a shorter period of time.

At over $400, this is more of an investment purchase than most of the others on this list, but we found that the additional features (plus the included razor and safety glasses) were worth it. Plus, you can occasionally find it on sale, so it’s worth grabbing when you do.

Price at time of publish: $272.99 (orig. $459.99)

Intensity Levels: 6 | Flashes: Unlimited | Suitable For: Full body and face

Best for Travel

Smoothskin Pure Mini

4.5

AMAZON

Pros

• Since it’s a mini size and comes with a convenient carrying pouch, it’s more portable than other options we tested
• Includes a gentle mode which is designed for those with sensitive skin
• Features built-in UV protection

Cons

• It may not work internationally without a voltage converter

We loved how easy this model was to set up and how quickly we were able to zip through treating our legs (in just six minutes!) by using the convenient glide method, which auto-flashes as you steadily move the device along your legs. This is going to be a mainstay in our carry-on thanks to the handy velvet traveling pouch that you can store everything in — plus, it’s a convenient handheld size that takes up minimal packing room, even with the power adapter and cord.

We appreciated that there’s built-in UV protection thanks to a 3-millimeter glass filter, plus there’s a Gentle Mode for sensitive skin, although we found it comfortable and pain-free to use on Power Mode, which operates at a higher intensity level. The precision head was also handy for covering smaller areas, like our upper lip. After five sessions of weekly use, we noticed much less hair coming in along our legs, although our hair thickness remained about the same. Note that if you’re planning to travel abroad with this, you’ll want to check the voltage converter and adapter you have to make sure it’s safe to use where you’re headed. 

Price at time of publish: $213.99 (orig. $329)

Intensity Levels: 2 | Flashes: Unlimited | Suitable For: Full body and face