Types of hair removal lasers

Hair removal by laser has become more popular over time, especially in recent years. This has caused more manufacturers to get involved in this big booming business. However, before the manufacturers can release their products to the global markets, they should obtain the permission from the Food & Drug Administration Department (or similar institution in other countries) in advance. The organization is in charge of either giving approval or denying approval to such products.

The methods that have obtained approval from the FDA and are now widely available on the market consist of various types. Different products are used to serve different methods. The wide variety of hair removal lasers include the Ruby Laser, the Alexandrite Laser, Diode Laser, Long Pulse Nd: Yag Laser, and Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Devices.

The oldest method that has been used in the field of hair removal for years is the Ruby Laser. Light as well as fine hair are the most suitable kind of hair to which this hair removal laser can be applied to. But there are some proven disadvantages in using this method. If the patient has quite dark skin, this method is not an option. Neither is it applicable to those people who possess tanned skin. Another known disadvantage of this method is that it covers only an area of hair that is quite small. All these factors have caused the method to lose popularity over the last few years.

The second oldest type is the Alexandrite Laser which happens to be the instrument with the highest speed of laser. It works very well with patients whose figures are reasonably large and possess the complexion of light-to-olive. This type of laser is used the most commonly all over the world.

As mentioned earlier, dark-skinned people are not eligible for Ruby hair removal lasers. So, does it mean that they have no option of laser hair removal? No. They definitely have an option thanks to the Diode Laser, which works contrary to the Ruby laser. Diode Lasers work just fine for people with dark skin. Yet, it doesn't work out so well for those people with lighter or finer hair. Since the rates of repetition of treatment for these types of lasers are high, it can be used for the brisk treatment of large areas of hair.

There is also a type of laser that can safely be used on people with the tanned skin. In fact the Long Pulse Nd: Yag Laser can safely be used regardless of the skin type of the patient. Like the Diode Laser, this method also has quick repetition rates and thus can be used to treat large bodies of hairs quickly. Nevertheless, the patients who have been treated with this type of laser claim that it annoys them more when the treatments last. It has also proven to be inadequately effective for those with the light and fine hair, who are more suitable to other types of lasers.

The last and most recent type of hair removal lasers are the Intense Pulsed Light devices. With this treatment methodology, there is actually no laser used. Instead, the method uses equivalents to lasers. Equivalent, it is said, because it also has selective photothermolysis concept which is the same to that of a laser. Yet, there is a disadvantage. It is more difficult to use these devices than to use lasers. Therefore, it is necessary to hire a skilled physician who has lots of experience, which may well result in higher spending budgets.