Criteria for choosing devices for laser hair removal at home, the principle of their operation
In the history of laser hair removal, scientists have developed several types of hair removal devices that work on a similar principle. Each of them has both advantages and disadvantages. You should choose a device based on your specific skin type and expectations of a certain effect.
Ruby
The home laser epilator was the first device for removing body hair after the electric one. The principle of operation of ruby devices is that their rod inside the device, when heated, produces rays that affect exclusively areas of the body with increased melanin. Not only dark hairs were exposed, but also dark skin itself.
Ruby epilators are not capable of removing light hair; they simply “don’t see” it. In addition, they can have a destructive effect on nearby moles, like a dark irritant that the ruby rod is designed to destroy. In this regard, there is a risk of burns on dark areas of the skin.
Alexandrite
The next generation after ruby epilators is alexandrite. Alexandrite rods have proven to be less aggressive to dark areas of the skin than their predecessors. Their beam length is longer, which means there is no need to come into close contact with the skin, as an invisible mole may appear in its path.
But these epilators still do not remove light hair, and they are not recommended for use when tanning.
Due to less impact on darker areas of the skin, it is possible to treat not only light skin tones found in the visible area, but also the bikini area, where the pigment is somewhat darker in some people. However, according to doctors, alexandrite epilators may still pose a danger to dark areas of the skin, despite the manufacturers' approval.
Diode
After alexandrite epilators, diode epilators were developed, and their task was to shorten the exposure time on the skin and follicle, act less aggressively on dark areas of the skin and recognize light hairs. The device successfully coped with these tasks. Now you can use it when tanning and on any area of the body.
Another positive effect is the maximum penetration of the beam under the skin, namely 4 mm, which allows you to permanently remove the bulb, and not just damage it. After using diode epilators, hair on the treated areas will never grow back.
Neodymium
The latest generation of epilators is neodymium. The point of their development was to create a longer wave of impact on the follicle. But the experiment outdid itself from a negative point of view. The IR beam passed past the required area, slightly touching the bulb.
The effect of such hair removal is short-lived and after some time it should be repeated. In addition, neodymium epilator only works on dark areas of the skin, ignoring light, visible parts of the body.
Rules for using the device
You should not expect quick results immediately after purchasing a hair removal device.
First you need to get the hang of using the device. The fact is that hairs do not always grow in the correct order; they often have different directions. In addition, a laser epilator for home use can be harmful if used incorrectly, which primarily results in burns. To avoid such consequences, you need to follow some rules for processing external skin with laser devices:
- First of all, the experimental procedure should be carried out on a small area. Then throughout the day you need to observe the reaction of the outer integument. If there is no redness, you can continue processing.
- The contact buttons of the epilator must be in contact with the surface of the outer integument. If this condition is not met, the technique will not work.
- The skin should not be wet. The laser device will provide the best results when treating dry outer skin.
- Recommended hair length: from 1 to 3 mm.
- Treatment should be carried out provided that the skin is clean.
- It is prohibited to apply cosmetics to the outer skin before starting the laser treatment.
- It is not recommended to press the device to the surface of the skin for more than 4 seconds.
- The laser device should not treat the same areas twice.
- The procedure can be repeated no earlier than after 2 weeks.
Advantages and disadvantages of laser hair removal
Home laser epilators, unlike professional ones, have a number of disadvantages. For example, the area affected by the beam is about 30 mm₂, that is, each hair will have to be irradiated separately for 4 seconds. This may take a long time. Only some epilators with a scanning function are capable of capturing an area of 60 mm₂.
Another disadvantage is the need to carry out several procedures. A home epilator cannot destroy the bulb at once; its power is not so high. In addition, burning hair at once creates the risk of burns. Therefore, the weaker the power, the safer the device. It will take 2-3 sessions to completely remove body hair, the interval between them is 2-3 weeks.
One of the advantages is the relatively low cost compared to professional models, which cost an average of $300. Home appliances cost an average of 15-30 thousand rubles. Plus, the procedure is carried out in the comfort of your own home. The savings are significant when compared to visiting a beauty salon, where several sessions may be required.
Rating of the best laser epilators for home use in 2021
The list of the best includes popular laser epilators with an average price. Users appreciate them for their good efficiency and affordability.
Tria Hair Removal Laser 4X
The reliable laser epilator supports a gentle mode and power adjustment at five levels. Safe for all skin types, suitable for sensitive areas - face and bikini area. The device has epidermal color sensors. There is a built-in lock that is activated if the skin is too dark or very tanned. The device has a compact size and convenient shape.
You can buy a Laser 4X epilator for your home from 16,000 rubles
Rio GO LAHH
A laser point epilator for home targets the follicle of each individual hair and reliably destroys it. This ensures a highly effective procedure, although treating large areas of skin takes a long time. The device supports scanning function. According to user reviews, hair removal is painless, and after just a few sessions there is much less hair on the body, and new growth stops.
You can buy Rio GO for an average of 18,000 rubles
Dezac
The English laser device for the home supports five levels of intensity settings. Equipped with a patented safety system, it does not cause any harm to the epidermis when used. Suitable for both women and men, suitable for removing hair from the entire body and face. Equipped with an automatic shutdown timer if not used for a long time.
Attention! Dezac supports scanning and searching for hairs, so it demonstrates increased efficiency.
You can buy a Dezac laser epilator from 25,000 rubles
Contraindications to the procedure
Although home laser epilators do not have a negative effect on the skin and only work on hair follicles, they still have a number of contraindications for use. It's all about infrared rays, the strong effects of which, under certain circumstances, can negatively affect blood cells. The person doing laser hair removal must be completely healthy.
IR rays are contraindicated for people who:
- pregnant and breastfeeding women;
Laser epilators should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. - have any cancer;
- suffer from any kind of skin diseases, including abrasions, cuts and bruises on the surface of the skin;
- predisposed to varicose veins, problems with blood vessels and the circulatory system;
- have diabetes mellitus type I and II;
- take antibiotics during hair removal.
In addition, laser hair removal should not be done if you have a sun tan; in this case, there will be no result - the IR rays will simply scatter over the surface of the skin. An abundance of moles on the body may also be a reason to refuse the procedure.
Laser hair removal zones. Features of the procedure
Using modern, new generation epilators that are completely safe for the skin, you can perform hair removal on any healthy area of the skin.
Epilation can be performed for:
- legs;
- hands;
- neck;
- backs;
- faces;
- belly;
- breasts;
- bikini zones.
You should not bring the laser to the mucous membranes: to the eye (removing an eyelash) and around the eyes, try the beam on the tongue and near open wounds on the body.
The skin should be smooth and clean, folds on the body should be smoothed out, allowing the laser to directly hit the follicle.
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How to use laser epilators for hair removal?
A person should use home laser hair removal devices with caution. Always read the operating instructions and follow the appropriate advice. Also, avoid using laser hair removal devices on tattooed, damaged, or tanned skin.
Lasers work by showing the difference between skin tone and hair tone. If the device can't tell the difference, it may target the skin instead of the hair and burn it. This means that laser hair removal devices may not be safe for use on all skin or hair tones. It is best to do a test on a small area of skin to check for side effects.
For best results, shave, cleanse and dry your skin first. Use the highest safe setting for best results. In general, the darker a person's skin tone, the lower the setting that is safe to use. Higher settings may be more painful, so be sure to choose a setting that is comfortable.
Some manufacturers recommend using a numbing cream before use. However, use these products with caution. Numb skin does not feel pain, which makes it easy to accidentally damage it.
Not all laser hair removal devices are designed for use on all areas of the body. Avoid use on the genitals and near the eyes. To remove facial hair, use devices specifically designed for this purpose.
Carrying out the procedure
Homemade laser epilators should be studied in detail after purchase. To do this, you need to read the instructions, become familiar with its power, area and time of exposure. On many devices, 2 buttons are built into the beam area, pressing them simultaneously turns on the beam itself. This is done for safety, so as not to accidentally press 1 button and direct the laser, for example, into the eye.
Carrying out the procedure:
- It is necessary to prepare the skin by washing it with soap and wiping it dry.
- Then, by pressing the device against your body or pressing the button with your thumb (depending on the model), the beam itself is activated.
- The radiation is carried out on average for 2-4 seconds, which is due to the power of the epilator.
- During this time, the beam manages to penetrate the follicle and treat it with high temperature, simply burning its contents.
- After the procedure, the skin can be lubricated with a soothing cream.
To begin with, it is advisable to conduct testing. To do this, a separate area on the skin is selected and the hair removal procedure is carried out, say, on 2-4 cm₂ of the body. After this, you should wait 2-3 days and observe what the effect will be. Hair begins to fall just during this period, and not immediately. After the test has been successfully completed, you can safely begin treating the entire body.
Top 3 best laser epilators for the face
Unwanted facial hair is particularly irritating. This can be eliminated using a laser epilator, but the device must support a low-intensity radiation setting and come with special attachments.
Deess 3 in 1
An inexpensive laser epilator is suitable for removing hair in particularly sensitive areas - on the face and bikini area. It has a compact size and provides stable results after 2.5 months of use at home. It is necessary to note not only the cosmetic, but also the medical characteristics of the device. The laser helps get rid of wrinkles, acne, improves complexion and makes the epidermis more velvety.
Important! The rejuvenating effect of a laser epilator is due to the fact that it activates metabolic processes under the skin.
You can buy Deess from 10,900 rubles
BaByliss G946E IPL
A mid-priced home appliance with power adjustment is suitable for processing any area. It has an ergonomic shape and fits comfortably in your hand. Does not leave burns even on sensitive facial skin.
You can buy a laser epilator from BaByliss from 17,000 rubles
Tria Hair Removal Laser Precision
A battery-powered laser epilator for home can work without interruption for up to 15 minutes. It has an unlimited resource of the thermal element and is equipped with a sensor that automatically determines the color type. The built-in security system will turn off the device on its own if you try to use it on too tanned or dark skin.
You can buy a Tria Hair Removal epilator from 15,000 rubles
Skin care rules after the procedure
Since laser hair removal does have a destructive effect on certain segments of the body, after the procedure a recovery process begins, accompanied by pain, burning and inflammation.
To make the healing process faster, you must follow certain rules of skin care after hair removal:
- To reduce the discomfort from hair removal, apply a cold compress or ice wrapped in cloth to the affected area for 10 minutes. no more than 3 times a day;
- 3 times a day, the affected area can be treated with aloe vera extract, which will soften the skin and help get rid of inflammation;
- if severe pain is present, you can take a mild pain reliever, but not aspirin, which thins the blood, prolonging recovery time;
- if the pain does not stop within 24 hours, you should consult a doctor;
- the affected area should be protected from ultraviolet radiation, use sunscreen, and do not visit a solarium or beach for 6 weeks;
- you should avoid hot showers for 2-3 days while the burning sensation is felt, so as not to increase the pain;
- do not allow the body to heat up, avoid physical activity, visiting the gym, running, sports games;
- You need to cleanse your skin of dust 2 times a day, but no more, and you should use hygiene products for sensitive skin;
- if the skin dries out after epilation, you must use a moisturizer;
- after removing facial hair, you should refrain from using foundation and powder for 3-5 days;
- After removing armpit hair, deodorant should not be applied for at least another 1 hour.
Kinds
Epilators are mainly divided into professional and home ones.
Professional epilators are very expensive and bulky devices, completely unsuitable for home use. A good professional device costs at least one and a half million rubles and weighs several tens of kilograms.
In addition, only a trained specialist should be allowed to work with such equipment. The results of using a professional epilator will appear much faster, as it has more power.
A more budget-friendly option is to purchase an inexpensive home appliance. This type of laser epilator costs around 9 thousand rubles, which is the price of one or two courses of hair removal in a salon. Since the power and area of influence of such lasers is very small, the duration of the procedure increases significantly.
Depending on the types of lasers, epilators are divided into alexandrite and neodymium.
Alexandrite
They act on the melanin of the hair by heating it. This laser is used to remove coarse hair. The device will be effective only for those with light skin combined with dark hair; for light hair or tanned skin, this procedure will be completely ineffective.
Neodymium
These lasers have a longer wavelength and act on hemoglobin and oxyhemoglobin. For this reason, the device can get rid of light hairs.
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Another significant difference between epilators is the laser coverage area. In inexpensive models, the beam has a small area, allowing one hair follicle to be removed in one laser flash. More expensive devices remove 60-200 follicles at a time.
The best home laser epilators
Home laser epilators are currently available in diode and neodymium types. Ruby instruments are no longer relevant and can rarely be seen anywhere. Alexandrite epilators can only be found in professional clinics; such devices are not available for home use. The following review will describe the most modern home epilators.
Braun IPL BD 5001
An English-made photoepilator has the function of sliding over the skin. The functionality includes intensity adjustment and 3 levels of flash power. The device is intended for epilation of legs, face, bikini area and main body. The epilator works from the mains and covers an area of the body of 3 cm₂.
There is a special sensor on the side of the device that corrects the correct tilt; it will light up red if the beam is not positioned correctly relative to the skin.
The device includes a skin tone sensor, switching to optimal power, and a body contact sensor. The photoepilator comes with a Gillette razor, which is necessary for shaving the body before the procedure. Price in stores: 20-35 thousand rubles.
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Philips Lumea Prestige BRI950
| Nozzles | Hair removal time | Nozzle shapes | Description | Price |
|
|
| An epilator does not remove hair forever. After some time, you will have to carry out the procedure again, but hair growth will slow down significantly. The intensity is adjusted in 5 modes, which are set depending on the skin type and its shade. The device also has a fuse to prevent accidental flashes. | 20,000-25,000 rub. |
Silk'n Glide Infinity 400K
Today, this Israeli photoepilator is the “longest-lived” of all models. Its resource is 400 thousand flashes, while other devices have only 100-300 thousand flashes. This model is also the fastest of all - it flashes at intervals of 1-2 seconds, cutting the processing time of one area in half.
The set includes only 1 nozzle with a working area of 3 cm₂.
The epilator has a built-in Bluetooth function, which allows you to connect it to a mobile phone and, by downloading the application on GooglePlay, keep a log of use or lock the device from children remotely. The device is capable of removing light hair and working with dark skin and tanning. The epilator does not have a built-in display, but it does have a sliding function. Device price: 25 thousand rubles.
Beurer IPL10000+
A semi-professional photoepilation device can be used both at home and in the salon. Its resource allows for 250 thousand flashes; after the expiration date, the cartridge can be replaced. The device has a built-in sensor that allows you to determine your skin type and shade and select the appropriate power and frequency of flashes for it.
The area of influence is 7 cm₂, this is quite a lot for a home epilator, so due to this function it can be used in salons, saving time on surface treatment.
The device does not affect health and does not cause any contraindications. The power of the device allows you to significantly reduce the amount of hair on your body in 3-4 sessions. One session for all areas of the skin will be 25 minutes. The disadvantage of the epilator is that it is not intended for dark skin and is not capable of removing light and gray hair. Its price is 25 thousand rubles.
BaByliss G935E
The epilator of this model is designed to treat skin types IV (according to the Fitzpatrick table). The built-in sensor is able to determine a specific shade and adjust to the optimal power. The device's resource reserve consists of 200 thousand flashes, which means that the entire body can be processed 30 times. Already after the first procedure, heavy hair loss begins.
After completing the course, 90% of body hair is destroyed forever. The device has built-in bluetooth, which allows, through an application that can be downloaded on the manufacturer’s website, to adjust the power, keep a log of observations and control procedures, and also turn the device on and off remotely. The area of the impact zone is one - 3 cm₂, the device operates from the mains. The price of the epilator is 15-19 thousand rubles.
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Smoothskin Bare IPL Hair Removal
The laser epilator of British origin works with skin type IV and independently selects the desired treatment mode. You will not be able to select the mode yourself; the device will not start if it is installed incorrectly. There is only one power button built into the case; the device does the rest on its own.
The lamp in this model does not have a resource reserve, that is, it is infinite. The processing speed is the highest today, the epilator is capable of 100 flashes per minute. In 10 min. you can walk completely over your entire body. There is no display on the device; the epilator operates from the mains. Photoepilator price: 17 thousand rubles.
Home laser epilators are designed to replace visits to expensive professional procedures in beauty salons. Despite the high cost of some of them, after a few times of use, they completely pay for themselves, considering the amount of time, effort and money that every woman or man spends on mechanical hair removal.
Article design: Oleg Lozinsky
How to choose a laser epilator for home use
There are a number of factors to consider when choosing a laser device. Namely, the characteristics of the device, your own color type and shade of hair.
Epilator radiation type
For home use, it is recommended to choose diode, alexandrite or neodymium devices. At the same time, all types of laser are suitable for dark hair, and for light hair it is better to give preference to the latter type of device.
Manufacturer
To prevent the epilator from being useless and causing harm to your health, you need to buy equipment from brands well-known in the medical and cosmetology market. Among the companies producing laser equipment are Rio, BoSidin, Avance, Lescolton and some others.
Device functionality
The most useful devices for home use are those with the ability to adjust the radiation frequency. Devices with adjustable operating modes and intensity are also popular.
Equipment
It’s good if the laser kit comes with attachments for different areas of the body. Safety glasses are also a good idea; they are especially useful when using the epilator with flashes.
Built-in cooling system
Modern laser devices during operation apply cooling to the treated area of skin, usually water-air. It not only protects the epidermis from burns, but also generally increases the comfort of using the device.
Ergonomics
When purchasing, you need to consider the weight and dimensions of the device. The laser epilator should fit comfortably in your hand without slipping and be of moderate weight.
