These days, the field of laser hair removal is highly developed. There are a multitude of lasers that can be used for the reduction of unwanted body hair, but there is conflicting information on which laser is best for a particular individual. For instance, a person with light skin and dark coarse hair has the most options, while an African American has the fewest due to the safety restrictions based on hair color and skin type.

The four most common laser technologies that are in use for laser hair removal are Alexandrite, Diode, IPL, and long-pulse-YAG. At Tattoo MD Laser Clinic, purchasing the right laser for hair removal required doing proper research into the available technologies. Scientific articles comparing the different types of lasers were reviewed. What follows is a summary of scientific research that was used to help make the decision.

A study from 2001 by Handrick, et al in Dermatologic Surgery showed that Alexandrite and Diode lasers were essentially equivalent in skin types I-IV. Another study by Tabatabai et al in 2004 from the same journal compared diode, YAG, and Alexandrite and found that both Diode laser and Alexandrite were equivalent and that both were more effective than YAG. A Chinese study by Chan, et al in 2001 compared YAG and diode laser and found the two to be equivalent in efficacy but the YAG was associated with more treatment pain. Finally, a study by Toosi, et al in 2006 compared IPL, Alexandrite and Diode and found that Diode was the most effective.

In summary, lasers used for hair removal show a similar effectiveness profile, with the diode being at least as good as any of the others. A main difference between the diode and the Alexandrite is that the latter is more restricted in the darker skin types such as dark Hispanics and African-Americans. A YAG can be used in any skin type but there is a trade-off for lower effectiveness in the lighter skin types. The Diode laser, such as the Comet by Syneron, in use at Tattoo MD Laser Clinic, is the most effective for the greatest range of skin types.