Does At-Home Laser Hair Removal Work?

glamour.com:

—I started using these types of skin care devices a few years ago, and have never looked back—but my enthusiasm is often met with some skepticism from friends who want the full story before dishing out a few hundred dollars to give it a whirl themselves.

Some even regale me with stories about friends who saw absolutely no results. So what’s the real deal?Yes, laser hair removal devices really do work to reduce unwanted hair in a number of treatment areas on the body and face, depending on your skin type and hair color.

Whether it's an at-home device or medical-grade, laser hair removal works by seeking out the pigment, or melanin, at the base of the hair follicle, says , a board-certified dermatologist at Marmur Medical in New York City.

Once the laser locates the hair follicle root, which houses your hair’s stem cells, the laser then converts its light energy to heat, damaging the hair root.I’ve seen the results of this process firsthand, and dermatologists I spoke to point to and that support my own experience. “ can be quite effective in reducing growth and eventually making it so the hair follicles do not produce hair at all,” says , founder of Skin Wellness Dermatology in Birmingham, Alabama.The big caveat: At-home laser hair removal devices are not optimal for people with sensitive skin or skin of color, says Dr.