Laser facial hair removal at home is safe and effective as long as you know how to choose the right device.
It will cost you a fraction of the cost of in-clinic laser treatments, you can do it on your schedule, and it can be just as effective as professional treatments.
But when it comes to your face, you don’t want to take any risks.
You’ll need a device that is safe to use on your face, and there are not many out there.
In this post, you’ll find the only home laser/IPL facial hair removal devices that are safe and effective for laser facial hair removal at home.
👉 In a hurry?
See our comparison table below, or jump to my full laser facial hair removal device reviews!
This post contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you.
Overview
- How Does a Home Laser Hair Removal Device Work?
- Removing Facial Hair with a Laser Device: Pros and Cons
- Is it Safe to Do Laser Hair Removal at Home?
- The 3 Best Laser Hair Removal Devices for the Face
- How to Use Laser Facial Hair Removal Devices at Home
- How Long Does it Take to Use a Facial Laser Hair Removal Device?
- Laser vs. IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) for the Face
- Is Laser Facial Hair Removal Safe for Dark Skin?
How Does a Home Laser Hair Removal Device Work?
Home lasers for facial hair removal use Diode lasers to produce a single spectrum of highly concentrated pure light in one single red and infrared color and wavelength.
The laser targets the dark pigment (melanin) in your facial hair follicles and heats it to reduce and eliminate its ability to regrow hair – without heating the surrounding skin.
As you continue your home treatments, the hair follicles gradually stop regrowing new facial hair, and you’ll enjoy smooth, hairless facial skin.
Removing Facial Hair with a Laser Device: Pros and Cons
There are two types of at-home devices for hair removal. One is a true laser, and the other uses intense pulsed light. Both types remove hair, but both are less powerful than the device you’ll find at the dermatologist’s clinic.
Here are the pros and cons of removing facial hair with home laser hair removal devices:
Pros
- Money-saving – much less costly than in-clinic treatments
- Time-saving – you can use your device whenever you want to, and wherever you want to. No driving back and forth to clinics.
- Reduced pain – home laser devices are usually almost painless. It feels like a small flick and is less painful than plucking, tweezing, or waxing your hair, and less painful than the professional devices used at dermatologist clinics.
- Using an FDA-cleared device will ensure the safety
Cons
- Home laser removal devices are less powerful than professional devices
- It’s hard to cover a lot of areas in a single treatment
- They may not be strong enough to become completely hair-free
Is it Safe to Do Laser Hair Removal at Home?
Generally, laser hair removal at home is safe for people of all skin tones and types.
Studies have shown that no long-term damage occurs after 24 months of treatment, including no complications, infections, or scarring.
However, short-term side effects were observed, especially for those with tanned skin or in Fitzpatrick phototypes III and higher.
These include some pain, redness, irritation, itching, or feeling tender.
They normally last no more than a day and can be treated by moisturizing the skin, applying aloe vera or honey, and using sunscreen before and after your home treatment.
(Also, it’s important to not scratch your skin and keep it clean to prevent infection.)
It’s important to only choose devices that are clearly marked for use on your face!
The 3 Best Laser Hair Removal Devices for the Face
Always use an FDA-cleared device that fits your skin tone to enjoy the safest and most efficient laser facial hair removal at home.
To save you a lot of time and possibly some side effects, we’ve researched and found the 2 best and safest ones. You’ll see them below.
👉 Remember, these devices are also good for removing hair all over your body – not just your face.
1.🥇 JOVS Venus Pro – Best Value
- Hair color – all colors except blonde, grey, or red
- Skin Tones – I – IV (1-4)
- Treatment time – 3-4 times a week in the first month, then 2-3 times a week in the next month, then once every 2-4 weeks after that.
✅ Pros – Compact treatment head (1 cm) allows for precise targeting on the face, rotating, detachable head design, unlimited IPL flashes,
lightweight and ergonomic, built-in cooling technology, with LED light therapy for skin collagen’
❌ Cons – Smaller treatment head means more time needed for larger areas
VIEW ON AMAZON $279
The JOVS Venus Pro treatment head is so small that it allows for precise targeting anywhere on your face.
The manufacturers (famous for the NuFace anti-aging device) know what they are doing by designing its head to rotate 180 degrees and to be detachable, allowing you to change attachment for different-size body areas (legs, bikini lines, etc.)
The JOVS uses IPL technology with unlimited flashes (0.7 flashes per second) and is pretty quick – it only takes 7 minutes to cover your entire body – and much less to cover your face. It is lightweight and easy to hold.
Another unique quality is the LED light therapy treatment head, which uses your hair removal time to boost collagen production and promote skin anti-aging as well.
It fits all hair colors except grey and red and all skin tones up to dark brown.
With built-in cooling technology to prevent pain, 6 treatment heads, 6 energy modes, and 500,000 flashes, this is our top pick for a home laser hair removal device in 2025.
✅ Available on Amazon ($279)
2. Silk’n Infinity Fast – Quickest Results
- Hair color – All hair colors except blonde, red, and grey
- Skin tones – All skin tones except dark skin
- Treatment time – twice a week for a couple of months
✅ Pros – safe for facial hair removal under the cheekbones, ultra-fast results, almost painless, skin rejuvenation effect
❌ Cons – a bit bulky design, not ideal for small areas
The Silk’n Fast combines Galvanic and Optical Energy for faster, more effective hair removal.
The Galvanic Energy opens pores, allowing the Optical Energy to target hair follicles efficiently.
And it flashes at up to 2 pulses per second, making treatments faster than ever!
This means you’ll get up to 92% hair reduction in fewer sessions than with other IPL devices.
When we tried it, we found it caused minimal discomfort, and it is portable and great for travel.
However, it’s not safe for dark skin and is most effective for light skin with dark hair – with quicker and more effective results.
Available at Silk’n ($349)
3. Remington iLIGHT IPL Hair Removal System – Budget Pick
- Skin Tone – I – IV (1-4)
- Hair color – medium brown to black
- Treatment time – once every other week
✅ Pros – Includes 2 treatment caps – one for the face, one for the body, fast results – up to 94% hair reduction in just 3 treatments
❌ Cons – Lower flash count (65,000) compared to some competitors
Yes, the Remington iLIGHT is an IPL hair removal device, but this FDA-cleared machine is specially designed to be safe for facial skin as well, including sideburns, cheeks, above the lips, and even the neck area.
It comes with 2 different treatment caps – one for the face and one for the body.
The main benefit is that the fewer treatments you’re likely to need, the less time you’ll need to invest.
This powerful device works faster and better, which means you’ll need fewer treatments and the risk for side effects is smaller.
(The kit also comes with a skin tone tester to make sure your skin is compatible with it and offers 6 power levels!)
The company claims that you’ll achieve a 94% hair reduction in just 3 treatments, and inside the Amazon review section, we found a user that has reported a huge decrease in new hair growth – after only 2 treatments.
However, the device comes with 65000 flashes, so you’ll be able to use it for years – if needed.
Available at Walmart.($150)
How to Use Laser Facial Hair Removal Devices at Home
Important:
Do not use a home device on your scalp or eyebrows. It’s safe to use below the cheek line (like the upper lip, chin, and cheeks), but it should not be used in proximity to your eyes.
Why?
Because the glare from the light energy can hurt your eyes.
This is why you should always wear eye protection (I recommend the Mito Red Light Therapy Glasses) whenever you use a laser device to remove hair on your face.
Also, remember never to look directly at the light source.
How Long Does it Take to Use a Facial Laser Hair Removal Device?
The length of each treatment depends on the device you have and the area you are treating. Some devices allow for a larger area to be treated, while others are designed for smaller and more targeted areas.
Following the manufacturer’s instructions will get you the best results.
Laser hair removal, as you probably know, requires multiple treatments to be fully effective; it may take a couple of months to be completely hair free.
Laser vs. IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) for the Face
You may have heard there are 2 technologies to remove hair permanently:
Laser, and IPL.
So, what’s the difference between them, and what is better for facial hair extraction?
Well, IPL hair removal devices provide a broad spectrum of colors and wavelengths, just like a high-power light bulb.
As opposed to lasers, the light is not focused into a concentrated beam.
This means that the different wavelengths are dispersed at different levels of depths, and the diffused energy targets not only the melanin in the hair follicle but also the surrounding skin.
Why is this important?
Because when the light targets the entire skin in the treatment area, all of it is heated – not just the hair follicle.
This is why we don’t recommend IPL hair removal for people with dark skin (more melanin in the dermis), and those with hyperpigmentation.
Through our research, we found that laser is the optimal hair removal technology for people with all skin tones and types.
Why?
- Because it’s more precise
- You’ll get quicker results
- Often, fewer sessions are required.
Is Laser Facial Hair Removal Safe for Dark Skin?
Darker skin tones are more prone to side effects due to the high amount of melanin in the dermis.
That’s why it’s important to choose a home laser hair removal device that is safe for darker tones.
👉 We’ve researched and found only 3 safe and effective laser hair removal for dark skin devices – click the link to see them.
Is Laser Facial Hair Removal Painful?
The honest answer is that it depends.
In some devices, like our top pick – the popular FDA-registered JOVS Venus Pro, you can control the intensity level.
At higher settings, some users may feel the sensation of a rubber band snapping against the skin or a warm prickling feeling, while others report no sensation at all.
As we said earlier, you may experience mild pain after the treatment, depending on your sensitivity and the intensity of the treatment.
To your health and happiness,
Meital
Studies
Laser-assisted hair removal: Side effects of Q-switched Nd:YAG, long-pulsed ruby, and alexandrite lasers
Nanni, Christopher A. et al. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Volume 41, Issue 2, 165 – 171
Carlos Garcia MD, et al., Alexandrite Laser Hair Removal is Safe for Fitzpatrick Skin Types IV‐VI, https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1524-4725.2000.99185.x
Alster TS, Bryan H, Williams CM. Long-Pulsed Nd:YAG Laser-Assisted Hair Removal in Pigmented Skin: A Clinical and Histological Evaluation. Arch Dermatol. 2001;137(7):885–889. doi:10-1001/pubs.Arch Dermatol.-ISSN-0003-987x-137-7-dst00091
