The first laser hair removal device was the Soft Light Hair Removal System developed and manufactured by the Thermolase Corporation. Today, there are several laser hair removal machines on the market. The following are some the more common ones.

The long-pulse alexandrite laser has the propensity for deep access into that layer of the skin where the hair follicles are situated. The sustained heat that builds up in the shaft immobilizes the hair follicles that are in the active growth phase.

The diode laser is another highly competent machine that is made up of minute diodes or semiconductors that are set together to manufacture light. One advantage of the diode laser is the relatively longer wavelength than other machines used for laser hair removal. It is particularly beneficial to those people who are darker in skin color.

There are also light-based sources. Intense pulsed light devices function much like lasers. They use the photoepilation process offering a wide range of light allowing the process to effectively work on a range of skin and hair colors and hair depth.

Q-Switched Nd:YAG laser gives off two varying wave lengths of light. The one used for deep penetration is the invisible infrared light, which can reach deep hair follicles. The green light is used for treating hair follicle closer to the surface of the skin. During both, the infrared and the green light treatments, the Q-Switched Nd: YAG device produces rapid bursts of light to the area being treated.

Ruby is a red-colored beam that is used to target the dark melanin (a dark biological pigment) in the hair follicles.