5 Best At-Home Laser Hair Removal Devices Under $500

For the uninitiated, PCOS can cause the body to grow stiff or dark hair that is often the result of imbalanced hormones. PCOS is a common and complex hormonal disorder that affects individuals with ovaries. To find out more, we spoke to Ashley Harmon, founder and CEO of Mela Vitamins, whose experience with PCOS led her to create the company.

“PCOS is characterized by a variety of different symptoms, including irregular menstrual cycles, ovarian cysts, elevated levels of androgen hormones and insulin resistance,” says Harmon. “The hormonal imbalances, especially elevated levels of androgens (e.g., male hormones) like testosterone can result in acne and hirsutism, which causes excessive male-pattern hair growth in areas like the face, chest, and back.” 

This kind of hair growth can pose a challenge to those who want to remove it. “Many of us with PCOS, especially when it isn’t well managed, have to remove hair on a weekly or even daily basis,” she says. “Many of the options available are painful like waxing or tweezing, and alternatives like shaving typically leave hair growing back even darker and thicker, and can even create stubble and an uneven skin texture.”

Simply put, laser hair removal devices can target hair follicles using heat and pulses of light. This technology is known for hair growth reduction and, while comparable to electrolysis, laser hair removal isn’t permanent. Instead, it removes hair on contact and may result in a decrease in hair growth over time.

At-home devices incorporate intense pulse light (IPL) to treat the skin with electrical currents. “IPL uses broad-spectrum light that is absorbed by pigments that are supposed to target, heat and damage the hair follicles,” Harmon says. FYI: This technology is also used in other skin health treatments like anti-aging, lightening dark patches, and improved appearances of spider veins and scars — but IPL devices are usually tailored to only one use.

PCOS can impact anyone with ovaries, however women of color are particularly affected by this syndrome. “Studies have also found that women of color have greater insulin resistance, which in turn is linked to higher levels of hirsutism and excess hair growth,” Harmon says. And unfortunately, IPL can pose some challenges to those with darker skin tones. “Darker skin contains more melanin, which means the skin cells may end up absorbing as much energy than the hair follicles, which can cause burns, skin damage, and hyperpigmentation.” 

Pursuing IPL as a person of color may necessitate additional treatments and extra vigilance. There are some devices that may be safer for darker skin tones, but it’s essential to check the safety instructions and do a patch test to ensure it doesn’t damage the skin.

Other factors that can impact IPL treatments are past or current use of particular medications, tattoos, hair color, hair coarseness (ex: dry, thick, wiry), and skin tone. Be sure to review the materials associated with the options below to ensure it is safe and effective for use on your skin.

Our editors have researched and vetted the top at-home laser hair removal devices on the market and selected the best options for effectiveness, cost, and ease of use. We consistently update this piece with new favorites as they emerge. Read on for intel on the five best at-home laser hair removal devices (all under $500).