The term "laser" is an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. The theory behind the development of the laser was advanced in the 1920s, but the first laser wasn't actually built until the 1960s. It was in the 1980s that lasers were first used commercially for the safe and effective removal of hair.
Early Lasers
The first lasers used to remove hair, in the 1960s, were argon lasers. These lasers produced light with a wavelength that would severely damage the skin before it would destroy the hair follicle. These lasers are no longer used for hair removal.
Q Switch
The first lasers produced a continuous beam of light. In the 1960s, Dr. Leon Goldman developed a device known as a Q switch that could turn the laser on and off in controlled pulses. The Q switch functions much like a camera shutter and allows the laser to destroy hair without damaging the surrounding skin tissue.
Commercial Success
Laser technology continued to improve and in the 1980s began to be used successfully for removing birthmarks. Researchers noticed the treated area lost its hair, which didn't grow back. The first commercial lasers that removed hair were introduced during this period.
Soft Light Laser
In 1995, The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the soft light laser for the removal of hair. This laser produces light with a neodymium yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd: YAG) crystal. The soft light laser relied on a lotion containing carbon that was rubbed into the skin to make the hair darker. Even with this improvement, the soft light laser still carried a high risk of damaging the skin.
Ruby Laser
The FDA approved several additional types of lasers in 1997 for the removal of hair, including the ruby laser. This laser produces light with a shorter wavelength than previous lasers, which is less likely to damage the skin. However, it may not produce enough heat to completely destroy the hair follicle.
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