Review (4/5): Easy and Comfortable to Use
I was very hesitant to order this, feeling a little intimidated both by the technology and the potential for pain. Would it be "safe" enough to do laser hair removal on your own?
I was pleasantly surprised that it was both easy to use and virtually painless. You power on the unit, wait for it to indicate that it's ready, place against the surface of your skin until a light indicates proper contact, and then pull the trigger. Depending on the power setting you've selected, you'll feel anything from nothing at all to a brief surge of heat. Even on the strongest setting on denser patches of hair it wasn't unpleasant for me. I didn't notice any redness and didn't require gel or lotion after using, and I have fairly sensitive skin.
Making it even more painless to use, they've included a "cooling" mode you can switch on that will pre-cool the area where it makes contact with your skin, helping to make it more comfortable when operating. This is definitely a plus when working on sensitive areas or denser/darker patches of hair.
It has 5 strength settings and an "automatic" mode. I don't feel comfortable enough yet operating it to try the "automatic" mode, preferring to make sure it's positioned properly and ready before pulling the trigger, but I imagine it could make things go much quicker for large areas like the legs. I might give it a try when I'm a little more practiced.
The unit has two sizes of lenses - one for large areas (built-in) and one for small areas (attachment). The smaller lens is helpful when you need more precision.
It's important to read the instructions and tips before operating and especially important to wear eye protection (tinted glasses) which they've generously included. You should avoid ever looking at the laser during operation, and probably should operate this in privacy unless the people with you are also wearing eye protection. You shouldn't use it anywhere near your eyes to avoid risk of injury - I'd say nothing above the tip of your nose. One safety feature I like is that it won't operate unless the lens is pressed directly against the skin at a right angle, preventing excess laser light from "spilling out".
This isn't suitable for darker skin (including a dark tan) and also won't help with light-colored hair. You should also avoid using it where there might be a dark area on your skin, such as a mole or tattoo.
One thing I can't comment on yet is how effective this is at hair removal. It takes a few months to really notice a difference, and I've only had it for a week. My rating is based solely on ease of use, comfort, functionality, quality of materials and pricing. I'm optimistic on effectiveness, but may come back and edit this review if either it proves disappointing or exceeds my expectations. Assuming it performs as advertised, I feel comfortable recommending this with a 4-star rating.