A Brief History of Laser Hair Removal: The removal of hair performed by laser, was performed experimentally for about 20 years. It became commercially available in the mid 90's. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) epilators, though technically not a laser, use xenon flash lamps that emit full spectrum light. Laser and light-based methods, called phototricholysis or photoepilation, are most commonly referred to as "laser hair removal". One of the first published articles explaining laser hair removal was written by a group at Massachusetts General Hospital in 1998.The effectiveness of laser hair removal in general, is now accepted in the dermatological community. Laser hair removal is now a widely common practice .