Tria gifted me my laser. I bought my Nood myself. Not sponsored. My links are affiliate links and BRIAN is my code, so I may earn a commission at no cost to you.
My chest hair used to grow straight up into my beard. No neckline, just one long run of hair.
The Tria clears that line. I spot tested first, then used it on the bottom of my neck and the thinner hair on my cheeks. Just use caution, and read the safety rules below before your first zap.
Watch my Tria reel on Instagram →Read this first: who should never use at-home laser or IPL
I'm militant about this. The Tria (a diode laser) and the Nood (IPL) both work by heating the pigment in your hair. Darker skin has that pigment too, so the wrong match can burn.
I'm Fitzpatrick type 1 with dark hair: the ideal candidate. Here's who isn't, per Tria's own guidance:
- Skin tone: Tria says the 4X is safe and effective for Fitzpatrick skin types I to IV only. Types V and VI: don't use it. The laser can't tell the pigment in your hair from the pigment in your skin.
- Hair color: it works best on naturally light brown or darker hair. Blonde, red, white or gray hair: it won't work.
- Face and neck: use caution. Per Tria's guide to facial hair removal for men, it's for below the cheekbones: cheeks, jawline and neck. Avoid the lips, nostrils and the thyroid area at the front of your neck. Start on the lowest setting and spot test first, like I did. Don't run it over beard you want to keep, and check the instructions that came with your device.
- Tattoos, darker spots, sunburned or broken skin: never.
- Eyes, eyebrows, eyelashes: never. Tria warns it can cause permanent eye injury.
- Recently tanned: retest your skin first.
- Under 18, pregnant or breastfeeding: skip it.
Bonus: the Tria has a built-in safety scanner
This is the part I love. Before it will fire, you hold the skin sensor in the base of the Tria against the spot you want to treat. If your skin tone is safe, it unlocks. If it isn't, it stays locked.
Whatever device you buy, Nood included, read its skin tone and hair color chart before your first flash.
Tria 4X vs. Nood Flasher: why I switched
Before the Tria, I used the Nood Flasher Pro. I bought it for my birthday two years ago, and it was great. Then Tria gifted me the 4X, and it was superior in power, meaning fewer sessions. It replaced the Nood.
Here's the trade-off. The Nood is great for more coverage: it treats bigger areas faster. The Tria is more powerful, so it takes fewer sessions, but it treats a smaller area at a time.
Tria 4X Hair Removal LaserMore power, fewer sessions, smaller area. $599.99, $480 with BRIAN.SHOP WITH BRIAN
Nood The Flasher Pro (IPL)The one I owned and loved. More coverage per flash. $299, down from $379.SHOP NOOD
What the Tria 4X is
The Tria 4X (2nd Gen) is an at-home diode laser that Tria says is FDA-cleared for permanent hair reduction. It uses a single 810nm wavelength, Tria says it delivers up to 233% more power than IPL, and it has a built-in skin tone sensor.
Tria's own numbers: up to 75% hair reduction in 2 treatments and up to 100% after 8.
Tria Black Friday code: 20% off with BRIAN
BRIAN is my custom code for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It takes 20% off the Tria 4X, from $599.99 to $480. Nood's Flasher Pro is $299 right now, down from $379.
More deals I'd actually buy are on my Black Friday page, and my full routine is on the Skin hub.
Would you do laser at home or leave it to a clinic?
FAQ
Who shouldn't use an at-home laser?
Per Tria: skin types V and VI, anyone with blonde, red, white or gray hair, anyone under 18, pregnant or breastfeeding. Never on tattoos or around the eyes.
Can men use the Tria on their face and neck?
Yes, with caution. Tria's guide to facial hair removal for men says below the cheekbones only, avoiding the lips, nostrils and thyroid area. I spot tested on the lowest setting, then used it on the bottom of my neck and the thinner hair on my cheeks.
Is the Tria 4X FDA-cleared?
Tria says the 4X is FDA-cleared for permanent hair reduction.
Tria or Nood: which should I get?
For me, the Tria: it's more powerful and takes fewer sessions. The Nood covers more area per flash and costs less.
Is there a Tria discount code?
BRIAN takes 20% off the Tria 4X through Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Not a derm. Just the guy whose chest hair used to meet his beard.
