Tria® Laser Hair Removal System - Gen 3 Previous Model (Discontinued)

by TRIA BEAUTY

• This product is discontinued. Please look for our new Tria Hair Removal Laser - 4X for all the latest features.
• Get the same results as professional laser hair removal and save thousands of dollars.
• FDA-cleared safe and effective
• Easy to use with a digital display for guidance
• 5 comfort settings

Product Description

The Tria Difference:

Permanent Results, At home.

The Tria Laser Hair Removal Laser is the only laser that delivers permanent results at home. Made by the same laser technology professionals that developed the gold standard for in-office laser hair removal, you can see results with just 2 at-home treatments, and permanent freedom from endless shaving, waxing, stubble, razor burn and ingrown hairs in as little as 6 months, all at a fraction of the cost of in-office visits.

FDA Approved, State-of-the-Art Technology.

The safe and effective Tria Hair Removal Laser is FDA approved, and features professional-level diode lasers, which disable the hair follicle by targeting the melanin at the root, without damaging the surrounding skin. The Tria Laser is optimized for PERMANENT results, versus lower energy-emitting devices, such as some IPL devices, which are optimized for temporary results.

Dermatologist Recommended.

"You can trust the Tria Laser. It was developed by the same scientists who developed the lasers that we currently use in our office for laser hair removal." Carolyn Jacob, M.D., Board Certified Dermatologist, Chicago Cosmetic Surgery and Dermatology

Best-in-Class Design.

Tria's laser for Hair Removal features Best-in-Class ergonomics. The handheld design and cordless portability make it easy to get permanent results at home. The at-a-glance display panel effortlessly guides you through treatments, while multiple power settings provide a range of comfort levels.

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 10 x 10 x 4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds
• Origin: Imported (USA)
• ASIN: B0029OSN4U
• UPC: 891753001181 891753001129 891753001303
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (304 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #22,987 in Health & Personal Care (See Top 100 in Health & Personal Care)
  • #10 in Health & Personal Care > Personal Care > Shaving & Hair Removal > Hair Removal > Electrolysis

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8,202 of 8,266 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Salon Laser Hair Removal versus Tria April 5, 2010

By Work of Life TOP 50 REVIEWER

Amazon Verified Purchase

The primary difference I have found so far is the size of the treatment head. The tria has a very small treatment head (maybe a 1/4 inch circle). This is fine for small areas, but a bit tedious for larger areas. I have been getting laser hair removal at medical spas for years and I am familiar with the technology behind tria. It is a pulsed diode laser (superior to pulsed light, i.e. "Silk'n"). It does work for hair removal on pale skin and black (or near black) hair. If your hair is not black, it won't work as well (and it will not work at all on gray, white, blond, red or light brown). If your skin is not pale, it won't work as well and will be more painful (because the melanin in your skin is absorbing the lazer energy away from the dark hair). Dark melanin (the pigment that gives color to skin and hair) absorbs near-infrared radiation from the laser and creates heat. This is how Tria works. It flashes near-infrared radiation into your skin, the black hairs absorb the radiation and heat up, frying the follicle. A rash-type effect means the laser is working. Little red bumps that form immediately after zapping is normal and they should subside within a few hours (but not everyone experiences the bumps). A couple weeks later, the dead hairs shafts fall out (or are easily pulled out with tweezers). The laser diode technology has been in use for years and it is effective on black hair/ pale skin. For best results, I use the highest power I can tolerate (not the highest power that is "comfortable"). The highest fluence that the Tria is capable of is 22 with a wavelength of 810nm. This is a fairly low fluence compared to the med-spa quality machines which can go into the 40's, but is somewhat compensated by the small size of the head and the treatment instructions that direct you to overlap the pulses.... This is also the reason why the Tria is limited in the hair and skin colors it can handle, but these limitations are also what makes it safe for untrained consumers to use. It does not have the versatility of settings that the med-spa machines have. In my experience, if it is working, it will hurt. You can chase it with an ice pack or use some numbing cream before hand if it is too much for you. Tria is not approved for use on the face by the FDA, but it is the same technology that is being used on the faces of people all over the country (for years) and I have used it successfully on my face. Never laser around your eyes! Eyes contain melanin! I have used Tria *everywhere* (more or less) and am seeing the same results I have gotten from the bigger med-spa machines.

I have coarse black hair and pale skin which makes me an ideal user for this device. I use Tria on 5 power (highest) and the sensation (pain) is very similar to what I have experienced with LHR in numerous medical spas. However, I find the Tria more tolerable simply because of the smaller treatment head. Less hairs getting zapped means less pain per zap. This was a pleasant surprise. However, the smaller treatment head means less area covered per treatment. I find it lasts for about 10-15 minutes of use at 5 power. This is enough to do about 1/3 of one lower leg. This is okay for me because I prefer doing short sessions in the mornings before I start my day (however, it would be nice to have the option of going longer if I wanted to). Also, ladies, LHR is more painful just prior to and during menstruation. I can do it, but it really isn't worth all the extra pain, so I usually wait until the hormones are stable again before resuming.

For those of you that have never been for laser hair removal in a derm or med spa, it can be a harrowing experience. The powerful equipment they use is not as fool-proof as the Tria is. The possibility of burns is very real (I have been burned... by a doctor who was trying out his new laser without training). Ensuring that your laser technician has been properly trained can be difficult (there is no training required in any state. Some states (not most) require that the spa simply must have a "doctor" that has agreed to put his name behind it, or that a nurse actually operate the laser... but doctors and nurses do not get laser training in med school). This is why ALL of these facilities require you to sign a broad medical and liability release that includes burns, disfiguring injuries and poor/ no results. Getting a laser technician that is trained, competent, experienced, hygienic and makes you feel comfortable during treatment can be very challenging. I have found several good techs over the years, but I would always end up moving out of the area and losing my money, treatments, favorite tech, etc. Having the Tria means I can have LHR anywhere I go and for as long as I want.

A couple points about hair growth and LHR. There really is no such thing as permanent hair removal because hair follicle formation is stimulated by (genetics and) hormones. As long as you have hormones, new hair follicles will continue to form on your body (the location will change depending on which hormones are in control). This is why "permanent hair reduction" is more accurate and more realistic for all forms of LHR.

One last point about LHR (of any kind). The only hairs that are actually killed are the ones that are zapped in the growth phase. Just because a hair falls out doesn't mean the follicle is dead. Getting hairs to fall out and actually killing them are two different things. This is the biggest reason why repeated treatments are necessary. Not all the hairs you zap are in the "growth phase". You will have to go over the same areas several times over the course of months to eventually catch all of the hairs in their growth phase. And of course, as you are zapping away, it is likely that your hormones are working against you and sprouting brand new follicles (not new hairs in the dead follicles that you have killed with the laser). The laser will eventually kill all of your current hair follicles, but your body will form new ones over time. Future treatments will be needed to maintain the results. This is one more reason why I like the Tria as a concept. I anticipate the Tria is going to save me lots of time and lots of money.

If you don't follow the protocol, you won't get satisfactory results. There is no cheating or shortcuts that will cause this device to magically work. Make sure that your skin and hair colors will work with the Tria, follow the protocol, and you will get results.

Improvements I would like to see in future Tria:
-larger treatment head
-longer battery life
-lighter weight
-less "bulk" around treatment tip so it is easier to see exactly where you are zapping

Some people have asked if I am associated with Tria or was given the product for free or paid to write this review. I purchased my Tria on Amazon (see "Amazon Verified Purchase" label at the top of this review) and have not been given any incentive, payment or free product. This is a genuine review based on my first hand experience with the Tria and my accumulated knowledge of LHR. I have a condition called PCOS that has caused excessive body hair since puberty. After some really bad bleeding, scarring and results from "sugaring", epilating, waxing and electrolysis, my parents purchased my first LHR series for me in my early 20s. I am 37 now. Over the course of my life, I have researched and tried every method of hair removal out there. LHR is the only method that really made a difference and it has has changed my life for the better. I am happy to share my hard earned knowledge with others and I do this freely. I hope this review is helpful for folks looking for at-home laser hair removal.

The other common question/objection I have received is, "if you have been getting laser hair removal done for years, why do you still need a tria?". I think the main part of the answer to that question is already thoroughly explained in the above review and can be summed up with "because new follicles naturally keep forming", but the other part of the answer is that when I first started getting laser hair removal, the cost was $2,800 for a 8 treatments of a small area like "lower face" (which did not include cheeks or any part of the neck). At such prices, I could only budget to do one such area per year and I had a whole body that needed treatments! As you can imagine, such a costly process takes "years". As the technology eventually became more common, prices began to come down and LHR is much more affordable now, but sadly, there is still no training or license required to operate or own one of these powerful lasers. In fact, anyone with 50k can legally buy a used pro-quality laser on the secondary market.

Update #1, 6.9.12: Tria's most recent model has several improvements that are noteworthy (including ALL of the improvements I suggested in my original review). I don't own the new one, but if Tria had a trade-in program, I would trade up! The new Tria laser does not require you to lift the device off the skin in between each pulse. The new model will glide across the skin as it pulses away. This is huge!! As my wrist does become a fatigued working with the older model lifting it up and down so repetitively. And it is difficult (ergonomics) to treat backside areas and "overlap the pulses" when you can't see the area you are working on. The gliding feature would address the wrist fatigue and make these areas so much easier to treat. There may be other improvements as well, but since I do not own one and can not purchase one right now, I will leave it to you to do the rest of the research for yourselves.

Update #2, 11.26.12: I was all set to purchase the new "gliding Tria" for the Cyber Monday sale at TriaBeauty ($100 off!), but lo and behold, they have discontinued the "gliding" model and replaced it with another "lift between pulses" model (the current 4x model). I called Tria to find out why and apparently, some people were gliding too quickly/too far between pulses and not getting good results. So they went back to the more "idiot proof" model. I am so bummed. The new model is still an improvement over the older model I own (which still works fine and I still use it regularly), but the main improvement feature has been discontinued. Because this feature was my main motivation for wanting the new model, I did not buy it and will wait until they come out with a gliding model for people who can follow instructions and glide s-l-o-w-l-y. Tria does not have current plans to re-release the gliding model, but if you also think a gliding model would be more desirable than a lift-between-pulses model, then let Tria know!! by using the email feature on the Tria Beauty website. :-)

Thanks for reading! I hope this review is helpful. Let me know, please vote! Read more ›

1,141 of 1,172 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The answer for girls with embarassing hair February 28, 2011

By Ava Hilbert

I've been using the Tria for almost a year now, and it's exceeded my expectations. I have polycystic ovaries, and, therefore, dark hair where girls aren't 'supposed to.' I shave my face, chest and arms every day. This used to be completely traumatic- painful and time-consuming. I still shave after a year of use, but the hair is so greatly reduced that it's no longer a huge deal.

So am I lasering the same hairs, or new hairs- is the Tria killing hairs or just weakening them? I don't know, and frankly, I don't really care. I used the laser a few times per week for the first 3 or 4 months- I have so many areas to manage, I would just use it as I watched TV. I have used it on my face once per week for 11 months. My use on the rest of my body got more infrequent as time went on, but there's a huge reduction in hair on all areas mentioned- 80-90%, I would say.

If you don't have 'problem hair'- you just don't ever feel like shaving your legs again- and you're complaining this isn't working after a month or two, I have very little sympathy for you. Yes, the laser head is small, and the charge only lasts 30 minutes- for $500, that's the technology you get. (I haven't had to replace any parts at this point). Use the laser as recommended, and keep doing it, and eventually you will have very little hair.

I have had to 'manage' embarassing hair since I was 15, and I assume I'll have to do so for the rest of my life. I've done YEARS of electrolysis, years of professional laser hair removal(SO expensive), plucking, shaving- it never ends. If you're a girl like me who is a little too hairy for society's liking, this is a fabulous investment. So what if you have to laser yourself again every 6 months? WORTH it! Buy with confidence, in my opinion.

1,091 of 1,147 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Not so great after all January 1, 2010

By Jen

First, I have only been using the Tria for about 1 1/2 months. I bought this for my legs and other areas because I have very dark hair that grows at a lightning speed and I also get razor burn with more frequent shaving no matter how much I spend on quality razors and shaving gel. Anyways, I couldn't afford to get my legs done in a center so after doing a lot of research I decided to invest in a Tria. According to the instructions, you aren't supposed to see any results until at least the second month. To my surprise, I believe I am already seeing results. The hair seems to be growing in less dense and slower already. However it definitely is no where close to being hair-free yet. Tria instructions do state you wont see visible reduction until after 3 months and that you wont see permanent results until 8 months. So I am happy that after only 1 1/2 months I am noticing some improvement. So far, the pros are the amazingly low cost compared to going to a center (it would be thousands of dollars to get this done at a center) and it seems to be working so far. It is less painful to me than laser in an office. I immediately started using Tria on the highest setting on my legs. It is moderately painful for me, but for anyone who has done waxing, electrolysis, or laser already, it really isn't that bad. The negative side is that it really is time consuming for large areas like the legs. If you overlap like you're supposed to, it would take 3 charges to do 1 lower leg (sometimes I cheat and get 1 lower leg done in 2 charges). What happens is that after so many pulses the battery needs to be recharged.... So because you have to treat the area every other week for the 1st three months, if you do a large area of your body, like the legs, expect to need to stick around home on those weekends and invest a lot of time into doing the Tria. It really takes the whole weekend plus say monday and tuesday after work to get my full legs and bikini done. However, its not like you're spending this entire amount of time doing tria. It takes about 20-30 minutes for each treatment and then 3 hours in between treatments to charge the battery. The other pro is that it is REALLY easy to use. It is pretty much fool proof. So far I am impressed, but unfortunately won't know 100% for sure until probably a few more months if the Tria really does provide permanent hair removal. However, because its been recommended by Good Housekeeping and countless other magazines, I am fairly confident that it will be worth it.

UPDATE: 3/17/12:
Well my Tria (first generation) died the other day. I had stopped using it for about a year because I got so tired of it. I tried using it for my legs, and although I did see some improvement, the laser head is just too small to do large areas. And the battery only lasted about 20 minutes of use on highest setting (which you need to do to make a difference) and then I had to charge it for 2-3 hours before I could use it again. So just doing my lower legs was a full weekend project. I ended up just getting so tired of it that I stopped using it for a year. Then I just recently started using it again for chin area, and the other day it died. I was hoping for at least one part of my body to be hair free from buying this thing (paid about $600 for it at the time) but no such luck. Although there are patches that are less hairy on my legs, I still have to shave just as much. I have purchased a Remington i-light pro because I could not deal anymore with using something that needs to be charged after 20 minutes of use. So far using the Remington is a lot easier because you can use it for like an hour at a time (at least!) but I don't know what the results will be yet. I would only advise getting a Tria for use on face, but for that price, you can probably get treatments at a salon, so overall probably not worth it. I downgraded my review to 2 stars, b/c it does work somewhat, but overall if it is just for use on really small areas, then I think it may not be financially worth it especially with all the pro laser hair removal deals I've seen on Groupon and Living Social (if you live in a major city). It is not really great obviously for your full body like they try to make you believe. Obviously the thing has died before I could even attempt getting rid of all leg hair with it, and I got so fed up with how time consuming it is for legs that I stopped using it for a while. Overall I'm really disapointed in the $$$ we spent on this, as well as the COUNTLESS hours of time I wasted. Hoping the Remington product I purchased will be better.

Update to my review: in case I wasn't clear in the above post, I did use it as instructed for a very very very long time, thats all i did every weekend for months and months. it just didn't produce results that it promised, and overall was not worth it. Again, if this is something they want to market for small areas, then fine, but they should not be marketing this as something to use for your whole body, or even your legs. Too large of areas for such a tiny treatment head for a machine with such a short battery life. Also, to give you an update on my progress with the Remington I-light, I used it twice on my legs and then found out I was pregnant so I had to stop, BUT after only TWO treatments I noticed much more hair loss than the Tria and it was much faster to use. Since then however everything that has ever been treated (including professionally) has grown back in in spades due to my pregnancy. Just making the Tria seem an even bigger waste of time. After I have the baby in November I will be getting my Remington I-light up and running again and will update my review of that product. I still regret all those wasted weekends of Tria-ing! And I do like how the Remington only promises results for 6 months, that is much more honest, since in reality I have learned that even professional laser hair removal is NOT permanent....unless you are lucky. For the rest of us, it is something you need to keep up with, whether you do it at home or get it professionally done. And if you are like me and have to keep up with it, the Tria, given how time consuming it is, is not a great purchase to make. Take it or leave it. Read more ›