Worth It: NIRA Pro Laser

Welcome back to Worth It, our weekly seal of approval on noteworthy launches and bespoke collaborations in the worlds of beauty and fashion. If it's featured here, consider these investments worthwhile.

The Promise 

The at-home skincare device category is massive—and growing. Right now? It’s a $24 billion industry. Within the next decade? It’s projected to grow nearly 15 percent. The majority of the category is dominated by hair removal devices, LED masks and treatments, and cryo treatments galore. But all the way over one the extremely innovative, unlike-anything-else side of the spectrum lies the NIRA Pro Laser, a newly launched, at-home laser clinically proven to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Most lasers fall into two categories: Ablative lasers, which remove the outer layer of the skin, and non-ablative lasers, which heat the underlying skin tissue. Both have anti-aging as the goal (think: even tone, reduce dark spots, resurfacing)—and have historically only been available in a professional setting. 

Cut to: The NIRA Pro Laser, which is safe enough to be used by untrained hands (hi, yes, me), but still strong enough to deliver long-term results. I know, I know—you’re a skeptic. But bear with me as I explain how it works. The non-ablative, non-fractional technology uses the perfect amount of power to heat the dermis, which, to put simply, gives cells a kick in the butt to produce more collagen. The results won’t be as intense or automatic as an in-office treatment, but when the NIRA Pro is used consistently, the skin plumping and smoothing results will be just as good. Within 90 days, they promise that you’ll notice a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles. They’re so confident in those results, they even have a 90-day, money back guarantee. Naturally, I had to put these claims to the test. 

Why I’m Obsessed 

I’m a big at-home device girl. My biggest regret in life is not becoming a dermatologist, so testing out the techiest gadgets and gizmos I can get my little beauty editor hands on has become my favorite past-times. If there’s an LED treatment, microcurrent device, cryo treatment, or tightening tool out there, I can guarantee you I’ve tried it. That’s not to say I think every device is worth the money—the majority of them are simply, just fine. I don’t approach testing with big hopes and dreams. I expect the bare minimum. Anything more than that leaves me pleasantly surprised. 

I had nothing to compare the NIRA Pro Laser to. At-home laser devices aren’t mainstream. Sure, I’ve had in-office non-ablative, non-fractionated laser treatments, so I know what the sensation should feel like and the results should look like. But the at-home market is newer territory. Save the LYMA laser, which is four times the price, there’s not really anything comparable out there. 

At first, I was confused. I wasn’t entirely sure how I was supposed to use the device and found myself down a YouTube spiral. Fast forward through the learning curve, and I powered on the tool, testing it on my skin to see how much heat I could tolerate. I settled on level three, which felt very warm, without being *too* hot on my skin. I listened to the beeping (the device sounds once when it hits the skin and once when the area has been treated) and then established my treatment pattern around the eyes. I’ll be candid: I don’t have full-blown wrinkles at this point in my life and don’t really have a ton of fine lines—yet. What I do have: Crow’s feet that crinkle when I smile, which is exactly what I wanted to treat. 

I pressed the NIRA Pro along my eye contour in seven different sections, repositioning the device with every “beep.” (FYI: There’s a built-in fan in the device that makes a decent amount of noise. It’s not going to spontaneously combust—it’s normal.) I repeated the pattern until I heard three beeps in a row, the signal the desired area had been treated. It took no more than two minutes and my extremely sensitive, heat-averse skin came out unscathed. I looked exactly the same. Like, exactly the same.

In my experience, most at-home tools have some immediate results, which is followed by more long-term results. Still, I persisted! I treated my other eye and repeated the process every single day. I even set a daily alarm as a reminder. Using the NIRA Pro became my five-minute hiatus from the real world in which I got to put on my dermatologist hat and experiment with my techy new tool. It was a fun little exercise, but it took unwavering commitment and an abundance of patience to see real result. But, a few months in, I noticed a difference—in a photo nonetheless. 

My squinty smile looked a hint more wide-eyed. I zoomed in. Really close. The cluster of little lines that congregated around my outer eye vanished. They just poof and disappeared. It was a gradual process, which is probably why I was so shocked when I started inspecting before and after photos. The NIRA Pro Laser actually made a visible difference—at a fraction of the price and discomfort that comes along with heavy-duty, in-office lasers. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that it’s my favorite at-home device—ever.