IPL vs Laser Hair Removal: Rules and Differences in Australia

The clearest difference in Australia is legal. ARPANSA reports cosmetic lasers are regulated in Tasmania, Queensland and Western Australia^↗, but cosmetic IPL in Tasmania only^↗. Western Australia's regulator confirms IPL is not regulated^↗ under its Radiation Safety Act. Ask which device a clinic will use before you book.

Most comparisons of these two devices are written by businesses that own one of them. This one sticks to what regulators and a dermatology reference say. It covers the rules in full and leaves questions of results and comfort to a practitioner who has seen your skin.

Are IPL and laser the same thing?

No. They are different kinds of light device, and Australia's radiation regulators name and license them separately. There is no official Australian comparison of their results for hair removal that we could find, so this guide does not rank the two devices on a clinic's say-so.

Drawn from ARPANSA's advice for providers. Western Australia's Radiological Council confirms IPL is not regulated there, and the other states and territories are not on ARPANSA's list for either device.

Which states license each device?

Cosmetic use, as stated by the national and state regulators
State	Cosmetic laser	Cosmetic IPL
Queensland	use licence^↗ for Class 4^↗ lasers	Not on ARPANSA's list of regulated states
Tasmania	licence for cosmetic lasers and IPL^↗	Licence, under the same rule
Western Australia	licence and registration^↗ for class 3B or class 4^↗ lasers	not regulated^↗
Other states and territories	Not on ARPANSA's list	Not on ARPANSA's list

Which device needs a licence for cosmetic use, by state Laser and IPL side by side, as the national and state regulators describe them.

Required
Regulator says not regulated
Not on ARPANSA's list

ARPANSA, Queensland Health, Tasmanian Department of Health and the Radiological Council of WA. Each source is dated in the list at the foot of this page.

Show the numbers as a table

Jurisdiction	Laser	IPL
Queensland	use licence, Class 4 lasers	Not on ARPANSA's list
Tasmania	licence for cosmetic lasers and IPL	licence for cosmetic lasers and IPL
WA	licence and registration, class 3B or class 4	not regulated
Other states	Not on ARPANSA's list	Not on ARPANSA's list

Why does the licence matter to you?

Where a licence exists, someone other than the clinic has checked something. In Queensland, applicants for a laser use licence must show theory and practical training^↗. Move one state across to New South Wales, or switch from a laser to an IPL device anywhere but Tasmania, and that check disappears. The questions you ask at the counter are all that is left.

Does laser work on every hair colour?

Not every laser does. DermNet says alexandrite laser hair removal is generally ineffective for light-coloured hair^↗. Whether a clinic offers laser or IPL, ask what it will do for your hair colour before you pay for a course of 6.

What should you ask before booking?

Is this a laser or an IPL device, and which model?
In Queensland, Tasmania or Western Australia: does the person treating me hold the state licence?
How many sessions do you expect, and how far apart?
What is the price per session, and what does a pack cost if I prepay?

What does it cost?

The price lists we checked cover laser hair removal. See laser hair removal cost by body area, or estimate a course in the calculator.

Figures on this page last verified 16 September 2026.

Where these figures come from

DermNet, Alexandrite laser treatment (2014): DermNet: laser hair removal needs multiple sessions. Verified 16 September 2026.
DermNet, Alexandrite laser treatment (2014): DermNet: alexandrite laser hair removal is generally ineffective for light-coloured hair, but useful for dark hair in Fitzpatrick skin types I to III. Verified 16 September 2026.
ARPANSA, Advice for providers on lasers and IPL: States where ARPANSA reports that the cosmetic use of lasers is regulated. Verified 16 September 2026.
ARPANSA, Advice for providers on lasers and IPL: ARPANSA reports that the cosmetic use of IPL is currently regulated only in this state. Verified 16 September 2026.
Queensland Health, Laser licensing: Queensland Health: any person who uses Class 4 laser apparatus must hold an appropriate use licence. Verified 16 September 2026.
Queensland Health, Cosmetic laser use licence: Applicants for a Queensland cosmetic laser use licence must show they have had both theoretical and practical training in using the laser safely and effectively for the procedure. Verified 16 September 2026.
Tasmanian Department of Health, What is radiation protection?: Tasmania requires a licence under the Radiation Protection Act 2005 to deal with prescribed radiation sources, which include Class 3B and Class 4 lasers and IPL used for cosmetic purposes; the Radiation Protection Regulations 2026 now apply alongside the Act. Verified 16 September 2026.
Radiological Council of WA, Cosmetic use of lasers: Western Australia requires a licence and registration to use class 3B or class 4 lasers for cosmetic treatments. Verified 12 September 2026.
Radiological Council of WA, Cosmetic use of lasers: The Radiological Council of WA states that IPL is not currently regulated under the Radiation Safety Act. Verified 12 September 2026.
Queensland Health, Laser licensing: Queensland Health requires a use licence for anyone who uses Class 4 laser apparatus. Verified 16 September 2026.
Radiological Council of WA, Cosmetic use of lasers: The Radiological Council of WA requires a licence and registration to use class 3B or class 4 lasers for cosmetic treatments. Verified 12 September 2026.