Sharplan's EpiTouch Alex was cleared to market in the U.S. on December 4, 1997. Like many hair removal lasers, EpiTouch alexandrite lasers were originally designed to treat vascular lesions and were later submitted for hair removal. The target depth for vascular lesions and hair removal are very different. Vascular lesions are rarely more than 2 millimeters deep, while even moderately coarse hairs start at depths of 2 mm, with typical male facial hair often going twice as deep as that. Light intesity falls off sharply with each millimeter. Also, the hairs are at highly variable depths as opposed the to relatively even depths found in vascular lesions. Since no modifications have been made to the device since the vascular lesion patent, the target depth for hair removal may be inadequate.

The Epitouch 5100 was an improvement on Sharplan's Epitouch Ruby, which was not efficient for hair removal. Designed by Light Age, Inc., the patent holders for Alexandrite lasers, this is the first laser approved for hair removal by the FDA.