The wavelength is chosen for your skin, not for the price list
Laser hair removal works by pigment absorbing light. That is also its central constraint: pigment in the skin absorbs the same light as pigment in the hair. Which wavelength is used, at what power, is a safety decision before it is a results decision.
Laser light is absorbed by melanin in the hair shaft and converted to heat, which affects the follicle. Only hair in its active growth phase responds, which is why a course is required rather than a single session. Sessions are typically spaced around four to six weeks apart, and the realistic goal is a durable long-term reduction rather than permanent removal.
Why it takes a course
Laser energy is absorbed by melanin in the hair shaft and converted to heat, which affects the follicle it is attached to. The critical detail is that this only works on hair currently in its active growth phase. Hair in the resting phase has no meaningful connection to the follicle at that moment and does not respond — it is not that the laser was too weak, it is that the target was not there.
At any given time only a portion of the hair in an area is in the growth phase, and the proportion differs by body region. This is the entire reason for spacing sessions around four to six weeks apart — shorter for the face, longer for legs and arms — and the reason a fixed session count cannot be promised honestly in advance.
It is also why the goal is described as long-term reduction rather than permanence. Expect substantially less hair, growing more slowly and finer, with periodic maintenance — not a permanent end state.
Skin tone decides the wavelength
This is the part that matters most for international patients, and it is a safety issue rather than a preference. 755nm alexandrite is strongly absorbed by melanin, which makes it efficient on dark hair — and also means it is absorbed by melanin in the skin. On darker skin tones, that absorption risks burns and pigment change. 1064nm Nd:YAG penetrates deeper and is absorbed far less by skin melanin, which makes it the safer choice as skin tone deepens.
A clinic that runs the same wavelength and the same settings on every patient is not offering a service, it is taking a risk with people whose skin does not match its default. Skin tone and hair characteristics are assessed on the day, and the wavelength, power and cooling are set accordingly.
| Situation | Wavelength approach |
|---|---|
| Underarms, legs — coarse dark hair | 755nm and 1064nm in combination |
| Arms, back — large areas | Dual wavelength |
| Facial vellus and fine light hair | 755nm primarily, at conservative power |
| Brazilian, men's beard line | 1064nm primarily, with emphasis on cooling |
| Lighter skin tones | 755nm can be considered |
| Darker skin tones | 1064nm prioritised |
Devices — one per location
| Device | Detail | Location |
|---|---|---|
| GentleMax Pro Plus | Dual wavelength — 755nm alexandrite and 1064nm Nd:YAG — with DCD cryogen cooling. Face, body and men's treatment areas handled separately. | Gwanggyo |
| Clarity II | Dual wavelength, with improvement of pigmented lesions alongside durable hair reduction. Private treatment areas handled separately. | Cheonho |
Each location has one hair removal platform, and they are different devices. If a specific device matters to you, check before booking.
Two rules that decide your result
Do not arrive tanned or sunburned. Recently sun-exposed skin holds more melanin, which absorbs energy intended for the hair and raises the risk of burns and pigment change. This is a common reason patients are turned away on the day, and it is not caution for its own sake. Avoid strong sun and tanning before and between sessions.
Between sessions, shave — do not wax, pluck or use depilatory creams. Waxing and plucking remove the hair shaft from the follicle, and the hair shaft is the target the laser needs. Removing it before a session means the energy has nothing to be absorbed by, wasting the appointment entirely. Shaving cuts the hair at the surface and leaves the follicle contents intact, which is why it is the one method that is compatible.
For visitors specifically: a course spaced four to six weeks apart does not fit inside a short trip. A single session is a reasonable start if you intend to continue elsewhere, but it will not produce a result on its own, and it is worth understanding that before booking.
Frequently asked questions
The honest framing is long-term reduction with maintenance, not permanence. After a proper course most patients have substantially less hair, growing finer and more slowly, but follicles can reactivate over the years — influenced by hormonal change among other factors — and periodic maintenance sessions are typical. Clinics that promise permanent removal in a fixed number of sessions are describing a result that cannot be guaranteed for any individual.
Yes, with the correct wavelength — this is exactly what the 1064nm Nd:YAG wavelength exists for. It penetrates deeper and is absorbed far less by melanin in the skin, which is what makes it appropriate as skin tone deepens, whereas 755nm alexandrite carries a genuine risk of burns and pigment change on darker skin. Skin tone is assessed on the day and settings chosen accordingly. If a clinic does not ask about your skin tone, that is a warning sign.
It is not possible to state honestly in advance, because it depends on the area, your hair characteristics, hormonal factors and how much of your hair is in its growth phase at each visit. What can be said is that it is a course spaced roughly four to six weeks apart — shorter intervals for the face, longer for legs and arms — and that progress is assessed as it goes. Any fixed number quoted before examination is marketing rather than assessment.
It is described as a brief snap of heat at each pulse, strongest on coarse dense hair — underarms, the bikini area and men's beard line are the most sensitive — and mild on fine hair. Both devices used here incorporate cooling, and the GentleMax Pro Plus uses cryogen cooling delivered with each pulse. It is uncomfortable rather than painful for most patients, and the sensation reduces noticeably in later sessions as hair thins.
Yes — shaving is the one method you should use. It cuts the hair at the surface and leaves the follicle intact, which is what the next session needs. What you must avoid is waxing, plucking and depilatory creams: they remove the hair shaft from the follicle, and without the shaft there is nothing for the laser to be absorbed by. Turning up to a session after waxing wastes the appointment.
Yes — both locations treat facial, body and private areas, and both handle men's treatment areas separately. The approach differs by region: facial vellus hair is fine and light and is treated at conservative power, while the Brazilian area and men's beard line involve coarse dense hair in sensitive skin and prioritise the 1064nm wavelength with emphasis on cooling. These are not the same treatment at a different price point.