Even after 10 sessions,
someone said it wouldn’t go away
Why it changed after just 3 sessions
Last Thursday, in the clinic,
a man in his mid-30s came in.
He had already had underarm hair removal
10 times elsewhere,
but he said he was still using a razor,
he said.
His hair was thick and his skin was
slightly darker,
but when I looked at the chart, each session’s
energy setting was almost the same.
What exactly is different
here, you ask
GentleMax Pro Plus
is an hair-removal laser that can deliver
Alexandrite 755nm and
Nd:YAG 1064nm,
these two wavelengths in one device.
Unlike a typical single-wavelength device,
it can switch wavelengths depending on skin tone and hair depth,
and even within the same area
it can use different settings.
This makes a
pretty big difference in actual results.
Why do some people
see less effect?
GentleMax Pro Plus
uses two wavelengths, 755nm and 1064nm.
By recording the number of shots and energy each session,
premium hair removal can be optimized for the
next session.
The key is wavelength selection and record keeping,
these two things.
755nm has a high melanin absorption rate, so
it works well when coarse, dark hair is on light skin.
But if used on skin with a lot of pigment,
the risk of burns increases.
1064nm has a longer wavelength, so it penetrates deeper,
and because it absorbs less melanin, it is
better for darker skin or
deep-rooted hair like men’s beards.
For that client I mentioned earlier,
I set it mainly to 1064nm based on
skin tone and hair thickness.
First session: about 180 shots, J value recorded.
In the second session, I checked the response and increased the energy one level,
and in the third session,
I mixed 755nm and 1064nm by area.
Then after the third session,
he said he was "almost no longer shaving".
It varies by case, but
this is how I usually record things.
Each session’s wavelength, spot size, energy (J),
cooling strength, number of shots, and skin response.
If you don’t keep this, then in the next session
you end up going by instinct,
and then even after 10 sessions
some cases just stay stuck in place.
Director Wi Young-jin’s key takeaway
The reason results differ even with the same device is
whether the wavelength was chosen to match my skin,
and whether the energy was adjusted while
building data each session.
Precision in settings comes before the number of sessions.
This is how I
divide it in the clinic
I don’t use the same settings for everyone.
I approach it separately according to skin tone, hair thickness,
and area.
Light skin + dark hair (755nm)
Good absorption,
stepwise increase while checking the response each session
Lower burn risk, targets deeper follicles
Men’s beard, coarse roots (mainly 1064nm)
Deep follicles require a longer wavelength, interval 4~6 weeks
For fine hair, energy control is the key
But this isn’t always a good thing.
A dual wavelength doesn’t mean it works
dramatically well for everyone.
Hormone-related hirsutism or vellus hair
responds less to the laser itself,
so results may come more slowly than expected.
Still, even in those cases,
if you handle the settings delicately,
the results are better than with a single-wavelength device.
Three questions I get most often
in the clinic
Q1. What interval between sessions is appropriate?
A. It depends on the area,
but underarms and legs are usually every 4~6 weeks,
and face and beard are recommended every 3~4 weeks.
Because the laser only responds to hair in the anagen (growth) phase,
if you do it too soon, you just waste money
and get no effect.
Q2. How many sessions do I need in total?
A. To be honest, most people are satisfied after
an average of 6~8 sessions.
But areas affected by hormones
(beard, women’s upper lip)
can take more than 10 sessions.
On the other hand, areas like the underarms
can be very satisfying even after
4~5 sessions.
Q3. Are there any precautions after the procedure?
A. For about 48 hours, avoid hot showers,
saunas, and intense exercise.
The most important thing is sunscreen.
After laser treatment, melanin is in a more sensitive state,
so pigmentation can occur.
Rarely, folliculitis can occur, but
if that happens, don’t put up with it—
just come in right away.
If anything is confusing, in the clinic
I’ll look at it directly and explain.
That’s all from Wi Young-jin.
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