Laser Hair Removalin Gangnam, Seoul

Laser hair removal works by aiming light at melanin, the pigment in the hair shaft and root. The pigment absorbs the light and turns it into heat, and that heat damages the follicle so it produces finer, sparser hair or none at all. The method relies on contrast. Dark hair on lighter skin gives the laser a clear target, while hair with little pigment gives it almost nothing to work on.

Skin color matters too, because the skin also contains melanin. Darker skin can still be treated, using wavelengths and settings that pass the skin and reach the follicle. In a randomized trial on dark skin, both long-pulsed Nd:YAG laser and intense pulsed light were safe, and Nd:YAG reduced hair more (Ismail, 2012).

The conditions in the second list either leave the laser without a target or raise the risk of burns and pigment change. A tan or a recent course of medicine can be waited out, and the area treated later.

Every hair follicle cycles through growth, transition and rest. The laser has its strongest effect on hairs in the growth phase, when the hair is still attached to the pigmented root. At any moment only part of the hair in an area is in that phase, so one session reaches only part of the follicles and a series is needed. How many sessions an area needs has not been published by the clinic and depends on hair color, thickness and the area.

Body area changes the outcome. A 2022 systematic review of lasers and light sources found that long-term hair reduction was lowest on the face and highest in the underarms, which it linked to how hair grows in each region (Krasniqi, 2022). Facial hair, and hormone-driven hair on the chin and upper lip in particular, can need more sessions and maintenance.

Several laser and light types are used for hair removal, including diode, alexandrite, Nd:YAG and intense pulsed light. A randomized left-right trial found a diode laser more effective than intense pulsed light, though also more painful (Klein, 2013), and a 2023 network meta-analysis found laser and light methods safe and effective while calling for longer follow-up before ranking them (Kao, 2023). The Cochrane review on this subject reported short-term reduction and few adverse effects, yet found too little high-quality long-term evidence (Haedersdal, 2006). Ask which laser the clinic uses for your areas when you request a quote.

Each area is priced separately for women and men on the clinic's list, so you can combine only the areas you want in one visit.

The clinic prices hair removal by body area, with a women's price and a men's price for each one. Each figure is for a single session on that area and excludes VAT. Ten percent VAT is added at checkout, and every card below also shows the VAT-inclusive amount, so the figure you budget for at home is the one you pay in Seoul.

Areas can be combined in the same visit, and a quote lists each area and its price line by line. For example, women's underarms are ₩55,000 + VAT and men's underarms are ₩88,000 + VAT. The arm price covers the upper arm or the forearm.

Hair removal lasers heat the skin as well as the hair, so the main risks come from that heat. Known risks include:

• Redness, swelling and bumps around the follicles after each session.
• Burns or blisters, more likely on tanned or darker skin and with high energy.
• Darkening or lightening of the skin, which can last for months.
• Folliculitis or acne-like spots in the treated area.
• Paradoxical hair growth, where hair near the treated zone becomes thicker.
• Eye injury on face areas, so eye protection is worn.
• Incomplete reduction: fine, light or hormone-driven hair can keep growing back.

The evidence has limits too. The Cochrane review found short-term reduction clear but long-term data thin (Haedersdal, 2006), and the network meta-analysis asked for longer studies before naming one method as superior (Kao, 2023).

Contact the clinic if a blister forms, the skin crusts or oozes, or a dark or pale patch appears after a session.