How laser hair removal works
Melanin in the hair absorbs the laser's energy. That energy turns to heat and reaches the follicle, a principle called selective photothermolysis. Only follicles in the active growth phase respond at any one time, which is why treatment is staged over several visits and cannot be finished in one sitting.
Because the laser needs pigment to aim at, the colour of your hair and the colour of your skin both matter. Dark hair on lighter skin gives high contrast. Darker skin needs a wavelength that is absorbed less at the surface. White, grey and very fine hair carries too little pigment for any laser to target, and that is said plainly at assessment.
Dr Sin Yong examines the skin and hair in each area first, then chooses the settings for that area. Every area is assessed by a doctor. Moles, folliculitis, ingrown hairs, pigment change and skin conditions are noted before any laser is used.
The Clarity II laser
The hair removal laser is the Clarity II by Lutronic. It is a long-pulsed machine that carries two wavelengths in one device, 755 nm alexandrite and 1064 nm Nd:YAG, with cooling for the outer skin. The same platform underpins the R2 Glow protocol. Having both wavelengths matters because one body can need different settings. The wavelength is chosen area by area, not once for the whole body. Coarse and fine hair within the same area can also be adjusted separately. A diode laser is a different device, usually with one fixed wavelength of 808 or 810 nm. If you are comparing what you have had before, ask whether it was laser or IPL, and bring any records you have.
Wavelength by skin type
| Wavelength | Laser | Skin type | Why it is chosen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 755 nm | Alexandrite | Fitzpatrick I to III | Strongly absorbed by melanin, and suited to high contrast between dark hair and lighter skin. Often the better match for finer hair on lighter skin. |
| 1064 nm | Nd:YAG | Fitzpatrick IV to VI | Absorbed less at the surface and reaches deeper, so it is the wavelength of choice for darker skin. |
Areas treated
| Area | What is considered | How visits are spaced |
|---|---|---|
| Brazilian and bikini | Coarse, dark hair on sensitive skin that is often a shade darker than the face. Wavelength and cooling matter most here. | Timing follows regrowth, with conservative settings |
| Underarms | A very common request, often raised with underarm darkening and sweat concerns. | Early visits treat the most hair, later ones the finer regrowth |
| Full legs | The largest area, and often started elsewhere. Earlier treatment affects settings. | Further apart |
| Arms | Hair is often finer, and 755 nm is usually the better match on lighter skin. | Spaced like the legs |
| Upper lip and chin | Fine or hormonal hair near the mouth. The cause is assessed as well as the hair. | Visits can be closer together |
| Beard line, chest and back | Dense terminal hair. In men, the ingrown hairs that follow shaving are often part of the concern. | In stages by zone, with maintenance discussed openly |
What long-term reduction means
The fair aim for this treatment is fewer hairs, not no hairs. Laser aims at long-term reduction of regrowth, and it cannot promise that every hair has gone for good. Regrowth may come back finer. Some hair can return over time, and hormones can drive new growth, particularly on the chin and jawline. No fixed duration is given, because it depends on the area, the hair, the skin, your hormones, the settings and the timing of visits. Review timing is set at consultation, and maintenance is discussed openly. Ask at assessment what is realistic for your own hair, area by area, because the answer for a leg is not the answer for a chin.
Who it suits
It tends to suit hair with enough pigment to respond, on skin that is not freshly tanned, in people who want a doctor-led plan matched to their skin type. It can also help ingrown hairs, because less shaving means fewer of them, although infected bumps are settled first. Areas can be assessed together in one consultation, such as Brazilian, underarms and legs, but each is set independently. Earlier IPL or laser treatment matters too, because it changes the hair that remains and the settings that suit it. The treatment can be considered for pigmented hair if you accept staged visits and a variable response. It is a poor fit if your hair is white, grey or very fine, or if your skin is freshly tanned. The Brazilian area deserves particular care, because coarse hair sits on sensitive skin, and skin colour decides the wavelength. The area is examined as a doctor would examine any skin, and it is shaved beforehand. If you have had treatment elsewhere, bring any records.
Who should wait or be assessed first
Recently tanned, sunburnt or self-tanned skin. Pregnancy. Active infection, cold sore, folliculitis, eczema or broken skin in the area.
Recent isotretinoin and photosensitising medicines. Both are reviewed before any treatment is planned.
Vitiligo, or pigment change after earlier laser or IPL. Tattoos or dark moles in the field are also planned around.
New or rapidly increasing hair in a woman is referred for a hormonal assessment first.
What laser hair removal cannot do
White, grey and vellus hair carries too little pigment. Lighter or finer hair can sometimes be treated on lighter skin with 755 nm.
The aim is fewer hairs over time. It is not a promise that every hair is gone for good.
Hormonal hair can return, especially on the chin and jawline. This is discussed at assessment.
There is no fixed number of visits. The number is set after examination.
Laser hair removal Singapore: the visit and recovery
Risks and side effects
Redness, bumps around the follicles, mild swelling and warmth.
Blistering, crusting or burning, and darker or lighter patches afterwards. Using the wrong wavelength raises the risk of skin injury and pigment change.
Paradoxical hypertrichosis, where hair increases nearby, mostly on the face and neck in darker skin. Also folliculitis, cold sore flare, whitening of hairs and eye injury.
Scabs, blisters, oozing crust or pus, a dark patch beyond the follicle, a pale spot, worsening redness, increasing pain or fever. Patchy stripes or tip-shaped marks should be noted before you leave the clinic.
What affects the fee
Fees are not published here. A written quote is given at consultation, once the skin and hair have been seen. It depends on the area, hair density and thickness, the device and wavelength, consumables, the number of passes or zones, any earlier treatment elsewhere, and whether areas are combined. There is no fixed figure to give in advance.