Laser Hair Removal Singapore

How Laser Hair Reduction Works

The principle is selective photothermolysis. Melanin in the hair shaft absorbs laser energy, that energy converts to heat, and the heat conducts to the follicular structures responsible for producing the hair.

Two things follow from this. First, the target is pigment — so hair that carries little melanin responds poorly regardless of the device. Second, the melanin in your skin competes for the same energy, which is where skin type becomes the governing variable.

Hair also grows in cycles, and only follicles in the active anagen phase are susceptible at any given moment. This is why treatment is staged rather than done once.

A gloved hand resting a laser handpiece with a cooled sapphire tip on the skin of a lower leg — Illustrative. The cooled tip protects the surface while the energy is delivered to the follicle beneath it.

Why the Wavelength Has to Match the Skin

This is the part most often glossed over, and it is the whole reason a dual-wavelength platform exists.

755 nm alexandrite is strongly absorbed by melanin. Where there is good contrast between dark hair and lighter skin — Fitzpatrick I to III — that strong absorption is precisely what you want. But the same property becomes a liability as skin pigment increases: surface melanin absorbs energy intended for the follicle.

1064 nm Nd:YAG behaves differently. The longer wavelength is less readily absorbed by melanin in the upper layers and penetrates deeper, so more energy reaches the follicle rather than being taken up on the way through. This is what makes it the appropriate wavelength for Fitzpatrick IV to VI.

Neither wavelength is better. They answer different skin. Having both on one platform means the treatment is matched to you, rather than you being told your skin type is unsuitable.

Three forearms of different skin tones resting side by side on white linen — Illustrative. The same hair on three different skin types calls for different wavelengths and settings, not one protocol.

Areas Treated

Areas are planned together where that makes sense — a brazilian, underarms and legs are commonly assessed in the same consultation — but each is set independently, because the skin and the hair differ from one area to the next.

Brazilian & bikiniCoarse, dark hair on skin that is often a shade deeper than the face — wavelength and cooling matter most here.

UnderarmsOne of the commonest requests, often together with pigment and sweat in the same area.

Full legsThe largest area and the one most often started abroad; previous treatment is taken into account when settings are chosen.

ArmsFiner hair in many patients, where the alexandrite wavelength is often the better match on lighter skin.

Upper lip & chinFine or hormonal hair close to the mouth, assessed for cause as well as treated.

Back, chest & beard lineDense terminal hair and, in men, the ingrown-hair pattern that comes with shaving.

Finer or lighter hair, and patients who started treatment elsewhere

Many of the patients who ask about hair removal here grew up in a different climate and a different clinic system — Japanese, Australian and European patients in particular — and two things tend to be true of them. Their hair is often finer and lighter than the coarse dark hair most Singapore protocols are set for, and they have frequently had IPL or diode treatment abroad that stopped short of the result they wanted.

Finer, lighter hair on lighter skin is where the 755 nm alexandrite wavelength earns its place: its strong absorption by melanin is what makes it effective on hair that carries less of it. Darker or recently tanned skin moves the decision toward 1064 nm Nd:YAG. Neither is a default; the choice is made area by area at assessment, and previous treatment elsewhere is taken into account when settings are chosen.

Every session is doctor-supervised. Settings are determined by Dr Sin Yong after examining the skin and the hair in each area rather than taken from a fixed protocol, and the consultation is conducted in English with time for questions.

Key Facts

At a glance

Platform: R2 Glow — long-pulsed dual-wavelength laser
Wavelengths: 755 nm alexandrite and 1064 nm Nd:YAG
Mechanism: Selective photothermolysis — melanin in the hair shaft absorbs the energy, which conducts to the follicular structures
755 nm alexandrite: Strongly absorbed by melanin. Suited to Fitzpatrick I–III, where contrast between dark hair and lighter skin is high
1064 nm Nd:YAG: Longer wavelength, less absorbed by surface melanin, penetrates deeper. The wavelength of choice for Fitzpatrick IV–VI
Why two matters: A single-wavelength device forces a compromise on one end of the skin-type range. Two wavelengths remove that compromise
Cooling: Epidermal cooling protects the surface while energy reaches the follicle
Areas: Brazilian and bikini, underarms, legs, arms, upper lip and chin, back, chest and beard line — planned together, set independently
Finer or lighter hair: On lighter skin types the 755 nm alexandrite is usually the better match; previous IPL or diode treatment elsewhere is taken into account
Doctor-led: Every session is doctor-supervised; assessment and settings determined by Dr Sin Yong, not by a fixed protocol

“A single-wavelength device forces you to compromise at one end of the skin-type range. Two wavelengths remove that compromise.”
Dr Sin YongOn dual-wavelength hair removal

What Determines the Cost

Treatment is planned individually, so the cost follows the plan rather than a fixed list. Four things shape it:

Factors discussed at consultation

The area treated. A single zone differs from several, and surface area drives the work involved.
What the assessment finds. The same complaint can have different causes, and the cause decides the approach.
Whether one modality or several. Some presentations are addressed by a single approach; others are not.
How the plan is staged. Work spread over time is planned differently from work done in one visit.

A figure quoted before assessment would not reflect your presentation. Cost is set out clearly at consultation, before anything is agreed.

IPL, SHR and diode — three different things sold under one name

IPL hair removal is not laser. Intense pulsed light emits a broad spectrum, typically 500–1200 nm, scattered across many wavelengths at once; a diode laser emits a single wavelength, usually 755, 808 or 810 nm, matched to melanin in the follicle. Because IPL spreads its energy across wavelengths that the surrounding skin also absorbs, the margin between treating the follicle and heating the epidermis is narrower — and that margin is exactly what matters in Fitzpatrick III–V skin, which predominates in Singapore.

“IPL is not a laser. On darker skin that difference is not academic — it is the whole safety margin.”
Dr Sin YongOn device selection

SHR hair removal describes a delivery method rather than a device class: super hair removal applies lower fluence in rapid repeated passes with in-motion technique, raising bulk temperature gradually instead of delivering one high-energy pulse. It can be run on diode platforms and on some IPL systems, which is why “SHR” alone says little about what is actually being used on you.

So IPL hair removal Singapore and diode laser hair removal Singapore are not competing names for the same service. The question to ask is which wavelength, at what fluence, and matched to which skin phototype — not which acronym appears on the price list.

Frequently Asked Questions

Laser hair removal works by selective photothermolysis. Melanin in the hair shaft absorbs laser energy, which converts to heat and conducts to the follicular structures that produce hair. Because the target is pigment, hair with little melanin responds poorly, and because hair grows in cycles, treatment is staged across sessions.

Yes, provided the wavelength is appropriate. The 1064 nm Nd:YAG wavelength is less readily absorbed by melanin in the upper skin layers and penetrates more deeply, which makes it the appropriate choice for Fitzpatrick IV to VI. Treating darker skin with a wavelength intended for lighter phototypes carries a risk of epidermal injury and post-inflammatory pigment change.

The 755 nm alexandrite wavelength is strongly absorbed by melanin, which suits Fitzpatrick I to III where dark hair contrasts with lighter skin. The 1064 nm Nd:YAG wavelength is less absorbed by surface melanin and penetrates deeper, which suits Fitzpatrick IV to VI. Neither is preferable in the abstract; they are matched to different skin.

The number of laser hair removal sessions varies with the area, hair characteristics and individual growth cycles. Only follicles in the active growth phase respond at any given session, which is why treatment is staged. The plan is set out at consultation after assessment rather than sold as a fixed package.

Commonly treated areas include the underarms, legs, arms, bikini line, back, chest and face. Suitability for each area, and the appropriate wavelength and settings, are assessed in person.

Most patients describe a snapping sensation with each pulse. Epidermal cooling is used to protect the skin surface and improve tolerance. Comfort varies between individuals and between areas, and is managed during the session.

Cost depends on the area treated, its surface area, and how the plan is staged across sessions. Because these differ considerably between patients, a figure quoted before assessment would not be meaningful. Pricing is set out clearly at consultation.

Suitability is assessed in person. Recent sun exposure or tanning, photosensitising medication, active infection or inflammation in the area, certain skin conditions and pregnancy are among the things considered. Not every patient or every presentation is appropriate for treatment.

Can finer or lighter hair be treated?+

Often, on lighter skin types, where the 755 nm alexandrite wavelength is strongly absorbed by what melanin the hair does carry. Very fine vellus hair and truly white or grey hair carry too little pigment for any laser to target, and that is said plainly at assessment rather than discovered afterwards.

Is every session supervised by a doctor?+

Yes. Settings for each area are determined by Dr Sin Yong after examining the skin and the hair, and treatment is doctor-supervised rather than run from a fixed protocol.

Can brazilian, underarms and legs be planned together?+

Yes, they are commonly assessed in the same consultation and planned together. Each area is still set independently, because the skin tone and the hair differ from one area to the next.

I had IPL or laser hair removal in another country. Does that matter?+

It helps to know. Previous treatment changes what hair remains, how it responds and what settings are appropriate, and treatment that was stopped short abroad is one of the commonest reasons patients come in. Bring whatever record you have.

Laser Hair Removal in Singapore