Why our laser uses three wavelengths, and most use one

Walk into ten salons offering laser hair removal and you will hear the same three words: advanced, medical-grade, painless. What almost nobody tells you is which laser they are actually using, or why that should matter to you.

It matters quite a lot, and it is worth understanding before you book anywhere.

A laser works by finding pigment

Laser hair removal targets the melanin in your hair. The light is absorbed by that pigment, converts to heat, and damages the follicle enough that it stops producing hair the way it did before.

The wavelength decides how that plays out. A shorter wavelength is absorbed more strongly by melanin but does not travel as deep. A longer one reaches deeper but is absorbed less. Neither is better in the abstract. They suit different hair and different skin.

Most salons own a machine with one wavelength and treat everyone with it. Ours runs three.

755nm, for fine and light hair

The shortest wavelength we run, and the most strongly absorbed by melanin. It picks up fine, light hair that other settings struggle to see at all. If you have been told before that your hair is too fine for laser, this is the one that answers that.

808nm, the all-rounder

The core wavelength, and the only one most machines have. Deep penetration with a moderate absorption rate makes it reliable across a wide range of skin tones. It reaches both the bulb and the bulge of the follicle, and it is what we will typically use across legs, arms and face.

1064nm, for depth and deeper skin tones

The longest wavelength, the deepest reach, and the lowest melanin absorption of the three. That last part sounds like a weakness and is exactly why it is useful. Because it is less drawn to pigment, it can work safely on deeper skin tones where 808nm alone is limited. The depth also suits coarse, stubborn hair on the underarm and bikini area.

Why three beats one

Your body does not have one kind of hair. The fine hair on your upper lip and the coarse hair on your bikini line are different problems, and a laser running a single wavelength gives both the same answer whether it suits them or not.

Ours switches between three, so your therapist matches the setting to the area, your hair and your skin, then adjusts it as your course progresses and your hair gets finer. That is the difference between a treatment plan and a setting.

What it feels like, honestly

The handpiece is sensor-cooled, so the tip stays cold against your skin throughout. Most clients describe it as a warm snap rather than anything sharp, and it is a long way from the older systems people remember.

It is also quick. The applicator covers a 12mm by 20mm area in a single pass, so a full leg session takes around 20 minutes rather than the hour you might be bracing for. Smaller areas such as the upper lip take only a few minutes.

What laser can and cannot do

Worth being straight with you, because plenty of adverts are not. Laser gives permanent hair reduction, not permanent removal. You will see hair come back finer, sparser and slower, and most clients see around 80% reduction over a full course. Electrolysis is the only method that can claim permanent removal, and anyone telling you otherwise about laser is overselling it. We have written a longer honest answer on permanence if you want the detail.

You will need six to eight sessions, because hair only responds while it is in its active growth phase and your follicles are not all in that phase at once. That is covered in our guide to how many sessions you need.

Booking a consultation

Every course starts with a free consultation and a patch test. We will look at your hair and skin, talk through which wavelengths suit you, and tell you honestly what to expect. If laser is not right for you, we will say so.

Clients travel to us from Enfield Town, Winchmore Hill, Palmers Green, Southgate and Cockfosters. Sessions start from £15 at our Baker Street salon.

Frequently asked questions

Is a diode laser as good as an Alexandrite or Nd:YAG laser?

Those are older machine types, named after the crystal that produces the light. What matters to your results is the wavelength reaching the follicle, and modern diode systems produce the same wavelengths those machines are known for. Ours runs three of them from one handpiece, which lets us change the setting to suit each area rather than treating everything the same way.

What do the three laser wavelengths actually do?

755nm is the most strongly absorbed by melanin, which makes it the one that picks up fine and light hair. 808nm penetrates deeply with a moderate absorption rate and works as the all-rounder across legs, arms and face. 1064nm reaches deepest and absorbs the least pigment, which makes it suitable for deeper skin tones and for coarse underarm and bikini hair.

Does laser hair removal work on darker skin tones?

Yes, with the right wavelength. The 1064nm wavelength absorbs the least melanin of the three, so it can treat the follicle without being drawn to the surrounding skin. A patch test and consultation confirm what is suitable for you before any course begins.

How long does a laser hair removal session take?

It depends on the area. The applicator covers a 12mm by 20mm patch in a single pass, so a full leg session takes around 20 minutes. Smaller areas such as the upper lip take only a few minutes.