"What are the most suitable laser hair removal settings for Koreans?"
We analyzed a large amount of data to determine the most appropriate hair removal laser parameters.
Hello. I’m Director Seo Min-ho.
So far, for every person who has undergone hair removal treatment, enter their resultsand, after each session, satisfactionand any issues(side effects) each time we have accumulatedcases of data.
I analyzed this data using statistical software, and I’m sharing the results with everyone!!
(We hope everyone can enjoy safe and effective hair removal, no matter where they are.)
After entering all the data...
Our hair removal data has suddenly surpassed 10,000 cases
Since we have collected a sufficient amount of data, we are going to analyze it.
처음에는 직전 회차의 제모 파라미터(강도, 펄스폭, 직경 등)을 바탕으로 효과는 극대화, 부작용은 최소화 하기 위해 시작했지만
We’re launching a scientific statistics initiative to ensure a safe hair removal experience for everyone.
We standardized the diameter to 20 mm.(See Part 1 for the reason.)
1. Satisfaction by Intensity
Cases below 7J were special cases (no cooling used; these individuals were extremely sensitive to pain, so they were excluded because we did not take this into account).
Analysis Method: Responses were scored as “Very Satisfied” (5), “Satisfied” (4), “Average” (3), “Slightly Satisfied” (2), and “Not Satisfied” (1), and the average was calculated.
The graph shows a very clear pattern.
▶ 7.5J: Lowest satisfaction rating (3.0)
→ It's too weak, so the effects aren't very noticeable.
▶ 8J–9J: Satisfaction Rises Rapidly
→ The point at which you start to feel the effects
▶ 10J–14J: Consistently high satisfaction (4.3–4.5) ★
→ Satisfaction Is the "Sweet Spot" of Hair Removal
▶ 15J: Highest Satisfaction Rating (4.77)
→ While satisfaction increases as the intensity rises, safety and discomfort must also be taken into account.
"Conclusion: As intensity increases, satisfaction increases proportionally."
2. Issues by Severity Level
Analysis Method: None (1), Mild folliculitis (2), Severe folliculitis (3), Redness lasting one week or longer (4), Burn (5)
▶ 전체적으로 불편도는 매우 낮음
Average range of 1.0–1.4 → Mostly No discomfort (a) or Mild (b)
→ There are almost no burns (d, e).
▶ 가장 불편도가 높은 구간: 8.5J
At 8.5J, the discomfort score was the highest, averaging 1.44.
→ Mostly b–c (mild to moderate folliculitis)
▶ 강도가 올라갈수록 오히려 불편도가 감소
10J → 1.29
12J → 1.22
14J → 1.11
▶ 15J에서도 불편도는 매우 낮음(1.14)
→ The 15J offers the best performance and the least inconvenience
To avoid the error of averages, we also plotted the actual data points.
▶ Mostly 1–2 points (no discomfort to mild)
→ Hair removal using the above parameters is generally very safe and causes minimal irritation.
▶ Some lesions (3–5 points, ranging from severe folliculitis to burns) are present around the 8.5J and 9J levels
→ This matches the interval that had the highest level of discomfort in the previous average
→ When the initial energy setting is low, stimulation actually increasesin the ‘"initial sensitivity phase"’ where stimulation actually increases
▶ At high intensities of 10J or more, there are almost no high scores (4–5)
→ Even as the intensity increases, the skin reaction does not become more severe Safety confirmed
▶The 12–15J range is almost entirely 1–2 points
→ In fact, the high-intensity sections are the most stableand causes minimal discomfort
→ The current method’s configuration is correctdemonstrating that the current method’s
“Increasing the intensity of hair removal does not increase discomfort.”
“Discomfort is actually higher in the 8–9J range, while the high-intensity range (12–15J) is more stable.”
"I know that side effects increase as the dosage goes up, but why is that...?"
I'll explain the reason for this in the summary later!
3. Satisfaction by Session
Satisfaction levels rise with each episode.
Analysis Method: Responses were scored as “Very Satisfied” (5), “Satisfied” (4), “Average” (3), “Slightly Satisfied” (2), and “Not Satisfied” (1), and the average was calculated.
▶ As the number of episodes increases, viewer satisfaction steadily increases
Round 1: 4.34 → Round 7: 4.51 → Round 10: 4.53
A graph showing a slight but steady upward trend
▶ In episodes 6–10, '"The most stable and highest satisfaction'
This section consistently scores between 4.48 and 4.53, which is very close to "very satisfied."
Linked to the time when patients feel the greatest effects and changes
▶ After a slight dip in the 8th round, prices rose again
Only the 8th episode saw a slight drop (4.498)
Rebounded again in episodes 9–10
▶ Episode 11: "Extremely Satisfied (a=5 points)"
Since this data is from 2025, the sample size is small.
However, it can be interpreted that the patient group that continued through the 11th session is the one that experienced the highest level of effectiveness.
"Satisfaction levels rise steadily as the number of episodes increases."
"In particular, satisfaction was at the very topand remained very stable."
"This hair removal method the more you use it, you’ll definitely notice."
4. Issues by Session
Regardless of the episode, I hardly felt any discomfort.
Analysis Method: None (1), Mild folliculitis (2), Severe folliculitis (3), Redness lasting one week or longer (4), Burn (5)
Hmm... It seems there aren't any major differences, and for the most part, there don't appear to be any significant issues. However, to avoid the "average fallacy," I extracted the data as point data.
Side effects that could cause inconvenience in daily life appeared even after just a few sessions.
"There are cases where side effects cause inconvenience in daily life, especially when the number of sessions is low...!"
And...
"Why does redness and burning that lasts more than a week occur more frequently during the 'initial sessions'?"
1) The initial session is the “pre-skin adaptation” stage
During the first 1–3 sessions, the skin has not yet adapted to the laser.
Even at the same intensity, the skin reaction may be more pronounced.
In particular, sensitivity to heat around the hair follicles is high in the early stages.
➡ That's why most abnormal symptoms—such as redness or a burning sensation lasting more than a week—occur in the early stages.
2) 초기 세션에서는 강도, 펄스폭 최적화 전
The personalized parameters are adjusted as follows.
- Assessing hair and hair follicle thickness(We observe them directly with the naked eye and examine their response to the laser.)
- Determine your skin tone and whether your skin is prone to breakouts(The risk of side effects increases as skin tone gets darker or the skin becomes more prone to breakouts.)
- Adjusting settings based on pain and response patterns(If it hurts too, too, too much, we cannot increase the intensity...)
- In the early stages, since the intensity tailored to each patient is not yet fully established,
There is a high likelihood of an unpredictable reaction (4–5 points).
➡ The settings become more optimized over time → Stability is maintained even at high intensity
3) As treatment sessions progress, the number of hair follicles decreases → resulting in a reduced response
As the number of episodes increases,
- The number of targets (hair follicles) hit by the laser gradually decreases → thermal response also decreases
- Hair follicles become thinner and the growth phase slows down → The response becomes milder
- Reduced irritation and incidence of folliculitis
➡ The more episodes there are, the more “stability” naturally increases.
4) This has been fully proven by actual data
Actual scatter results:
- Discomfort rated at 4 or 5 (redness or a burning sensation lasting at least one week) mostly occurs only during sessions 1 through 4.
- After the 7th round, scores of 4 and 5 almost disappear, leaving only scores of 1 and 2.
- Episode 11: Discomfort Score: 1 point, 100%
➡ Even with the same amount of energy, the more sessions you have, the more the discomfort disappears.
5. Intensity per session ★ (This is the most important figure.)
1) The intensity naturally increases as the number of sessions goes up
- Round 1: 10.3 J
- Session 5: 12.1J
- Round 10: 12.65 J
→ Start at a low setting and gradually increasepattern
→ This is perfectly normal and safe configuration logic.
2) The 7th to 12th cycles stabilized at 12.3–12.6 J
→ “The range in which the optimal intensity is reached and maintained” for each individual patient
3) Interesting point: Satisfaction continues to rise, while dissatisfaction remains largely unchanged
Even though the intensity is increasing,
→ The discomfort level is nearly 1.2 (almost none)
→ Satisfaction has been steadily rising
➡ Setting the parameters for step-by-step hair removal Maximize Efficiency + Minimizes Discomfortfor ideal form.
"Step-by-Step Parameter Hair Removaleven if you increase the intensity,
No increase in inconveniencewhile only the benefits increase.”
6. Final Conclusion
“High levels of discomfort are not caused by high intensity, but rather by the initial sessions (before adaptation) .”
“As the number of sessions increases, the skin adapts, and the number of hair follicles decreases, so even at high intensities, the skin doesn’t react negatively.”
In other words, hair removal treatments must be recorded for each session, and
The procedure must be performed using settings customized for each individual
It is the most effective and the safest.
We reached the final conclusion that...(Clap, clap, clap~~)
The next post is the third and final installment in the hair removal laser series. It will provide examples of how to apply parameters during actual hair removal procedures.
I’ll explain the actual results based on the before-and-after photos.
If you have any questions, please leave a comment, and I’ll be happy to answer them in detail.
It wasn't exactly exciting since it was all about data... but I'm confident the content was informative!! Thank you for reading this post so carefully.