Laser hair removal prices in Gangnam: how much for 1, 5 or 10 sessions by area? (women and men)

Quick answer: At Repic Clinic in Gangnam, laser hair removal is KRW 25,000 per session for women's underarms, KRW 150,000 for full legs and KRW 90,000 for a man's full beard (September 2026, VAT excluded). The laser only works on hair in its growth phase, so treatment is split into several sessions timed to the hair cycle.

Why doesn't laser hair removal work in one session?

Because the laser only affects hair that is actively growing at that moment. It targets the dark pigment in the hair and delivers heat that weakens the root. But the hairs in one area do not all grow at the same time. Growing, regressing and resting hairs are mixed together, and in a resting hair the root has separated from the pigment, so even when the laser reaches it there is nothing to hit. It is like weeding. You can only clear what has come up today; whatever is still underground is for next time.

That is why there are 5-session and 10-session packages. Each session treats the hairs that have entered the growth phase since the last one, so the whole area is only cleared by spreading sessions out across the cycle. A single session is for seeing how you respond.

So how many sessions until it is done? There is no clean answer. Hair volume, thickness, area and hormones all change the response, even for two people's underarms. Hormone-driven areas like the beard and face tend to need more maintenance, while evenly haired areas like arms and legs are easier to predict. In general, many people need at least 4 to 6 sessions spaced 4 to 8 weeks apart depending on the area, and occasional maintenance may be needed afterwards. Because it varies, the recommended number of sessions and the interval are set at the first visit, after the doctor looks at your hair.

If you are visiting Seoul, that spacing means one trip usually covers one session. A 5- or 10-session package makes sense if you are in Seoul regularly or staying for months; for a single short trip, the 1-session price is the honest option.

Do men get laser hair removal? How does beard removal work?

Yes. Demand is high enough that men's hair removal has its own price list, and the beard and sideburns are the most common requests. What I see in clinic is that men come less for a cleaner look and more because of daily shaving: irritation, folliculitis and post-shave breakouts. Not having to shave is the goal in itself.

Beard work goes one of two ways: removing everything including the neck, or a design approach that clears the jawline, cheeks and sideburns and keeps what you want to keep. For the design option, we draw the line together before treatment. At Repic Clinic in Gangnam, jaw, cheeks and sideburns are KRW 80,000 per session, and the full beard (including the neck) is KRW 90,000 per session or KRW 405,000 for 5 (VAT excluded). Men's prices are higher than women's because the hair is thicker and denser, which takes more treatment time and energy.

One thing to know in advance. Beard hair stays under the influence of male hormones, so it may need more sessions than other areas, and some men come back after finishing to clear fine hairs that grow in.

Does laser hair removal hurt? Do you use numbing cream?

It hurts, but not unbearably; it feels like a rubber band flicked against the skin. It varies a lot by area. Thick, dense hair in the underarms, the Brazilian area and the beard stings more; arms and legs less. As sessions go on and the hair thins, less of it absorbs the laser, and the pain tends to ease compared with the first session.

Honestly, there is no such thing as painless laser hair removal. Relief options such as numbing cream or cooling are applied differently depending on the area and how sensitive you are, and the doctor goes through them at the visit. If you are planning a sensitive area like a Brazilian, mention the pain worry first thing at the consultation.

Should you shave before laser hair removal? What about waxing?

Shave before you come, and do not wax or pluck. One reason: the laser's target is the root. Waxing and tweezers pull the hair out root and all, leaving the laser nothing to hit. Shaving only cuts the hair above the skin and leaves the root in place, so the target is still there. Side by side:

• Shaving: the right way to prepare. Between sessions, shave only.
• Waxing or tweezing: the root is gone and the laser works less well. If you already have, treatment starts once the hair grows back.
• Depilatory cream: the root stays, but lasering skin that is still irritated can make redness worse, so it is safer to avoid.

On the day of treatment, skip saunas, hot baths and hard exercise, and do not rub the area. Sun protection is essential both before and after. Brief redness or small bumps around the follicles straight after treatment are common and usually settle on their own. If redness lasts or a blister appears, contact us right away.

When should you start before summer? Can you do it on tanned skin?

Start well before the season when you will be showing skin, while the sun is weaker. Several sessions spaced out means starting just before summer makes it hard to fit them in, and avoiding the sun around each session is hard in midsummer to begin with. Winter to spring is the easiest time to manage. Already summer? You can still start. Just be stricter about sun protection.

Tanned skin and naturally darker skin are two separate questions. Because the laser targets pigment, skin with a lot of pigment also absorbs heat, which raises the risk of burns or pigmentation. Straight after tanning, wait until the tan fades. Whether you can be treated at your skin tone, and at what settings, is decided at the visit with the doctor looking at your skin.

How much is laser hair removal by area? (September 2026)

Prices are from Repic Gangnam's September 2026 price list and exclude 10% VAT, which is added at payment. The same prices apply to Korean and international patients; the tax-refund scheme for cosmetic procedures is no longer available in Korea. The final figure depends on the area, and an exact quote follows the visit. Every area comes as 1, 5 or 10 sessions, and the per-session price drops as you bundle more. For women, underarms and upper lip are the same: KRW 25,000 for 1 session, KRW 112,500 for 5, KRW 212,500 for 10. Full legs are KRW 150,000 per session or KRW 1,275,000 for 10; a Brazilian (design) is KRW 150,000 per session or KRW 675,000 for 5.

The remaining areas (full face, hairline, back, hands, feet, knees) and the arms-plus-legs bundle are all on the price list. The consultation fee is deducted in full if you are treated the same day.

How we do it at Repic

We do not start from the name of the area. At the first visit, Mark-Vu photographs the skin to check surface pigment, and the doctor looks at hair thickness, density and skin tone before setting the energy level and the number of sessions. For areas where some hair stays and some goes, like a beard design, the line is drawn and confirmed first, and then the doctor performs the treatment personally. Home care between sessions, such as how to shave and sun protection, is explained at the same visit, and consultations can be held in English.

Related reading

• Skin treatments before a wedding: what to book, and when?
• How do you choose a skin clinic in Gangnam, Seoul?
• Full Repic Gangnam price list (September 2026, VAT excluded)

Repic Clinic Gangnam: B1 & 2F, 318 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (Yeoksam-dong, TOWER837) · +82-2-6952-0312 · Book online

This is general information and does not replace a medical consultation. Results vary with individual condition.