Alexandrite laser near Munich
The alexandrite laser:
why it is the gold standard.
Our home page uses a big phrase: gold standard. Here is what lies behind it — and where even this laser reaches its limits.
What an alexandrite laser is
The name does not come from a brand but from the heart of the device: an alexandrite crystal. Excited by powerful flash lamps, it emits light of one single, precisely defined wavelength — 755 nanometres, just beyond visible red.
That one wavelength is the reason the device matters. A laser is not bright light, it is very precise light.
Why 755 nanometres
Hair owes its colour to melanin. Melanin absorbs light at 755 nanometres particularly well and turns it into heat. The energy ends up where it should: in the hair, and through the hair at the root. What happens inside the follicle is explained on How it works.
Because the hair takes up the energy so readily, a short, targeted pulse is enough. That is why the alexandrite laser is regarded as the benchmark for light to medium skin — the one other methods are measured against.
Who it suits
It works best on dark hair on light to medium skin: there the hair absorbs far more light than the skin around it.
If the skin itself contains a lot of melanin — darker skin tones or a fresh tan — it competes with the hair for the light. Then the second wavelength is the safe choice: 1064 nanometres Nd:YAG, which penetrates deeper and is absorbed less by the skin. Our device has both; which one fits is decided at the trial treatment.
Where it reaches its limits
Where there is no melanin, no laser can work. White, grey and very light blonde hairs therefore cannot be removed with any laser — this one included. Anyone who promises otherwise is promising too much.
Alexandrite, diode or IPL?
A diode laser is also a laser with a fixed wavelength; it lies between alexandrite and Nd:YAG. IPL, on the other hand, is not a laser but filtered flash light across a broad range of wavelengths — this is how most home devices work. The energy is spread over many wavelengths, of which the hair absorbs only some well.
Which method is right depends on skin and hair, not on the name. That is why every treatment with us starts with a free trial treatment on one area.
The device we use
We work with the Candela GentleMax Pro Plus. It combines the alexandrite wavelength and Nd:YAG in one device and cools the skin with a cryogen spray that lands a fraction of a second before each pulse. Treatments are carried out by Magdalena Graml herself, NiSV-certified.
Frequently asked questions about the alexandrite laser
Which skin is the alexandrite laser suitable for?
It works best on dark hair on light to medium skin. For darker skin tones and tanned skin we use the device's second wavelength, 1064 nanometres Nd:YAG. Together they cover almost all skin and hair types.
How many sessions are needed?
Usually 6 to 8, four to eight weeks apart depending on the body area. The laser only reaches hairs in the active growth phase, which is why several appointments are needed.
When will I see the first results?
About 14 days after the first session: many of the treated hairs fall out on their own. Hair density decreases with every further session.
Does the treatment hurt?
Before each pulse, a cryogen spray cools the skin for a fraction of a second. This keeps the treatment comfortable even on sensitive areas; numbing creams are not needed.
Which is better, an alexandrite or a diode laser?
Both are lasers with a fixed wavelength. The alexandrite laser's 755 nanometres are absorbed particularly well by melanin, which makes it the benchmark for light to medium skin. The free trial treatment shows which method suits you.
Where can I get alexandrite laser treatment near Munich?
With us in Grünwald, on the southern edge of Munich: Südliche Münchner Straße 46. Tram 25 runs without changes from Max-Weber-Platz through Giesing and Harlaching to the stop “Grünwald, Ludwig-Thoma-Straße”, and there are two customer parking spaces outside. More under Contact and directions.
How much does a treatment cost?
That depends on the area, your skin and hair type and the number of sessions, and is only set after the free trial treatment. What the price depends on is explained on Prices.