Step 01
Free skin-type consultation
Every SmoothX patient begins with a free consultation at one of our seven Kerala and Coimbatore clinics. The consultation is led by an MD-DVL dermatologist registered with the Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists (IADVL), never delegated to a beauty therapist or junior staff. The structure of the visit is deliberate: a brief medical history; a Fitzpatrick skin-type assessment using the standardised six-type scale; a hair-density evaluation across the areas you are considering; and a screen for the conditions that affect protocol design, PCOS in women, pseudofolliculitis barbae in men, recent isotretinoin use, photosensitising medications, active dermatologic disease, vitiligo, recent sun exposure, and pregnancy.
You leave the consultation with a written treatment plan that lists the proposed areas, the number of sessions, the interval between sessions, the per-session fee, the package option, and any aftercare you should plan for. The plan is binding only on us, the choice to proceed is always yours, and there is no contractual lock-in at any stage. Many patients use the consultation to compare clinical advice across multiple providers before committing. We encourage that.
Step 02
Customised laser protocol
The single biggest reason laser fails on dark Indian skin is the use of a generic protocol designed for Fitzpatrick I–III European skin. four-wavelength diode laser is a versatile wavelength, but the parameters that work safely on a Fitzpatrick II patient will burn a Fitzpatrick V patient. Calibration matters more than the device.
At SmoothX the dermatologist calibrates three primary parameters before every session: fluence (energy density in J/cm²), pulse duration (in milliseconds), and spot size. Fitzpatrick IV patients receive baseline SmoothX fluence with the standard pulse length. Fitzpatrick V patients receive fluence reduced by 15–20 %, longer pulse durations, and aggressive contact cooling. Fitzpatrick VI patients are routed through our specialised low-fluence Diode protocol, or to Nd:YAG 1064nm where indicated, and frequently receive a small test patch with a 48-hour review before the first full session. These are not arbitrary numbers; they are derived from peer-reviewed dermatologic literature on selective photothermolysis in highly pigmented skin and refined against our own clinical outcomes across thousands of patients.
Step 03
Clinical treatment session, performed by the dermatologist
The single most important sentence on this page: an MD-DVL dermatologist personally performs your session. Not a therapist. Not a technician. The dermatologist holds the handpiece, delivers every pulse, monitors your skin response in real time, manages the cooling, and is the person you speak to if you have any question or sensation that needs attention. A clinical assistant supports the room workflow, laying the drape, preparing the gel, scheduling the next visit, but does not deliver the laser. This is the standard most patients assume is universal across Kerala dermatology clinics; it is not.
A SmoothX session targets hair follicles in the anagen (active growth) phase. At any given moment, only 10–20 % of follicles in a treatment area are in anagen, which is why a complete course requires multiple sessions spaced four to eight weeks apart, calibrated to the body site's natural growth cycle. The spacing is not arbitrary either: too short, and you waste a session on follicles still in telogen; too long, and you miss the next anagen window for follicles that just emerged.
Session duration scales with surface area. Upper lip clears in 10–15 minutes; underarms in 12–15; bikini in 20–25; lower legs in 30; full legs in 60; full back in 35–45; full body in 90. The dermatologist selects the wavelength and spot size for your skin type (755 / 808 / 940 / 1064 nm or the combined applicator; spots from 10×9 mm to 30×17 mm) and delivers either static-mode precision shots (1 / 2 / 3 Hz) for facial subunits or dynamic slide-and-glide passes (5 / 10 Hz) for large body areas. Crystal Freeze sapphire contact cooling protects your epidermis throughout. The sensation most patients describe is a warm rubber-band snap; topical anaesthetic is available but rarely needed after the first session.
Step 04
Post-treatment protocol
Aftercare is where many laser programmes lose their patients. SmoothX builds it into the protocol. Immediately after each session, you receive a cooling gel application and written instructions, in English and Malayalam, for the next fourteen days. Avoid sun exposure. Use SPF 50+ on the treated area, reapplied every three hours when outdoors. Skip hot baths, saunas, swimming, and intense exercise for 24 to 48 hours. No retinoids or acid exfoliants on the treated area for seven days. Mild redness and small follicular bumps are normal for 4 to 24 hours and require no intervention.
At 48 hours post-session, our clinic team reaches out by WhatsApp to confirm your skin response. This single touchpoint catches the vast majority of complications that would otherwise go unmanaged, early-stage PIH, persistent erythema, unexpected blistering, at a stage where a quick protocol modification or topical intervention can resolve them. Our published serious-complication rate sits well below the published industry baseline as a direct result of this workflow.
Step 05
Progress monitoring & maintenance
Reduction percentage is recorded in your clinical chart at every visit. The dermatologist documents hair count, regrowth rate, hair shaft characteristics (terminal vs vellus), and any pigmentation changes, both improvements and adverse signals. Patients who plateau early are reviewed for protocol adjustment rather than simply being routed to additional sessions; patients who progress ahead of schedule may complete their course in fewer than the projected number of visits and pay only for what they receive.
After the initial 6–8 session course, most non-PCOS patients return for one maintenance session every 12 to 24 months to address the 5–10 % regrowth that occurs over time, particularly during hormonal shifts. PCOS patients typically return more frequently, every 8–12 months, because the underlying hormonal driver continues to push new follicles into the terminal phase. The result you see at the end of your initial course is the new baseline, not a temporary clearance, and your full clinical record stays portable across all seven DermaVue locations should you move within Kerala or to Coimbatore.