Equipment profile · Candela
Candela GentleMax Pro Plus: Price, Specs, FDA Clearance and Alternatives
The GentleMax Pro Plus is Candela’s current dual-wavelength laser for practices building a hair-removal service. It pairs 755 nm alexandrite with 1064 nm Nd:YAG on one console and also treats pigment and vascular lesions.
The short answer
The Pro Plus is FDA cleared for permanent hair reduction on skin types I to VI, including tanned skin. Compared with the GentleMax Pro, it adds more energy, spots up to 26 mm and an optional GLX delivery system, with the same cleared uses. Candela doesn’t publish prices, so compare itemized written quotes for the same configuration.
Who should buy a GentleMax Pro Plus?
Shortlist it if
- Legs and backs fill much of your schedule, so you’d use the 20 to 26 mm spots.
- Your patients range from light to dark skin types, so both wavelengths would earn their place.
- Your room can take a 260 lb console on a dedicated 200 to 240 V circuit (20 A or 30 A).
Compare another option if
- Most of your work is faces and underarms: compare the GentleMax Pro, which tops out at 18 mm spots.
- You’d rather not buy cryogen: price the Pro Plus’s air-cooling option, which needs a separate chiller, or compare the Elite iQ.
- You want hair removal plus IPL and RF microneedling on one console: compare the OptimasMAX.
Our take: when is the Pro Plus upgrade worth it?
When large areas drive your schedule. The extra energy and bigger spots matter most on legs and backs, and GLX is an option you can price now and add later. The new 2 ms pulse setting gives providers another option; it isn’t evidence of faster appointments.
Ask the demo team to treat your busiest appointment type. Then line up GentleMax Pro and Elite iQ quotes for the same patient mix, cooling setup and service plan. If faces and underarms dominate your menu, the price difference may buy capacity you rarely use.
Comparing it with Soprano Titanium? See GentleMax Pro Plus vs Soprano Titanium, side by side.
Document-based buying analysis. Not a NuWays MD hands-on test of this device.
GentleMax Pro Plus specifications at a glance
| Specification | GentleMax Pro Plus | What it means for your practice |
|---|---|---|
| Wavelengths | 755 nm alexandrite and 1064 nm Nd:YAG, two laser heads combined into one delivery system | 755 nm suits lighter skin and finer hair; 1064 nm is the safer wavelength for darker skin types. One console can serve a mixed patient base. |
| Maximum energy | 68 J alexandrite; 90 J Nd:YAG | Headroom to keep treatment fluence at larger spot sizes. Energy alone does not shorten appointments. |
| Maximum fluence | 400 J/cm² alexandrite; 520 J/cm² Nd:YAG | |
| Spot sizes | 1.5 to 26 mm (14 sizes, including 3 × 10 mm) | Large spots cover more skin per pulse on legs and backs; small spots handle faces and lesions. Confirm which sizes the quote includes. |
| Pulse duration | 0.25 to 100 ms, including a 2 ms setting | More parameter options for different hair and skin types. |
| Repetition rate | 1 to 10 Hz | |
| Skin cooling | Dynamic Cooling Device (DCD) cryogen spray, or the Air Cooling Compatible (ACC) option with an air chiller | DCD cryogen is a supply cost that rises with volume. ACC avoids cryogen but needs a separate air chiller. |
| Delivery | Lens-coupled optical fiber; GLX Delivery System offered only on the Pro Plus, new or as an upgrade | GLX is a Pro Plus-only upgrade. Price it now even if you defer it. |
| Electrical | 200 to 240 V single phase; 30 A configuration (4,600 VA) or 20 A configuration (3,600 VA) | Plan a dedicated circuit before delivery and confirm which configuration the quote covers. |
| Size and weight | 42 × 18 × 27 in (H × W × L); 260 lb | Needs floor space and a room it can roll into. |
Sources: FDA 510(k) K201111 · Candela.
See it next to the alternativesSpecs, cleared uses and ownership questions in one table.
GentleMax Pro Plus vs. GentleMax Pro: what changed?
FDA cleared the Pro Plus in 2020 as a modification of the GentleMax Pro, with no new intended uses. The differences are power, spot size, a 2 ms pulse option, the trigger and the GLX delivery upgrade.
| Feature | GentleMax Pro Plus | GentleMax Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum energy | 68 J alexandrite; 90 J Nd:YAG | 53 J alexandrite; 80 J Nd:YAG |
| Largest spot | 26 mm (adds 20, 22, 24 and 26 mm) | 18 mm |
| Pulse duration | 0.25 to 100 ms, with a new 2 ms setting | 0.25 to 100 ms |
| Trigger | Footswitch and finger switch | Footswitch and handpiece switch |
| GLX Delivery System | Available (new or upgrade) | Not offered |
| Unchanged on both | Wavelengths, maximum fluence, cooling, electrical requirements, size and weight | Same |
Sources: FDA 510(k) K201111 · Candela.
What is the GentleMax Pro Plus FDA cleared for?
Each 510(k) number links to its record in the FDA database. The summary PDFs are listed under Sources.
510(k) K201111 (GentleMax Pro Plus (GentleMax Family of Laser Systems)), cleared May 26, 2020. Product code GEX; Class II medical device; Class IV laser. No clinical study was required; FDA cleared it on its similarity to the GentleMax Pro (K140122).
| Wavelength | Cleared uses (summarized) |
|---|---|
| 755 nm | Hair reduction, including stable long-term or permanent reduction on Fitzpatrick I to VI including tanned skin; benign pigmented lesions; wrinkles; vascular lesions such as port-wine stains, hemangiomas and telangiectasias. |
| 1064 nm | Hair removal and permanent hair reduction (including pseudofolliculitis barbae) on Fitzpatrick I to VI; pigmented and vascular lesions including leg and spider veins; benign pigmented lesions; reduction of black and blue-black tattoo intensity; red pigmentation in hypertrophic and keloid scars; wrinkles; temporary increase of clear nail in onychomycosis. |
FDA defines permanent hair reduction as a long-term, stable reduction in the number of hairs regrowing, measured at 6, 9 and 12 months after a treatment regime.
Source: FDA 510(k) K201111.
Clearance describes what a device may be marketed for; it does not predict results for a given patient.
- No separate 510(k) record names the GLX Delivery System (openFDA search, November 6, 2026). Ask Candela which clearance covers a GLX configuration.
GentleMax Pro Plus clinical studies
Published studies we found on this system, its earlier models and related technology, each labeled by what it tested. Most are small, and some have manufacturer-affiliated authors, so use them to frame questions for the demo rather than as proof of results.
What we found: None on this system; 1 on an earlier model.
- Earlier model: GentleMax ProUtilization of Alexandrite Laser for Hair Removal in Pediatric Auricular ReconstructionHair removal on grafted ear skin after reconstruction in children, using the GentleMax Pro’s 755 nm laser. A specialty use, not a med spa outcome study.
Links open the PubMed record.
How much does a GentleMax Pro Plus cost?
| Price evidence | What we found |
|---|---|
| New system (manufacturer quote) | Candela does not publish prices, and we found no reliable public price for a new system. Online ranges we saw were unsourced. Get an itemized written quote. |
| Used (asking prices) | Used GentleMax Pro Plus and GentleMax Pro units appear on dealer and auction sites. An asking price is not a sale price or a new-system price; check laser-head rebuilds, service history, warranty and whether Candela will support the transfer. |
| Documented sale prices | None found. |
What ownership adds after purchase
| Cost area | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Cooling supplies | DCD systems use cryogen canisters, a recurring cost that scales with treatment volume. The ACC option needs a separate air chiller instead. Get the canister price and typical pulses per canister in writing. |
| Room and power | 200 to 240 V single-phase power on a 20 A or 30 A circuit, depending on the configuration. A 260 lb console. Confirm which configuration the quote includes before the electrician visit. |
| Laser maintenance | The laser heads are flashlamp-pumped, so ask what the service plan covers, including lamp replacement and laser-head rebuilds, and the expected intervals at your treatment volume. |
| Delivery system | Confirm whether GLX is included, its upgrade price if not, and which spot sizes and handpieces arrive with the system. |
| Safety equipment | Class IV laser: wavelength-rated eyewear for staff and patients and a controlled treatment room. |
GentleMax Pro Plus alternatives to compare
| Device | Technology | Why compare it |
|---|---|---|
| Cynosure Elite iQ | 755 / 1064 nm laser | The closest like-for-like: another 755 nm alexandrite and 1064 nm Nd:YAG platform, with Cynosure’s Skintel melanin reader. FDA records show a newer Elite iQ PRO (K240396, March 2024); confirm which generation is quoted. |
| Alma Soprano Titanium | 755 / 810 / 1064 nm diode platform | A diode-based approach (755, 810 and 1064 nm) built around in-motion treatment. Compare comfort, speed per body area and handpiece costs rather than peak energy. |
| InMode OptimasMAX | Multi-application RF, laser and pulsed-light workstation | A multi-application InMode workstation whose Diolaze applicators cover hair removal alongside IPL, vascular and Morpheus8. Compare only if you want one console for several services. |
Different technologies are not interchangeable. Compare configurations, cleared uses and ownership costs before you book demos.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Is this a new GentleMax Pro Plus with a full manufacturer warranty, and what is the serial number?
- Is the GLX Delivery System included? If not, what does the upgrade cost later?
- DCD cryogen or ACC air cooling? If DCD, what is the canister price and expected pulses per canister?
- Which spot sizes and handpieces are included, and which are extra?
- Is the system configured for a 20 A or 30 A circuit?
- What does the warranty cover in year one, and what does the service plan cost from year two? Does it include laser-head rebuilds?
- How many training days are included, on site or remote, and for how many staff?
- What is the total with tax, freight, installation and financing fees?
Plan the purchase
Plan your GentleMax Pro Plus purchase.
- Compare it side by side with its closest alternatives.
- Check what each quote includes: configuration, supplies, service and financing.
- Model the monthly payment against realistic treatment volume in the ROI calculator.
Other laser hair removal machines to research
InModeOptimasMAXFull guideMulti-application RF, laser and pulsed-light workstationRead the full page →CandelaGentleMax Pro · earlier generationFull profile755 nm alexandrite / 1064 nm Nd:YAGRead the full page →
CynosureElite iQFull profile755 / 1064 nm laserRead the full page →
AlmaSoprano TitaniumFull profile755 / 810 / 1064 nm diode platformRead the full page →
LumenisSplendor XFull profile755 nm Alexandrite / 1064 nm Nd:YAG, square spotsRead the full page →All laser hair removal machines →More Candela equipment →Full equipment catalog →
Sources
Show all 4 sources
- FDA 510(k) K201111: GentleMax Pro Plus clearance letter and summary (May 26, 2020). Checked November 6, 2026.
- FDA 510(k) K140122: GentleMax Family of Laser Systems (predicate) (May 9, 2014). Checked November 6, 2026.
- Candela: Gentle Pro Series product page. Checked November 6, 2026.
- FDA 510(k) K240396: Elite iQ PRO (March 8, 2024). Checked November 6, 2026.