Equipment profile · Candela
Candela GentleMax Pro: Price, Specs, FDA Clearance and Alternatives
The GentleMax Pro is the earlier model in Candela’s Gentle Pro Series, pairing 755 nm alexandrite with 1064 nm Nd:YAG for hair removal, pigment and vascular work. Candela still lists it beside the newer Pro Plus, but many units for sale are used.
The short answer
The GentleMax Pro has the same FDA-cleared uses as the Pro Plus, including permanent hair reduction on skin types I to VI. It has less energy (53 J and 80 J versus 68 J and 90 J), spots up to 18 mm instead of 26 mm and no GLX option. Candela doesn’t publish prices; one dealer listed a 2019 unit at $65,000, an asking price rather than a market rate.
Who should buy a GentleMax Pro?
Shortlist it if
- Faces, underarms and bikini areas make up most of your hair-removal work, so 18 mm spots cover it.
- You can see the unit run, or have a technician inspect it, before you pay.
- Candela confirms in writing that it will service the unit, supply parts and train your staff.
Compare another option if
- Legs and backs fill your schedule: compare the GentleMax Pro Plus, with spots to 26 mm and more energy.
- You’d rather not buy cryogen: compare the Elite iQ, which works with a cold-air chiller.
- Nobody will commit to service and parts for the specific unit: buy new instead.
Our take: is a used GentleMax Pro worth it?
It can be, if the paperwork holds up. The flashlamp-pumped laser heads wear with use, so a unit’s history matters as much as its age. Before you pay a deposit, get the unit’s pulse counts and rebuild history in writing, plus Candela’s transfer and service terms.
Then build the full cost: asking price plus freight, any repairs, training and a service plan. Compare that total, not the sticker price, with a new Pro Plus quote.
Document-based buying analysis. Not a NuWays MD hands-on test of this device.
GentleMax Pro specifications at a glance
| Specification | GentleMax Pro | What it means for your practice |
|---|---|---|
| Wavelengths | 755 nm alexandrite and 1064 nm Nd:YAG | 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 | 53 J alexandrite; 80 J Nd:YAG | Less headroom than the Pro Plus (68 J and 90 J) at large spot sizes. |
| Maximum fluence | 400 J/cm² alexandrite; 520 J/cm² Nd:YAG | |
| Spot sizes | 1.5 to 18 mm (10 sizes, including 3 × 10 mm) | No 20 to 26 mm spots. Large body areas take more pulses than on the Pro Plus. |
| Pulse duration | 0.25 to 100 ms | |
| Repetition rate | 1 to 10 Hz | |
| Skin cooling | Dynamic Cooling Device (DCD) cryogen spray | Cryogen canisters are a recurring supply cost. Candela lists an air-cooling option for the series; confirm what your unit has. |
| Trigger | Footswitch and handpiece switch | |
| Electrical | 200 to 240 V single phase; 30 A (4,600 VA) or 20 A (3,600 VA) configuration | Plan a dedicated circuit and confirm the configuration, especially on a used unit. |
| Size and weight | 42 × 18 × 27 in (H × W × L); 260 lb |
Sources: FDA 510(k) K201111 · Candela.
See it next to the alternativesSpecs, cleared uses and ownership questions in one table.
GentleMax Pro vs. GentleMax Pro Plus: what changed?
FDA cleared the Pro Plus in 2020 as a modification of the GentleMax Pro with no new intended uses. The Pro Plus adds energy, larger spots, a 2 ms pulse option, a finger switch and the GLX delivery upgrade.
| Feature | GentleMax Pro | GentleMax Pro Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum energy | 53 J alexandrite; 80 J Nd:YAG | 68 J alexandrite; 90 J Nd:YAG |
| Largest spot | 18 mm | 26 mm |
| Pulse duration | 0.25 to 100 ms | 0.25 to 100 ms, with a 2 ms setting |
| GLX Delivery System | Not offered | Available (new or upgrade) |
| Unchanged on both | Wavelengths, maximum fluence, cooling, electrical requirements, size and weight | Same |
Sources: FDA 510(k) K201111 · Candela.
What is the GentleMax Pro FDA cleared for?
Each 510(k) number links to its record in the FDA database. The summary PDFs are listed under Sources.
510(k) K140122 (Candela GentleMax Family of Laser Systems), cleared May 9, 2014. Product code GEX; Class II medical device; Class IV laser. Its indications carried forward unchanged to the GentleMax Pro Plus clearance (K201111).
| 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) K140122 · FDA 510(k) K201111.
Clearance describes what a device may be marketed for; it does not predict results for a given patient.
GentleMax Pro 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: 1 on this system.
- This systemUtilization 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 cost?
| Price evidence | What we found |
|---|---|
| New system (manufacturer quote) | Candela does not publish prices, and we found no reliable public new-system price. Get an itemized written quote. |
| Used (asking prices) | One dealer listed a 2019 GentleMax Pro at $65,000 (asking price, observed September 13, 2026; the seller described rebuilt heads). One listing is not a market price, and an asking price is not a sale. |
| Documented sale prices | None found. |
Sources: MedLaserUSA.
What ownership adds after purchase
| Cost area | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Laser-head history | Flashlamp-pumped heads wear with use. Ask for pulse counts, rebuild dates and who did the work. |
| Cooling supplies | Price cryogen canisters and typical pulses per canister, or confirm the air-cooling setup. |
| Transfer and support | For a used unit, confirm whether Candela will service it, supply parts and provide training, and at what cost. |
| Room and power | 200 to 240 V on a 20 A or 30 A circuit; 260 lb console. |
GentleMax Pro alternatives to compare
| Device | Technology | Why compare it |
|---|---|---|
| Candela GentleMax Pro Plus | 755 nm alexandrite / 1064 nm Nd:YAG | The upgrade path: same wavelengths and cooling, with more energy, spots to 26 mm and GLX. Compare the price difference with how much large-area work you do. |
| Cynosure Elite iQ | 755 / 1064 nm laser | Another 755/1064 nm system, with a cold-air chiller instead of cryogen and the Skintel melanin reader. |
| Alma Soprano Titanium | 755 / 810 / 1064 nm diode platform | A diode approach with interchangeable applicators. Compare cleared claims by applicator and replacement costs. |
Different technologies are not interchangeable. Compare configurations, cleared uses and ownership costs before you book demos.
Questions to ask before you sign
- New or used? For used units: year, serial number, pulse counts and laser-head rebuild records.
- Will Candela transfer the warranty or service the unit, and is there a recertification fee?
- Which spot sizes and handpieces are included?
- DCD cryogen or air cooling? What do canisters cost and how many pulses does one cover?
- Is the unit configured for a 20 A or 30 A circuit?
- What does the service plan cost and cover after year one?
- What is the total with tax, freight, installation, training and financing fees?
Plan the purchase
Plan your GentleMax Pro 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 PlusFull 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) K140122: GentleMax Family of Laser Systems (May 9, 2014). Checked November 6, 2026.
- FDA 510(k) K201111: GentleMax Pro Plus summary (compares the GentleMax Pro) (May 26, 2020). Checked November 6, 2026.
- Candela: Gentle Pro Series product page. Checked November 6, 2026.
- MedLaserUSA: 2019 Candela GentleMax Pro listing (asking price) (September 13, 2026). Checked November 6, 2026.