Pioneers in hair removal since 2001
Man Thing Rockhampton provides premium grade PTF Hair Removal, an advanced form of IPL, without the pain and after-care of conventional laser.
Points of difference

- Not a girly salon. It's more like a man cave with treatment rooms.
- IPL is virtually painless - No numbing cream needed.
- TGA listed equipment with very high energy output.
- Credit cards welcome - Visa, Master Card, EFTPOS, Union Pay.
- No 'buy 10' schemes - I achieve results. I don't need to trap you into coming back.
- No fast flashing machines - I don't use low-output SHR machines to pump clients through fast.
- Real results & no 🐮💩 - We'll see a strong result from the first treatment, or we stop.
- Highly qualified therapist - owner operated with 20+ years hair removal experience.
Quality and experience

The Rockhampton studio is now in its 15th year of operation.
Prior to that, I owned twelve Reef Beauty and Body Sync stores throughout Brisbane, Ipswich, and Gold Coast, where I trained and managed my team of over 20 hair removal technicians.
All of that experience is reflected in the FAQ section below, along with my prices and specials.
Call me on 4926 7778 or 0422 276 202 if you have any questions or to make a booking. You can also book online.
Have a brilliant day,
Andrew Thompson.
Prices ★ IPL Hair Removal
- 🕒 IPL treatment times vary greatly as men come in all shapes and sizes.
- 🔥 indicates popularity based on actual treatments performed.
- Highlighted prices in blue are current IPL Hair Removal specials.
- Highlighted prices in green are current specials combining IPL Hair Removal with other services e.g. RF Skin Tightening.
- 💲 Further discounts will apply when treating multiple areas.
- Some treatments have a short code in brackets. If you're booking online, feel free to use the short code when listing the areas you want zapped.
Male IPL Hair Removal ★ Face | 🕒 | 💲 |
---|---|---|
Cheeks | 15 mins | $59 |
Neck | 15 mins | $55 |
Full Face 🔥 | 20 mins | $110 |
Face IPL Hair Removal + RF Skin Tightening 🔥🔥🔥 | 30 | $150 |
Full Face & Neck COMBO 🔥 | 35 mins | $165 |
Face & Neck IPL Hair Removal + RF Skin Tightening 🔥🔥 | 50 | $235 |
Male IPL Hair Removal ★ Upper Body | 🕒 | 💲 |
---|---|---|
Chest | 40 mins | $209 |
Stomach 🔥 | 20 mins | $95 |
[HRCS] Chest & Stomach COMBO 🔥🔥 | 60 mins | $249 |
Top of Shoulders | 15 mins | $65 |
Lumbar (lower back) | 20 mins | $144 |
Upper Back 🔥 | 35 mins | $159 |
[HRBSD] Back, Shoulders, Delts COMBO 🔥🔥🔥 | 75 mins | $289 |
Obliques | 30 mins | $175 |
[HRBSDO] Back, Shldrs, Delts, Obliques COMBO 🔥🔥 | 100 mins | $395 |
Forearms 🔥 | 50 mins | $160 |
Under Arms 🔥🔥 | 20 mins | $49 |
Male IPL Hair Removal ★ Legs | 🕒 | 💲 |
---|---|---|
[HRBBSD] Bum, Back, Shoulders, Delts COMBO 🔥🔥 | 110 mins | $395 |
Feet & Toes | 20 mins | $59 |
[HRLL] Men's Lower Legs (incl knees, feet, toes) | 75 mins | $299 |
[HRFL] Full Leg & Bikini COMBO | 120 mins | $579 |
*NB: For IPL Hair Removal of pubic hair and buttocks, visit the Men's IPL Pubic Hair Removal page.
If you would like to explore other potential RF Skin Tightening combinations, here's the page:
FAQ ★ IPL Hair Removal
How many treatments will I need?
I tell every new client to aim for 6 treatments in 6 months. This should get the bulk of your hairs. That said, we're at the mercy of your biology, so after 6 sessions, we'll reassess.
If you have very little hair returning, I'll start spacing out your appointments. If you have still have active growth BUT we are definitely seeing results, we'll keep plugging away.
The best and logical way to look at IPL or any other type of permanent hair removal or reduction, is that with each treatment, you'll have less and less hair returning.
For that reason, I prefer the term 'progressive hair removal'.

What could prevent me having IPL?
- very dark skin: Type 6 and some Type 5
- waxing or plucking in the past week
- use of depilatory creams in the last month
- sunburn, dark suntan, fake tan
- contagious skin diseases
- STIs if treating genitalia
- open wounds, badly broken skin
- unhealed surgical scarring
- epilepsy or seizures caused by flashing lights
- pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
- Testosterone supplements
- Skin tattoos, eyebrow or scalp micropigmentation
- Photo-sensitising medications and supplements
Related reading:
What will I notice between treatments?
There are two common responses:
- Your hair may appear to stop growing for 3 to 4 weeks, or
- Your hair will regrow normally for around two weeks, and then suddenly fall out.
Different clients have different responses, but either of the above outcomes is great.
I know you socially. Will this be awkward?
No. Regardless of the nature of our relationship, your privacy and confidentiality while in my rooms, is absolute.

I'm Aboriginal. Is my skin too dark for IPL?
Chances are, yes. The same applies to people of African, Caribbean, or Pacific Island descent.
IPL targets dark melanin in the dermis, but melanin is also the compound responsible for giving you dark skin.
The light will be unable to distinguish between your skin and hair. It will hurt and possibly burn you, and very likely, it will fade the skin in the area leaving you with a noticeable and permanent pale patch of skin.
Electrolysis is an option for you, but I don't provide this treatment.
What are the side effects of IPL hair removal?
If you're honest regarding the medical information you provide, there are generally no significant negative side effects.
IPL converts light energy into heat. Due to this energy transference through your skin, you might experience pinkness or a mild 'sunburn-like' effect.
This usually passes quickly but can last up to 24 hours. You can go about your normal activities but be sun smart with treated areas and cover up or use a sunscreen.
In the extremely unlikely event that the after-effect is more than mild, i.e. painful or blistering, you need to contact us immediately.
It's worth noting at this point that Man Thing has never had a single extreme after-effect.

Will you price match IPL with laser?
No. Different tech, different service, different results.
Hair removal is the same as any other product or service. You get what you pay for. And frankly, if their product is good, then why is it so cheap?
The fact that there are two national laser franchises in Rockhampton, yet my share of the hair removal market continues to grow, speaks volumes.
I can buy a cheap IPL machine online.
Commercial machines are large and bulky for a reason. They contain a massive power compressor to generate enough energy (joules) to actually kill the hair root.
By comparison, a 12V transformer or a couple of AA batteries doesn't quite cut it. The most powerful home job I've sampled has a whopping 2.5J of energy.
At 64 Joule output, my machines pump out 25 times more power.
Cheap machines most likely won't achieve much, but they are capable of stripping melanin from your hair and once it's gone, you can't get it back.
This will render you unsuitable for a real IPL treatment later on.

Why is the number of joules important?
Joules means the number of watts per square cm per second. So, the more joules, the more energy I can use to zap your hairs.
When a hair is successfully killed, that's the end of it, but when the treatment fails due to insufficient power, a natural defence process kicks in.
The body realises its under attack and strengthens the hair against later attacks, i.e. further treatments.
The hair grows thicker, the root grows in size, and the surrounding tissue tightens its grip on the hair. My waxing room sees the result of low-joule light treatments every day.

Do I need to pay for all my treatments upfront?
No. I do run '4 pack specials' from time to time but that's optional. I'm happy to do one treatment at a time.
I don't have contracts and I won't get you to sign a form committing to further treatments. if you have a hair removal treatment with me, you are under no obligation to return.
Can you wax my chest and IPL my stomach?
Yes, if you tell me when you book. For various reasons, guys often combine waxing with IPL but I do need to know in advance.
Will IPL on my pubic hair affect my sperm?
Intense Pulsed Light is essentially heat energy. Case studies suggest that the effects of intense Pulsed Light on sperm is no different to sitting in a hot bath, which decreases your sperm count for the very short term.
Here is a case study I performed on myself pre-vasectomy:
Are you comfortable treating trans people?
I treat plenty of transitioning and transgendered clients. It's not an issue.
Can IPL help with pilonidal sinus?
Pilonidal sinus, also called a pilonidal cyst, is most prevalent in men and usually takes the form of massive localised swelling around the upper sacrum. It is an extremely painful condition requiring surgery, and unfortunately, it often recurs.
After excision, the surgeon will usually recommend that hair from the area be removed to reduce the risk of another pilonidal sinus forming.
IPL will progressively reduce hair growth in the area and is generally regarded as the best method for achieving the desired result.
I do not recommend depilatory creams, waxing, plucking, sugaring, or electrolysis for combating pilonidal sinus.
I'm a cyclist and get jock itch. Should I get IPL?
Absolutely. This special article about pubic hair removal and waxing for male cyclists explores your options.
Do I need to shave before IPL hair removal?
Except for chests and backs, ideally yes, as you will find it more comfortable to shave in the shower than to be dry shaved in the treatment room.
It also lessens the amount of time you'll spend on the table, and helps me keep Man Thing's prices affordable.
Will shaving before IPL make my hair thicker?
No, this is a myth invented by mothers long ago to stop their teenage daughters shaving their legs.
The reason that hair SEEMS to grow back thicker after shaving is because you don't really start shaving until you get hair. Each time you shave afterward, the hair comes back thicker.
Why? Because your body is producing it, hence your need to shave. It would produce exactly the same hair whether you shave or not.
Hair growth is driven by hormones and nutrients at a cellular level, not by cutting off hair above the surface of the skin that is no longer connected to your blood supply.

Can I use hair removal cream instead of shaving?
No. Hair removal creams kill keratin cells. Keratin is the substance in hair that makes it solid. By dissolving the keratin, the hair becomes goo and wipes off. Unfortunately, keratin is also the substance that makes skin solid.
Hair removal creams destroy keratin indiscriminately, which means your skin is left extremely vulnerable. Skin in this state means that an IPL or laser treatment can have an anomalous result.
If you've used hair removal creams or sprays, you need to wait at least a fortnight before an IPL hair removal treatment.
I skipped a month and my hair is growing back.
It's common to notice after say four treatments that very little hair is growing back. Subsequently, people who don't take advice well, decide to ring and postpone their appointment.
This is a HUGE mistake, because next month they ring back claiming that their hair has grown back with a vengeance.
It hasn't grown back - This is the month's hair that we didn't treat because the client jumped a treatment, and now you'll have to wait six months for that bit of the cycle to happen again.
Remember that we are treating hair bulbs that you can't even see, not the hair above your skin that is already dead.
I cannot state this more clearly: Don't think you will be the exception - Everyone needs a MINIMUM of six treatments, so we cover the whole six month growth cycle.
I have PCOS. Does this rule me out for IPL?
Possibly, but not necessarily. Read this related article then give me a call to discuss your situation further.
My teen daughter has facial hair. Can you help?
Yes. On tweens and teenage girls, unexpected facial and body hair is quite common and easily treatable.
Related reading:
I'm female and have body hair. Will IPL help?
Yes, it definitely can help. What you have is a genetic condition called hereditary hirsutism, which basically means that some females in your family (not necessarily all) have inherited a gene that produces male hair growth patterns.
It isn't anything to worry about, and it is quite common, particularly in people with equatorial ancestry, e.g. the Middle East, Mediterranean, North Africa, Central America, and Indian subcontinent.
However, the one thing you need to keep in mind during your course of treatments is that we will be fighting genetics.
This means that you will end up needing more treatments than someone who does not have the condition.
How does IPL Hair Removal work?
IPL is an abbreviation for Intense Pulsed Light. There are lots of other acronyms for what is essentially the same technology.
It differs from laser in that IPL uses a broader range on the light spectrum to target many chromophores (light-sensitive molecules), i.e. melanin, collagen, haemoglobin, and porphyrin.
With each flash of the handpiece, light passes through your skin in search of the chosen chromophore.
When it comes to hair removal, melanin located in the dermal layer is the one we want to seek and destroy. In very simple terms, when the melanin gets zapped, the hair dies.
A cool side note is that IPL can also be used to target melanin in the higher epidermal layer for treating skin pigment problems. Awesome hey?
With each IPL Hair Removal treatment, the machine will zap any hair follicles that are 'juicy', or in the early-anagen phase of growth.
Broadly speaking, each hair is actively growing for about one month, then goes dormant for five months, which is why you'll need a series of treatments.
Related reading: