21 and needs hair help

Actually, I am just a Hair off 21 (hehe, first one to make that joke huh?). I am looking to get something done to reduce the amount of hair on my legs. I am not really looking for 100% elimination. Many some elimiination and the rest reduction in hair size/lightening of the hair.

Electrolysis seems kinda scary and not really what I am looking for. Laser on the other hand seems like it is pretty hit or miss, and it isn’t like you are spending just a few bucks here. Here is my expirence with lasers: I went to a clinic about a year and a half back called Hair today gone tomarrow in IL. I got a test site done and a quote. The test site looked like it had less hair for awhile, but now it looks normal again (as I was informed it would). They quoted me 1,000 per session or a pkg. of 4 for 3,780. That struck me as steep. Also, the treatments are spaced 4-12 weeks apart (I understand why) ,but “touch ups” only lasted (for free) for 1 year after the first treatment. Meaning, before I figure out if I need a matience procedure, it isn’t free anymore. I can’t remember the laser type for the life of me.

I have pretty light skin (I tan before I burn tho) and dark/pretty thick hair on my legs. My question to whomever is 3 fold:

  1. What kind of laser would you guys recommend
  2. What kind of price should I expect (IE was the other place ripping me off)
  3. Can anyone recommend a place in the Chicago land area, to be more specific, the area around Hinsadale/Westmont/OakBrook/SW burbs. If you know where that is.

BTW. I saw one of the mods lived in chicago. If he/she could recommend a good spot/give advice I’d be more than happy to donate to your kittens!

Abouy a year ago on a business trip. I met an electrolygist in the Chicago area; but he told me he has limited his practice to only working on underarms. He works on both men and women ;but only in that area. I asked him if a man wanted his chest hair removed would you do it.He said no…only underarms.He also said he had more business than he could handle by limiting his area of practice and that he had a clientile of men and women of almost 50-50 . I have his card someplace ;but there is no use my looking for it unless you want work on the underarms.

Hi Kquatq3,

I have had my full legs done with great results, and I too have pale skin and very dark hair.

The price you quoted seems extraordinarily high, and I’m sure if you read some of the other posts on this forum most people are not paying this much for their treatments.

I had the Lightsheer laser, which I found really good, but there seem good reports on the Aurora too. Practitioner skill and technique is as important if not more important than the laser itself I think. Get a good one and you are laughing - get a bad one and your money goes straight down the drain.

I had 4 sessions and hardly have any hair left now. I would say about 1-2% left of what I had before on my lower legs, and maybe 5-8% on the upper legs. I am thrilled with the results. You said you just want “less” hair. The hair growth became very patchy after the 2nd and 3rd treatments, and I could not really have stopped there. It looked very messy and untidy. It was not an even hair distribution at all. There were patches and stripes of thick growth and areas of minimal growth. After the 4th treatment is is evenly gone! The odd hairs that remain seem to be quite evenly spaced and look quite natural. Most of the ones left are very pale and you can only see them in the sunlight.

I have posted my whole experience at:
http://www.geocities.com/fleabag1666/index.html if you wanted to see the results specifically on legs.

I would definitely shop around for prices though. I live in the UK, so prices will vary, but not that much. A course of 6 treatments over here is about £1300 which is about US$2100, but this is for 6 treatments, not just 4. And it was a top notch laser centre too, not a cowboy outfit.

Hope this helps,

Good luck!

Fleabag

Thanks for the reply guys. Anybody have any other pointers?

I am thankful for anything

Fleabag: How long has it been since your treatments?

I am doing my upper lip and chin. My package for six treatments was: $720 for the chin, and $450.00 for the lip. Treatments are spaced 7 to 12 weeks apart, and they give you two years (after last treatment) hair free guarantee. Whatever hair you will get in those two years, they will treat for free.

Here is the web site of the people I went to, they have several locations throughout Chicago land.

http://www.americanlasercenters.com/locations.cfm

The manager of the location I went to seemed very nice. The office is owned by a plastic surgeon, but you actually do not see him. First I had a free consultation with office manager, where she explained basic facts about laser hair removal technique, evaluated my skin (how light, or how dark it is). They are going to offer you to buy a package during your first consultation, and if you do they will give you 10% off, but only that one time. Here is how their pricing works: $159.00 for one treatment of the chin, but if you buy a package it is buy five, get one free treatment, so that comes to $800.00, but if you decide to buy it (package) after your first consultation, it is 10% off, so that is $720.00. I do not remember any other prices, but one session for upper lip is $99.00, the package of six treatments is $500.00, and if you buy it right away it will cost you $450.00. Check them out; let me know what you think.

Good luck, polki.