I myself am female and have always been very hirsute, with hair everywhere including back (upper, mid and lower), chest, torso, arms, legs, shoulders and just about everywhere you find skin! The majority of my hair except on my lower 3/4 arms, and lower legs is fairly fine hair, but is still pigmented and in some areas very very dense (think peach fuzz but with pigment). Really its not visible if you were 3/4 feet away from me but any closer and you see it. I myself am of indian origin, however my skin colour is fairly fair in some areas and darker in others (type IV-V).
I recently began a course of laser treatment at a very reputable clinic which offers all different types of laser, including:
* Cynosure Apogee ( 755nm Alexandrite Laser)
* Alma Soprano XL (810 nm Diode Laser)
* Cynosure Acclaim (1064 Nd:YAG Laser)
* Alma Intense Pulsed Light (650-950 nm IPL)
* Lambda Ruby (694 nm Ruby Laser)
My first treatment involved use of the Diode laser on full arms/legs/bottom/bikini (where hair is coarse or dense), and the Nd:YAG on full chest/torso/ underarms (and a substantial test patch using the Alexandrite on the back of my neck/ right shoulder).
8 weeks on from my first treatment and my arms/legs/ bikini/ underarms have all responded (more about this later). The Nd:YAG laser unfortunately did not touch the hair I have all over my chest and back (at all literally - I mean I was told before laser not to remove this hair since it was fine - and NOTHING happened to it during or after). The test patch with the alexandrite laser however was quite dramatic. I should mention that in areas where I had fine hair i.e. all over the torso and back and shoulders and bottom, I was advised not to remove hair prior to the treatment. Following use of the Alexandrite on my right shoulder, the hairs instantly vaporised on contact with the laser and the area has remained ‘fairly’ clear for the past 8 weeks with some light re-growth. The back of my neck responded similarly with the Alexandrite however since the hairs were longer and darker, it did manage to singe the side of my neck and subsequently the superficial layer of skin in some areas burned and peeled away over the next 2 weeks. The fact it vaporised - does this mean it was highly successful in zapping the hairs??
The laser operator having assessed the hair response, now wishes to continue my treatment with a further 4 sessions, using the Alexandrite in all areas where my skin is light enough, including the shoulders/ back/ chest and upper-arms - all areas where the hair is fairly fine, 0.75-1.0cm long and black in colour. In some of these areas the hair is fairly dense (e.g. between the breasts). Furthermore she has suggested use of the Nd:YAG on my lower back/ torso/ bottom where the skin is slightly darker, however has the same fine hair covering it.
Ok so should I go through with this - the theory was before I had researched - that it was worth a shot - if it didn’t work, I would forever have to get on with full body waxing since hopefully I’m getting married soon, and I’m not sure my other half would appreciate the hairy upclose encounter… BUTTTT having done research now and finding out that it could INDUCE growth I am very scared - have I already done the damage? Am I going to find in 7 months I’m now faced with an even problem?
Furthermore, the areas which i had done where there is coarse hair - i.e. legs, bikin, underams, lower arms - well I’m not too sure if I got a good deal really…
The legs and arms done with the Diodie - never underwent a full shed… basically the hair grew - I shaved it 2 weeks in and then MOST of the hair sort of didnt really grow properly - its stuck nder the surface of the skin and if you run your hand over it - its like perpetual stubble for the past 6 weeks and in some areas totally new finer hair apparent - although not much. I thought the stubble hairs may be ‘pepperspots’ since if I sqeeze and pinch the skin either side of the hair it usually comes out (cant do this regularly though - there’s soooo many and i think it’d just leave scars - and I have been trying exfoliation to no avail). The hair at the tops of my legs - was quite fine but VERY dense and again some of that seems to have turned to perpetual stubble now too!
Also the bikin - well I saw the most ‘SHED’ in this area - however not ALL of it shed - there were patches and it seems 8 weeks on 75% has grown back!!
any help you guys could provide would be great!!