adverse reaction to laser hair removal

Hair Removal Methods Laser hair removal
#21

Hey,

Don’t worry this is a great laser. It’s the only one that can be used on V and VI but I’m the same, I’m type 3, but spend a day outside and I tan like crazy so a lot of times my clinic will use the yag on me. It’s perfectly fine to use on all skin types, it’s actually a good laser because it goes the deepest of any. 1064nm is the wavelength which relates to depth. The only thing is it’s better really only for very coarse hair, so on your face it’s perfect! I use it on my face, it’s the only laser that can go deep enough to get all the hairs on my chin and upper lip, the alex portion does nothing for me. On my forearms, the alex gets rid of all the hair, but the yag I’d say only made 95% shed or so, so really better for face. Since you’re doing it on the face though it’s great!

You should expect pretty much full shedding, only the blonde/light hairs won’t, (which you should have, just looks like there are none normally since there’s so much dark ones!) It’s a bit concerning that a week and a half later you’re still swollen, but I think that that’s all from all those other treatments they did on you earlier exfoliating and putting things on it. Next time just make sure you leave it because it shouldn’t do that at all.

#22

Do you find Yag hurting more because it penetrates deeper than Alex?

#23

I personally don’t no. On my forearms it pretty much feels identical, alex maybe a bit more painful. Hard to say on face, it might hurt slightly more, but put it this way, my first 4 or so sessions on face were with alex, then on the 5th or whatever it was they used the yag but didn’t tell me. She told me once it was done, and I honestly couldn’t have even told the difference, certainly not enough during treatment to think that anything was up. Pretty much the same overall I find. Mind you this is the same machine, Apogee alex vs Apogee yag. My friend uses Cutera CoolGlide Yag and he is prob a light skin type 4 and says it hurts so much he can barely take it so telling him to do Soprano XL.

#24

thanks for the thoughts. they are reassuring.

i think i am still having issues because some of the shedding hairs are becoming ingrown. i am trying to keep these from becoming infected by getting them out but it’s tough to battle so many all at once.

it will be nice once this problem is completely gone.

#25

That’s why it’s usually best to not shave too much if possible. If they’re becoming ingrown then it’s something to do with how you shave not the laser, as laser is actually good for ingrowns. I really think it’s from all the stuff you’ve done to your face after which is what caused all the problems. I get red and swollen a bit and sometimes break out a bit but literally 1 maybe 2 days then it’s gone.

#26

well i havent shaved since i had the treatment 1.5 weeks ago. they are becoming ingrown as they are coming out and as i am starting to shed. maybe it has something to do with the aftercare of the first treatment. i’ve been trying to right the ship since.

the aesthetician did say that given how dense and coarse my hair is and because i am prone to ingrowns already, that the reaction has been much more severe.

#27

Don’t shave the hair so close next time then so it doesn’t have to re-emerge from the skin. Maybe use an electric razor instead, that may help a little bit.

#28

Try exfoliation. It’s much easier than picking them out one by one with tweezers. I’ve heard using a salicylic acid product on the skin, apparently that can help (I’ve heard of people recommending this after waxing).

#29

Make sure you’r exfoliating in the shower. That will also prevent ingrowns. And yes, try not to shave after treatment to let the hair to come out to shed.

#30

i went to see the aesthetician again yesterday and she worked on me for quite a while to get the dead hairs out from under my skin. i also had a friend call in an oral antibiotic for me. both have helped tremendously over the last 24 hours. swelling is down and the painful irritation has improved (with the hairs out and the drugs i’m sure).

they actually told me that i am quite the enigma/science experiment in the salon-spa and said that they had never seen a reaction such as mine. they confirmed all the irritated areas had dead hairs trapped in them, sometimes multiple hairs.

it’s been such a problem for me on a singular basis in the past, but to have so many ingrown hairs all at once has been an interesting experience to put it kindly.

#31

Just make sure that next time you don’t shave as close then. Ingrowns are hairs shaved below the surface that grow back at a funny angle and then get caught in the skin. There’s really nothing the laser did to make that happen. Maybe you shaved in a few directions this time compared to a normal shave because you wanted to make sure it was really smooth for laser? Either way just make sure that next time you don’t shave as close, or use an electric razor then. If the hairs are never so short that they’re below surface, then they can’t really become ingrown next time.

#32

If you’re experiencing irritation, you may be allergic to something and Benadryl would help in that case. Also, icing helps with the swelling.