ADVICE: Laser vs. Electrolysis

Hair Removal Methods Laser hair removal
#1

I’ve been debating getting some sort of hair removal for years. I have almost two inches of hair extending beyond my bikini line. Growing up in Florida was almost a horror, since I had to constantly find ways to avoid all the invitations to the beach or pool. A bathing suit is my nightmare!

Now that I’m in college, can drive, and have saved up the money, I’m ready to have a permanent procedure. I’ve been tweezing for at least six years, but it all grows back horribly, with ingrown hairs and all. Recently I have let it all grow back. Now I have to decide between electrolysis and laser.

I have pale skin (since I never go to the beach!). My pubic hair is a fairly dark brown and relatively coarse. The place I’m looking at charges $125 for an “extended bikini area” session (with no listed time limit) and $85 for an hour of electrolysis. I only want the hair that would extend beyond the bikini line removed (when it’s all gone I curiously resemble Voldemort). The area I want removed, therefore, is about 20 square inches of medium-thick hair.

Would you recommended laser or electrolysis? Which would give me the best results with the fewest sessions? How many sessions should I expect for each? What kind of results should I expect for each after just one session?

Thank you so much for helping me!

#2

  1. As mentioned in the FAQ, laser only works on coarse, dark hair. Bikini hair usually responds very well because it typically satisfies those criteria.

  2. Unlike electrolysis, laser places charge by the area treated, not according to the time. For both laser and electrolysis, you need to check out multiple places and get consults to find the most competent technicians. Prices vary by market and location, but $85/hr for electrolysis sounds on the higher end.

  3. Provided you are an ideal candidate for laser, it’s usually more economical (and much faster treatment time) to get a course of laser treatments and then finish with electrolysis. If you want to know whether or not your hair is amenable to laser treatments, you can post a picture here and we can tell you.

  4. If you post your location we can help you find clinics. You want to go by technician experience and type of laser used, because these vary GREATLY from clinic to clinic.

#3

Laser for sure for this area! Clean up if need be with electrolysis. The ingrowns will be a problem no more. Get going and get happy.

#4

I agree totally with the above advice. Going with LASER at first is the way to go. I would think it is actually cheaper in the beginning because there are probably so many hairs which would take quite a while to remove with electrolysis, whereas it would only take 15-20 minutes with LASER.

I think you’ll like the results.

#5

Am I allowed to post a picture of my bikini line on here? I won’t get in trouble for that, right?

I live in Pinellas, Florida. Anyone know of a good place there?

#6

Yes, you can post a photo.

#7

Sounds like it’s okay for Laser, in which case that is the best option. You can post a pic if you’d like to be sure.

The hair is nice and coarse. If you’ve just let it all grow in after plucking, meaning it’s all in anagen, it would be a great time to start because it means you can potentially get all this hair. If not, get a wax and have your first treatment after it’s all grown in from the wax.

If you space the treatments about 12 weeks apart, you should only need 3-4. No one I know personally has needed more than this. If there is anything left, you can clear it up with electrolysis. This would probably be the cheapest option and definitely the quickest, in terms of time you need to spend at the relavent clinic because bikini laser treatments take 20-30 mins max.

#8

Actually this also brings up a question I had about multiple treatments. Since I have let my hair grow fully out (it’s been almost a full year since I last did anything to it), will I probably need fewer treatments? Are the multiple treatments needed to target the hairs which were not in the right stage of the growth cycle during the previous treatment, or are multiple treatments needed because each hair must be treated multiple times?

#9

Hi, if it’s been a year since last did anything to do, the hairs are probably in all different growth stages, so you’d need more treatments.

Multiple treatments are needed to target hairs which were not in the right stage of growth during the previous treatment.

If it’s a body area, you can wax it and as soon as it all grows back (i.e. 12 weeks later for the legs), go for your first app. If all the present hair is ‘growing’ it’s in anagen and can all be targeted.

#10

If you’ve waited a year, then much of your hair may not be in anagen. The only way to speed things up is to wax 6 weeks before your first treatment. At most, that will save you one treatment.

Multiple treatments are needed because:

  1. Not all the hair is in anagen at a given time.
  2. The hair present at any given time is roughly 20% of what you have in total.
  3. Sufficient thermal damage to each follicle does not always occur. High settings help prevent this.

Do you know your Fitzpatrick skin type?

#11

You need to determine your skin type and the type of laser you need. You don’t mention what that clinic uses.

#12

LAGirl, I’m pretty sure that I’m a Type II. Also, I don’t know what clinic or laser I’m going to use because I haven’t decided yet! Today I’m going in for a consultation with a popular clinic in our area which I believe is also a national chain–Ideal Image.

That information about needing to wax my hair 6 weeks before for the maximum effect is worry/bothersome. What do others think about this?

#13

You don’t need to wax. It would just help you be done in one or two less treatments, if money is an issue.

#14

  • Ideal Image uses good machines, GentleLASE and GentleYAG usually. But many say their prices are relatively high. Shop around after this visit. Also, don’t forget to ask for settings they want to use on you, i.e. joules and spot size. Machine is only as good as the settings they use.

  • You shouldn’t rely on them to tell you what’s best. That’s why we have the FAQs for you here. Many clinics will advise on what’s best for THEM, not you, as their goal is making money first and foremost. Most won’t send the client away if they don’t have the right machine. FAQs will explain what machine you need. With a skin type II, you need an alex like GentleLASE or Apogee.

#15

Update:

I just came back from Ideal Image. They did have the GentleLASE machine and confirmed that I have a skin type II. They also confirmed that my hair is good for laser. They did not, however, give me a patch test. I asked if this was part of the consultation several times (prior phone calls, consultation itself, etc.) and it seems that a patch test was not. Isn’t it traditional to have a patch test in a consultation? Or do they only give you one after they seem fairly sure that you will schedule an appointment?

The package they offered me was about $1200 for nine visits. Although per session this price would be alright for me, from previous research I think that my bikini line will not require nearly that many sessions. Opinions?

I did, however, walk away with several overall questions answered about LHR answered, so I consider it mostly successful :slight_smile:

#16

Without doubt, Electrolysis. In skilled hands and with the correct protocol you only need 3 clearances to eliminate 95% of unwanted hair. If you can find someone to work with local anesthesia, the treatment will yield 0 pain. If not, you can apply a generous layer of EMLA 2 hours before the start of the session and this will be quite tolerable.

I’ll upload a new bikini line for the mature section. There is a case where you can see what the Electrolysis can be done in a single clearance.

#17

Most electrologists cannot provide the results Josefa provides, unfortunately. So those are not typical for average electrolysis as you can see in the electrolysis section of this forum.

  • You can ask them for settings even if they don’t do a test patch. It’s hard to decide whether to go to this clinic without knowing whether they’re conservative and won’t undertreat. You may need more than 9 treatments if they do undertreat.

  • Bikini generally needs about 6 treatments spaced 8-12 weeks apart.

  • Patch tests are not a given. It’s something they either do or don’t or sometimes you can ask and they would do it.

#18

Yes, a test spot should ideally be included in a consult (but not all places do it). Did they mention the settings they’d use on you if you went ahead with a treatment?

Chain clinics like Ideal Image can be pricey, as mentioned. They also like to up sell you with packages, which we don’t really recommend because there’s every possibility that you won’t need that many treatments. It’s better to pay as you go.