Altus Yag Laser

Hair Removal Methods Laser hair removal
#1

Hey guys i am wondering what you can tell me about this laser. I am assuming its the “Altus CoolGlide ND Yag Laser (Cutera)” as i was searching through google and found the picture of the machine and it looks like the one at the laser clinic i go to (I asked the technician and she said its a yag and altus was written on the machine).

I was wondering on how this machine measurs up against others.
Also my skin is light but i tan fairly easy in the summer time to bronze.

Any info would be great! thanks!

#2

How light is “light”? If you avoid getting tanned throughout your treatments and you are quite fair, then you may be eligible for an alex or diode laser instead, which will be more effective than a Yag.

#3

Yag is good if you are dark to black.

#4

well i am not fair at all. Like in the winter im lighter obviously but you can tell that i have tannable skin in the summer months. medeterannian basically.

#5

It would help if you gave us your number on the Fitzpatrick scale. Even if you can tell that you theoretically have “tannable skin” at other points in time, what matters is the current color during the laser session (some skin types may have undertones that affect it too, but if you can get away with using a better laser, you would probably benefit).

Even if you have to spend six months totally covered up to avoid any tanning, the results would be worth it I think if you can get light enough. If not, then I think this Yag is fine because Cutera is pretty well known. I bet LAgirl will know.

#6

Please read our FAQs below and figure out your skin type based on the Fitzpatrick skin chart. “Light” and “Dark” are very subjective terms. Also, ethnicity plays into it too because of underlying pigment.

Yag will work on any skin type as long as the hair is very coarse. However, if you’re light enough for good settings on an alex type of laser and those good settings are actually being used, you may get better results, especially after a few treatments when hair gets finer.

#7

I would say type III-IV. I am medeteranian. I have done laser the last 2 years on my back with some results (less coarse and less amount) but truly am not happy with everything to this point, I am now 22. I want to make a change for something better unless its my age that is playing the biggest role and maybe the yag laser isnt at fault. I don’t know…

#8

Photos would help. If the hair is not coarse enough, laser won’t work no matter what machine is being used.

#9

I just had my 9th treatment done on Friday, so i guess pictures at this point would be useless right?

#10

Well, wait till you see some growth and then post. Use Photobucket if you can and post links here.

#11

If you’ve already had 9 treatments with little results, then you have your answer. Laser didn’t work for you. Either they used bad settings, or you are not a candidate for laser in this area. The latter is more likely because very few people have coarse enough back hair to qualify for laser (it must be coarse like armpit hair or leg hair, and frankly that is pretty rare on the back). You should have been done or almost done by now with only 5-10% of the hair left.

Save your money and get electrolysis for guaranteed results since I suspect your back won’t respond to laser.

For the record: Treating the male back with laser can often stimulate more hair growth over time. This particular area is very sensitive to that side effect. Once you know laser isn’t killing the hair, STOP IMMEDIATELY.

#12

Well I am sure it hasnt caused more growth, i mean i have seen an improvement but after 9 treatments i would think there should be more hair loss. Maybe I am too young since hormones do play a big role. I don’t know anymore.

Electrolysis would take SOOO long on an area like the back though, no?

#13

So? At least you can be assured that electrolysis will bring permanence. What do you define as SOOO long?

#14

It’s not working, after 9 sessions you should be pretty much completely done. It usually takes 6-8 sessions for full removal so you’re not going to get more results after 9 than you already have.

#15

Well how long would a full back take with electrolysis? I mean I have already spent 2 years doing the yag laser. I am assuming much longer then 2 years right…

#16

Electrolysis takes between 9 months and 18 months. Average is about 12. This is identical to how long laser is supposed to take. The time is dictated by yearly hair growth cycles, just like with any form of permanent hair removal.

The hard part is the first full clearance (which can take many hours, but should be completed as soon as possible). Once you’re fully cleared then the rest is easy. Just pop in for an hour every week or two to treat any new hairs that pop up. At about month 6, you will probably only need 30 minutes every few weeks to treat the little bits of new growth. Toward the end of the year, you may just be getting a few minutes of treatment a month. Since the hairs are removed one at a time, the number of hours you will need to invest will depend on how many hairs you have. But most of these hours are invested at the very beginning, and even with TONS of hair on a large area, it will still take only about 12 months.

Spend 5 or 10 hours getting a full clearance on your back one time (in a marathon session, or spread over a week or two), and even if you never went back for touch-ups throughout the year, you’d still have significant results (probably 25%). Pro treatment is $60-$100 per hour, so once you get past that first expensive clearance, all the follow-up treatments are pretty easily to slide into a monthly budget.

Some electrologists who work reeeally fast (like James and Josefa), are very confident that they are faster and even cheaper than laser. But most electrolysis is a little more expensive than the equivalent laser treatments. The length of time is about a year with both laser AND electrolysis though. So if that’s what’s holding you back, definitely go for it.

For what it’s worth, many many many men have their back done with electrolysis. So it’s not like it’s really difficult to do.

#17

When I set my automatic timer at 0.4 seconds delay from insertion, I can zoom and zap away easily on a man’s back. The first clearance is the hardest part for a large area and one must TEACH their client that it will look like this is not working for several months as we clear and maintain, but eventually the percentage of hair will be much, much less until there is nothing that the human eye can see.

Given the area, the insertion counter can register anywhere between 800 and 1,200 insertions per hour, now that is not slow for assured permanent hair removal.

#18

An electrologist removed 5-10 hairs per minute, on average. You go in for long treatments in the beginning to clear the area, then you just come in to kill any new hair that pops up. It will take 12 months or so to complete treatments if you stay on this schedule.

You should read through Bryce’s thread on this forum. Run a search.

#19

one quick question. Does hair have to be in anagen phase for electrolysis to work (like laser).

#20

No.

Some electrologist select anagen hair because the follicle contains more water. But if you hydrate the skin 24 hours before the session the current work equally.