Am i suitable for Laser treatments?

Hair Removal Methods Laser hair removal
#1

The other thread went another direction so I’ll just post the pictures here.
I’ve never had any treatments in my life and I’ve never removed the hair either. I hope these give a better idea. I really think they’re suitable for laser but if I look closely, there are some hairs that are light/thinner. but they’re in the minorty like 10-20 %. As you can see my skin is light and the hair is dark. What do you all think?

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/9077/foto005z.jpg
and fingers
http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/9567/foto006l.jpg

I’m looking to start treatments this winter at a clinic that uses Soprano XL.

#2

I think you will get very good results. You appear to be a great candidate. Sure, you’ll have little hairs left over, but they probably won’t bother you (if they do just touch em up with electrolysis).

I reeeeally recommend using an alexandrite laser though. Even if you have to travel to find one. The Soprano XL seems pretty tricky to get results with based on stories around here. I’ve never used it though.

#3

Your fingers and hands have been treated with laser before taking these pictures?

#4

Yeah, I’ll be happy with either a near complete reduction or a very significant reduction that will leave the hair pretty much unnoticable.

I still have time and options to pick clinics. Laser is pretty popular in this country so theres a lot to choose from. What are the most effective machines going by succes stories from here?

#5

Nope never.
Which brings me to another question. Does it make any diffirence for future treatments if you have removed(shaving, waxing etc) the hair before or never before?

#6

Should be fine either way. Shaving is always fine, but waxing can make hair a little tougher to kill with electrolysis if you get it later on. If you wax, make sure you let it grow back before laser though and just shave it instead for a couple of months. The root needs to be in tact for laser to work.

Alexandrite lasers tend to be the best, and you are lucky because you appear to be a candidate for them (they are very strong so much be used on relatively pale people). Look for the GentleLASE if you want a recommendation. Large spot size, penetrates deeply, and it’s an alex type laser. Apogee makes alex lasers too that are really good.

#7

It is clear that the hair on the fingers have been shaved or cut (a few days before the pictures). Also, it appears that before this, were depilated with a pulling system.

I honestly do not believe that the reduction reached 40% of the hairs.

#8

I don’t know what you mean by “I do not believe the reduction reached 40% of the hairs”, Josefa. Could you rephrase that?

It does look like the finger hairs have been shaven or clipped (which is fine). But not treated by laser.

#9

Sorry, the translator changes verbal temps. I mean “I do not believe the reduction will reach 40% of the hairs”

The quality of the first picture you can get confused about the true thickness of the hairs. The second picture we can see more clearly than most of the hair roots do not have color enough. Hence my earlier statement.

#10

Josefa - Johnson clearly stated in his original post that he’s never had any treatments on this area. You’re confused.

Johnson, most of the hair is decently coarse. As it gets closer to the fingers, it gets less coarse. I would expect a good reduction, but closer to 70-80%. Some of these will become finer, but won’t go away completely. I suspect you’ll be happy with that.

Removing the hair prior to treatments won’t affect laser treatments at all. Shaving does nothing at all. Waxing 8 weeks prior to treatment could actually help since you’ll synchronize the hairs.

#11

Yeah I’ve removed the hair on the fingers before but not on my hands. On the hands they just ‘grew out’ like crazy somewhat recently just like other parts of my body so i havent touched em yet. My maturing stage seems to be speeding up unfortunately.

And true the hair thins out a bit near the knuckles. I hope they’re not too light for the laser. I’ll have to see when I get an appointment later on.

#12

Thanks for the clarification Lagirl, but it was unnecessary. I have understood when Johnson has said he never received laser in his hand or fingers. I want to be wrong and that the reduction will be 70 or 80%. I am sure that with the help of experts and consumer advice here, everything will go well for him.

#13

I’m not understanding your contribution to this thread, Josefa. The consumer is asking about potential effectiveness of laser on specific areas for which he provided photos. You don’t have any experience treating or getting treatments with laser.

I think this forum would be much more helpful to all if we kept the discussions on point and only contributed to topics we actually have experience with.

Baseless speculations are not very helpful.

#14

I’m not the only one who is speculating. I have given my opinion based on my knowledge about the system of hair. So far I have been correct in my speculation: the hairs on the fingers were removed and cut later. Again, I sincerely hope that your speculations are equally successful.

#15

Ok guys I did some research. I read the faqs and checked out the clinics closest to my area. I posted pictures of the areas that I will have treated this year so that’s a further notice that’ll help you more in helping me out :grin:

I am skin type 3 but it is close to skin type 2 though. But my background is middle eastern so I think it’s skin type 3. As you can see my hair is dark brown/black and I have light skin. The hair is not the thickest but it’s long and significant.

Here the clinics. I don’t want to travel TOO far.

in my own town- Lightsheer Diode laser- when i read their website it seems they are trustworthy cause they’re realistic and talk about your safety etc. dunno the prices yet. gotta make a call soon.

75 miles away- Soprano XL laser - 70 euro
40 miles away- LightSheer Diodelaser(rolls royce?) - no price on site
60 miles away- Lightsheer diode laser - no price
40 miles away - dont know the laser yet, their site is down atm - 80 euro
So it seems most clinics have the lightsheer diode laser. I’m more interested in the alexandrite though. plus it seems the soprano xl is too unknown. I haven’t decided yet.

One more question. I heard that areas that have less muscle/flesh are more painful to treat. And I have very skinny hands and I can feel all the bones so…

Also one more thing that I really need to know. On the questions thread it is explained that reduction can be achieved with just reducing the amount of hair. FOr example if I have hairless hands later on, I’d like to have my wrists done too but only to create like a ‘fade’ so it looks really natural. I have really thick forearm hair so that’s why I ask.

Ok I’m looking forward to it. This is a really good unbiased site. You just get the truth and nothing less.

#16

LightSheer diode is a decent laser and good for your skin type. It’s not easy to use, so I’d pick a clinic that has a lot of experience with it. For example, it’s important that they use compression while treating and don’t just lightly glide the laser of the skin. There are also two versions, one with 9mm and one with 12mm spot size. The larger 12mm spot size would be better, so I would call and ask what they have.

Since you’re middle eastern, you have underlying pigment. So you may even be between type III and IV.

Either way, they should test the skin to figure out the highest settings they can use without negative side effects.

Yes, it’s possible to give a reduction with fewer treatments. However, precision is difficult and once again experienced clinic is very important for this. You may need to touch it up with electrolysis to blend things in too, depending on how anal you are :slight_smile:

#17

Ok thanks for the answers there. The clinic that’s only 2 miles away from me seems perfect, it would save me all the hassle too. It’s like a clinic that does several laser treatments not just for hair removal only. The guy there is very experienced and knowledgable. I would really like to get treatments from him instead of maybe less experienced people. I’m gonna go after that.

They never say Laser hair removal and stuff. It’s always REDUCTION and that knowledge is so important, and also the safety. They pretty much talk like you guys do about laser.Etc etc. It all sounds good. I must have read over 10 websites for clinics and none have been this open and honest. I guess I’ll make an appointment soon and will keep this thread updated.

#18

It won’t hurt that bad, I’ve done arms and forearms and had great results. My hair is more dark brown and no where near as much as you had. I’ve done I think it’s 4 now total on forearms. It’s been over 4 months since my last session so not done, but I definitely still do have hair but from 3 feet away from me it’s barely noticeable. I was starting to worry that it didn’t do much, until I was going though photo albums from a couple years ago, there’s been a major reduction so far probably 50% or so and the hair that’s left is very fine. All treatments were done with alexandrite except my last one with a yag as I was a bit too tanned. Only about 95% of the hair shed with the yag, I’d much prefer alex.

I think you’d get good results with LightSheer Diode or Soprano. With Soprano though it seems that they really need to make sure they cover the area many many times for it to be effective.

#19

Don’t commit to anything just by reading the website. Definitely go in for a free consultation and ask questions in person. Oftentimes, a marketing person writes the website anyway. We provide a list of questions you can ask at the last link below.

#20

Ok then. I have a doctor’s appointment this week to see if i’m ok health wise. Then I’ll get the free consultation. Summer is basicely over here in Holland. 60 degrees lately with barely any sun and mostly rain. I’m getting pretty white again, so I think i’m ready for treatments soon.