Hello everyone,
I’m looking for a good laser place in the Bay Area (san fracisco, san jose, oakland area of northern california). I’m really trying to do my research before choosing anything because I don’t have extra money to waste. So if anyone has any recommendations I would love to hear them. I’ve already been recommended Aura in SF, but it is a little on the pricey side ($300 per treatment, unless you get a package, which I don’t want to do). I found a place North of SF call Mt Tam Laser, and they use an Alexandrite Laser (which supposedly is the best for type 3 skin with dark hair, like me) and they only cost $150. I’m getting my facial hair done, which they do not have much experience with, but unless I find something better I will probably go there. I live an hour south of SF, so that place is kind of far and I would like to get a good cheap place in SF or Menlo Park/Palo Alto/San Mateo/San Jose/Santa Cruz area if at all possible.
Any help is appreciated!
(p.s. i have found lots of places in this area, i just don’t know how good they are so please tell me of good and bad experiences with places around here. also I might not have heard of some, so let me know! Thanks!)
If you are doing your face, you may want to at least do consultations with competent electrolysis providers, as this is the best way to go when you don’t have money to waste, when working on a face.
Here are some posts about people in your area.
Nora Sherwood CPE
422 Judah St, San Francisco, CA 94122
415 753-5851
Nora writes: “I have been practicing electrolysis in San Francisco since 1978.”
A reader writes today:
“I noticed that you’ve added Nora Sherwood to your listing of electrolysists and I thought I’d let you know that I’ve been going to her for a long time and she’s wonderful!! She works incredibly fast and I’ve had no problems at all. She’s incredibly loving, friendly, ethical, and a great conversationalist (super important in someone you’re about to spend hundreds of hours with!). Anything you can do to help promote her tg-friendly business will be a boon for our community.”
Brenda Jusso Electrologist-Permanent Make Up
Brenda Jusso
450 Sutter St Suite 1525, San Francisco, CA 94108
415-398-7551
415-398-7551
bjusso@aol.com
www.brendajusso.citysearch.com
Kendall Electrology
Joann Kendall
2001 Union St #475, San Francisco, CA 94123
415-474-7475
Nancy Ahuna, RE
5297 College Ave, Oakland, CA 94618
510-653-0587
nanahuna@earthlink.net
Yvonne Frances Electrolysis, R.E., C.P.E.
210 Post Street
Suite 913 (at Union Square)
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 421-1772
Vera Weiler, L.E.
Teresa Saccheri CPE
3641 Sacramento St. Suite G San Francisco, CA 94118-1727
(415) 931-1144
fax: (415) 864-1507
weilerv@aol.com
UnionStreet Electrology
Janet Sharlach, RE, CPE
1996 Union Street
San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 931-7062 / f. (415) 563-5506
e-mail: unionst@ix.netcom.com
Soft Touch Electrolysis
Elissa Schwartz, R.E., C.P.E.
Marlette Cliff, R.E.
166 Geary Street
Suite 900
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 391-8929
Renee Yates, R.E., L.E.
2355 Ocean Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94127
(415) 333-2444
Rashel’s Skin Care and Electrolysis
Rashel Brushtein, RE, CPE
373 S.Monroe Str., Suite 103
San Jose, CA 95128
(408)557-9248 dir / (408)398-4918 cell
fax#: (408)937-7270
e-mail: rbrushtein@yahoo.com
website: www.rashel.addr.com
Avenue Electrolysis
4331 Piedmont Avenue Oakland, CA 94611
Kathryn Carron, RE 510-658-1010
June Ladd-Moalla, LE 510 658-0476
http://www.avenue-electrolysis.com
info@avenue-electrolysis.com
Save Face at Rockridge
Jeanne Matthew, R.E.
5697 Keith Ave. Oakland, CA 94618
(510) 653-3100
More to be found here:
This person is going for electrolysis afterwards to get to 100% removal. It’s cheapest to start with laser and finish with electrolysis when treating that much coarse hair.
Money can be wasted the same way on both electrolysis and laser if you’re getting treated by someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing. There is no benefit of going to electrolysis first. The best thing to do is to find a good place for both methods and use them together. You can’t say that the chance of getting bad electrolysis is any less than getting bad laser treatments. Except, in my opinion, there is more risk with electrolysis considering the potential for irreversible skin damage that can easily be done on this area with dense growth.
Emma, unfortunately, I doubt you’ll find a clinic this way, by posting here. The regular posters are well known and they’re not in your area. You’ll have to go to consultations, bring the forum at the link below, and ask a lot of questions. Then post your experience here for each place along with settings they want to use, so we can help you determine whether they’re knowledgeable.
For the clinic you’re considering, you should ask what specific brand and model of an alexandrite laser they’re using and what settings they’re planning to use on you (ask for joules, spots size, and pulse width at each place).
There are hundreds of clinics in your area. I would check out at least 4-5 more which have an alexandrite laser like GentleLASE, GentleMax, or Apogee.
This place was recommended in Palo Alto on another forum in the past: http://zoozlaser.com/about.html
Also, as I mentioned before, you should consider getting one treatment at a clinic with packages and purchase a package once you see that you’re satisfied with the results of that one treatment. You’ll need 8-10 treatments on this area anyway. Most packages only include 6-8.