Choosing between Gentlemax, Apogee Elite and DSL

Hair Removal Methods Laser hair removal
#1

First of all, I want to think everyone on this forum - this is so helpful.

I have done 7 laser treatments on my arms and it did not help, in fact I have more hair now than before.

Nevertheless, I want to try one more time. I am Mediterranean/Midleastern - not very dark though, hair on my arms are medium brown, a little darker than my skin.

I checked two Laser Hair Removal places. One has Gentlemax and the other has Apogee Elite and DSL. the first one told me it will take about 30min to do my arms, the second one said it will take about 2 hours.

Any advice which one I should go with?

Thank you!

#2

My opinion: I think it’s a little crazy to try laser again when not only did it not work, it actually stimulated hair growth! It seems like laser will not produce the results you want. Why not try electrolysis?

#3

You can keep trying, but if your arm hair is too thin, even if it is dark, or if it is too light and too fine, you will be disappointed once again. The “hope” side of getting laser is so very, very strong, that people will keep going back for more when it’s not going to help and never will help, but it makes them feel good.

A GentleMax (Yag side)is what you want if you insist on trying again. Maybe Romeo would disagree and if he does, I would defer to him. Romeo would have to comment on the Apogee Elite.

By the way, LAGIRL, where are you?! Are you coming back to this board :cry:

#4

what was the laser that was used on your arms with the 7 treatments?

#5

Thank you so much for responding.

I believe first 3 treatments where done with Alexandrit Ruby lazer, which worked great on my legs. I must add that I did not shave my arms before the treatment - they told me I don’t have to.

Then 4 treatments I think where done with coolglide - but I am not sure, at the time I did not know as much about lazers, so I did not collect all the information.

#6

Taso,

I would use the Gentlemax on an Alexandrite setting with a higher pulse width and higher energy. 30 minutes sounds right for a treatment. 2 hours with an Elite is impossible, there is something fishy about that.

Coolglide may thin your hair but it would not be the best choice for your skin type for your arms.

#7

Thank you. I think that is exactly what happened, Goolglide thinned my hair, but they are much longer and more spread all over my arms now now.

I have an appointment at the Gentlemax on Thursday (March 12th). I will ask what setting they would use on me and and will post the information here.

#8

Why didn’t you get more info on the operator? YOU MUST HAVE READ HERE FROM MANY WOMEN WHO WERE AS EXCITED AS YOU ABOUT THE IDEA OF REMOVING HAIR YESTERDAY. THE CONSUMERS KNOW LESS THAN THE OPERATORS WHO KNOW VERY LITTLE. All lasers work, if the operator knows how to use it and how to adjust it, for your skin type and color. THERE ARE NOTES HERE FROM A NUMBER OF WOMEN WHO HAD MORE HAIR THAN BEFORE AFTER A LASER TREATMENT.

HAVE YOU INQUIRED ABOUT SIDE EFFECTS FROM LASER TREATMENTS. THERE HAVE BEEN 2 REPORTED DEATHS, SEIZURES, COMA, IRREGULAR HEART RYTHMS, JUST FROM THE PAIN NUMBING SKIN MEDICINE. Find out if the operator is licensed. Does your state license laser operators? Contact the licensing division and ask if they license laser operators. Laser treatments are surgery. ANYTHING THAT ALTERS THE STRUCTURE AND/OR FUNCTION OF THE TISSUE IS SURGERY. The goal is to destroy the root system, the papilla, therefore, laser treatments are SURGERY and the medical licensing board does not license anyone TO DO SURGERY except doctors. Laser operators are practicing medicine WITHOUT A LICENSE. IS THAT WHO YOU WANT WORKING ON YOU?
NO STATE ISSUES LICENSES to ANYONE BUT DOCTORS TO DO SURGERY.

GOOD LUCK

#9

Hey Lefty. I think you are scaremongering.

HAVE YOU INQUIRED ABOUT SIDE EFFECTS FROM LASER TREATMENTS. THERE HAVE BEEN 2 REPORTED DEATHS, SEIZURES, COMA, IRREGULAR HEART RYTHMS, JUST FROM THE PAIN NUMBING SKIN MEDICINE.

You have not said anything about the side effects of laser, just the numbing cream. Nobody having laser treatments for hair removal ever died, had a seizure, suffered a coma or irregular heart rythms!!

They might get burnt, hyper or hypo pigmentation, but death?? Thats daft!

#10

I agree. If people come here seeking facts, we certainly do not want any blatant distortions in “CAPS” scarring them away from modalities that may have made a dramatic change in their life.
We hear about the good and not so good experiences with laser hair reduction, but this is way out of line and not totally truthful.

Dee

#11

I had my consultation today at the GentleMax place. She said she would use Alexandrite with 10 (possibly 12) joules with the higher pulse width. Romeo does that sound right?

She was thinking of starting with Yag, but then when I asked her, she said Alexandrite should be ok too. She suggested that I take Claritin and use some lotion to prevent possible pigmentation.

Does all sound reasonable?

Thank you!

#12

I meant to say above “with the highest pulse width”

#13

Taso, if that’s what your technician says, that means that you are either dark or retain your tan for a while ( probably skin type IV )10 or 12 joules is low. Perhaps if you are that dark and she feels that she should use a yag, then she may be able to use a low pulse width and high energy on the Yag side. Without seeing you, it is difficult to guesstimate.

#14

Hi Romeo, could you tell me:

  1. How many joules are considered high for Alexandrit?
  2. What exactly is considered “high energy” for Yag?
  3. What exactly is low pulse width for Yag?

I have an appointment for arm/underarm treatment in a week. Having that information will help me discuss Yag vs. Alex, but you are right I guess I should trust and let her decide.

I can’t even tell how helpful it is to go in knowing what I am doing. Thanks!

#15

Does anyone know

1hat the highest joules for Alexandrit laser?

What is the joules range for Yag?

And what exactly is “pulse” for Yag? what is considered low or high pulse?

I have an appointment this week and I want to make sure high setting are used for my treatment. (I think low setting stimulate hair growth on me)

#16

Taso,

I can answer all those questions but I prefer not to do so in a public forum. Your provider should know what to do, as he/she is the best judge of your skin tone. Generally, if you are tanned or too dark, you can get a good YAG treatment with a low pulse width and high energy.

#17

My information is reported on the FDA web site . FDA.gov. It is not my info, however, I learned this from FDA You too can learn if you reviewed good sources of information.
They reported it because the medication used for numbing pain would not have been used if they did not have laser treatments. Therefore, their deaths were directly related to the fact they had PAINFUL laser treatments. This could have happened with any method where the operator used this method of pain relief. There were probably others that had the same problem with blend and/or high frequency treatments but if they were not reported… they did not happen.
Be REAL.

There are too many under trained laser operators and many “incidents” are never reported. If you had the info you would be better off. If one of your patients died would you report it to FDA as you are supposed to do? Neither does your doctor.

Point out here I am wrong or where you disagree. I used FDA as my source of info. You can also use GOOGLE to get lots of info IF YOU WANT IT.

#18

One of the most widely known and used pain relief products for sunburn was taken off the market because the benzocaine in it caused more problems than they ever knew after intense testing. Law suits are enough to have a product removed because it is no longer a “money maker” . It has become a “money loser”. If you were to read the instructions that accompany ALL products you should ask, “Why is this product on the market?” A 25 year old niece of mine was just discovered to have an extremely serious kidney problem that might require dialysis or a transplant. The doctor asked her , “Do you take any other medication?” She told them the ONLY thing she took was ADVIL. This the same as IBUPROFEN and Motrin. There are MILLIONS who take this for arthritis and other athletic soreness, headache, menstrual crampsand many other pains. Her problem was discovered because she changed jobs and her company required an exam but it was from a different HMO and it was discovered by a doctor who was giving her a pre- employment exam.
Consumers have the potential to abuse any product. They think ,“If 1 is good than 2 should be better” or they give medication of their own to others that should NEVER take it. In some cases this MAY be OK, however, in other cases it can be dangerous or even TOXIC . I wonder how many deaths were due to one doctor ordering a drug and a second doc orders a second drug for a legitimate reason but is not aware of the drug INTERACTIONS that can cause death? How many times has the medical examiner listed the cause of death as “natural causes” to protect another doc? Interactions between 2 or more drugs is common. Remember the deaths due to FEN FEN? When a product is tested… it is done on a small number of people and it is controlled, however, when it is released to the public there are no controls and no reports of side effects because there are no reports. Doseage can change due to weight changes of the patient. Some gain so much weight that they have to take more while others lose weight and have to take less. Many drugs have a dose for geriatric patients that is lower than the usual dose. The patient changed to “geriatric” status and it was not noticed by the doc. There is a common anti-biotic that has a higher dose in pediatrics than in adults. It can destroy the kidneys and cause deafness in adults yet in a higher dose it is safe for pediatric patients. LIVE AND LEARN (HOPEFULLY). There is a load of info on google and here at Hair Forum or Hair Tell. You have to learn to use it. I posted the definition of MATRIX as I got it from GOOGLE and the dictionary. Others could have looked it up. I posted the definition of SURGERY that is available from a dictionary and FDA. I find many people are lazy yet they think they know. I look it up to be sure. Try it.

#19

It sounds like you shouldn’t be choosing any of that. It seems like the hair on your arms is too fine for laser, especially in combination with your skin tone. Laser only works well on COARSE hair. It sounds like you had that type of hair on your legs and that’s why you saw some results. But it doesn’t sound like that’s what you have on your arms.

I would personally advise you to switch to electrolysis if you are really looking for results on this area and don’t want to waste your time and money. Those settings are too low, which means you need a Yag. And Yags are even worse on hair that’s not coarse. So I would not waste any more money.

#20

FYI…
You are CORRECT, however, FDA controls the labeling of all devices under its control. I have seen reports of “fainting” as a SIDE EFFECT OF AN INJECTION WHEN THE INJECTION HAD NOT YET BEEN ADMINISTERED. FDA CONTROLS THIS AND THE PATIENT DID HAVE THE PAIN(VERY MILD PAIN) AND SOME PASSED OUT BEFORE THE INJECTION BUT IF THEY DID NOT GET AN INJECTION THERE WOULD BE NO PAIN OR FAINTING. CONSEQUENTLY, THIS IS A SIDE EFFECT OF THE INJECTION EVEN IF IT WAS A PLACEBO. THAT IS WHY WHEN YOU SEE THE SIDE EFFECTS OF A PLACEBO YOU ASK YOURSELF HOW OR WHY. THE PATIENT NEVER GOT THE MEDICINE. HOWEVER, THEY DID GO THROUGH ALL THE SAME PROCEDURES EXCEPT GETTING THE ACTUAL MEDICATION. SOME PATIENTS GET SICK AT THE IDEA OF GETTING A “SHOT” AND OTHERS FAINT (THIS INCLUDES MALES). I HOPE THIS SETTLES THIS IDEA.