Confused about electrolysis vs. laser

no, LASER light is not damaging to the skin like UV rays are.

  • as posted by lagirl.

I just cringe when I read posts like this of hers. It’s plain scary and dangerous the way lagirl advises people with such recklessness. Lasers on the skin can be EXTREMELY dangerous and damaging. Sometimes permanently damaging. People across the nation have been burned and scarred by lasers. I personally have burn marks from past laser treatments. Lagirl wants people to believe this is a freak occurence. It is not. This kind of advice is frightening.

Mantaray
A U.S. medical school graduate

yes so curious <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Hair Removal

You know what… Yes. I am going into electrolysis because I want to make money. everyone wants to make money. Im honest I can admit that. HOWEVER, I want to make my money honestly and provide the best product possible. I didnt just say, “hey, I want to take poor hairy peoples money…” (and before you jump, Im not saying you do either)I decided after suffering from facial hair (not peach fuzz… 80 unit hairs- to those in electrolysis) since I was 11 years old. I spent everyday hiding my face, tweezing… when I went to sleepovers I was the only one who wouldnt let anyone give me a “makeover,” when people told me secrets I ducked my face into my shoulder in case I had missed some while plucking and up to my 21st birthday I never let any of my boyfriends touch my face or neck, I would never lay my head in his(on digital cameras) I WAS TERRIFIED…I know how people feel and it isnt about money- its about RELIEF without risk. And yes, I have tried laser and it just so happened it was nuvo and yes they did go down for scarring and skin damage and the hair growing back and all this other crap… so “I just had a bad experience” with them. my point was not that it couldnt work (it can Im sure) but what works for one person does not work for another- the perfect laser for you may not work for me… Im sure there were some people that left nuvo that were happy and still are… what Im saying is happy or not, who knows if its safe??? and you could have to try alot of different lasers to find what works and none of them are FDA approved for anything more than hair REDUCTION they are not approved as safe for future health issues (thats what they are testing NOW- ON YOU!) you are getting them that statistic that they might use if- IF they make it 50 years from now… if thats worth it to you to “reduce” hair fine! I understand! They say obese people fantasize about cutting off their fat with knives, I considered cutting off parts of my hairy face when I was fifteen- if your that gung-ho for results- BE A LAB RAT. IF (note I say IF) I honestly believed laser could safely save someone from feeling like I did and the results were 100% permanent I would go to school to be an RN and I would operate a laser on an 11 year old… even on MY OWN 11 year old (if I had one) But I dont feel that way. I have had both. yes, I went to a bad provider for my laser- I was their statistic… until they are passed the testing phase they are in, it may only be a matter of time before anyone becomes a statistic just like I did. Electrolysis works for just about everyone. (unless its a hormone imbalance) its researched over a long enough period of time that it is known to be completely safe- no future surprises, backed by YEARS of tried and true practice. Yes, it takes longer- but my electologyst quickly became a very close friend to me and I did not care how long it took her because I trusted her. Sometimes she saw me out of charity because I was young and it was nearly 2 hours to clear my face and I couldnt always afford it. But she taught me two things… 1)Electrolysis is permanant and 2)how much a difference an hour of the right persons time can make on someones self worth.
Yes, I plan to make money, Yes I plan to volunteer with the cancer society for charity (some cancer cases are treated with hormones that cause hair growth on children and women)NOT BECAUSE IM “PUSHING” A PRODUCT but because I want OTHERS to feel good about WHAT I DO. Im in this to give results… in 50 years if there is a proven SAFE laser, excellent- I will use it to help people faster! BUT RIGHT NOW THERE IS NOT!! that- is why I push electrolysis- its nothing personal about YOU (lagirl since we have resulted to naming names)- its everything personal about ME and I plan to better someones life with that! please think before you type because I can tell by your responses that your not being understood and its not because we arent reading what you type. When you say something “doesn’t cause skin changes” Im going to rightfully assume from what you type that: that is what you meant. when you say “electricity is a light” Im going to assume that you think so (instead of light being a product of electricity)I am finding now that you dont really think that way - you just dont say what you mean. please dont be upset if I “take things out of context” you when you dont say what you mean! think before you speak. when you argue a point people do listen WORD for WORD. use the ones you mean so you wont get mad if I listen to you.
Im not personally out to get you, I JUST KEEP TRIPPING ON YOU! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

I think the main confusion here comes from people not able to separate personal opinions based on personal experience and facts. I know it sucks that you didn’t get the results you were promised. I know that hindsight is always 20/20. And I know that electrolysis works (I’m doing it myself as well). The problem surfaces when you say “don’t do laser because it doesn’t work and only electrolysis does because that’s what happened to me”. The fact that it didn’t work on you had a lot of reasons which you described, including the place you chose etc, which it seems you now realize. So, stating blatently like that it’s not a good idea for anyone else no matter with how much research, which clinic, what area treated, how much hair to treat etc is just not objective. You’re only basing it on your personal experience, which wasn’t good due to many factors that can be controlled by others with the information they can find even just on these forums (and you didn’t obtain for one reason or another). That’s my only point. And I keep reiterating the same thing, which a few people on here of course conveniently ignore – I’m getting BOTH electrolysis and laser done and BOTH are effective.

Now, for your second question. I don’t tan regularly, but I have gone 4 times in my life. And yes, KNOWING that they’re potentially dangerous, can cause cancer etc (those ARE UV rays unlike hair removal lasers). So, that would actually also support my point. Let consumers have the UNBIASED information, and have them decide for themselves. You can’t decide for others what risks they would be willing to take. Sure, you can express your personal experience and opinion, but that’s all that is. Everyone’s responsible for their own decisions (or lack of research etc).

[quote] no, LASER light is not damaging to the skin like UV rays are.

  • as posted by lagirl.

I just cringe when I read posts like this of hers. It’s plain scary and dangerous the way lagirl advises people with such recklessness. Lasers on the skin can be EXTREMELY dangerous and damaging. Sometimes permanently damaging. People across the nation have been burned and scarred by lasers. I personally have burn marks from past laser treatments. Lagirl wants people to believe this is a freak occurence. It is not. This kind of advice is frightening.

Mantaray
A U.S. medical school graduate [/quote]

Did they teach you logic at your “U.S. medical school”? I have a degree from a top Ivy League and don’t go around throwing it in anyone’s face. Intelligence should be obvious from your writing without having to point it out. Maybe you should have gone to law school instead so you can actually respond with a solid argument rather than personal opinions trying to sound like they’re facts.

You said : “Lasers on the skin can be EXTREMELY dangerous and damaging.” — you know what the most important part of this statement is, if it’s not clear?? I’ll help you. The word “can” – and ANYTHING in this world “can” be dangerous. Should knives be outlawed for use in the kitchen? If you know that they can kill if you puncture yourself in the heart, should they be made illegal or is it enough to advise people that puncturing your heart with a knife “can” kill you?

Hi,

I have read most of the postings and am still confused! I have done lots of research and had decided to begin with Nd:Yag laser because I have medium skin, Type IV to V with dark brown har. I have some dark thick hairs on chin and a couple on cheeks. But I am able to bleach the other hairs on my cheeks, chin and sideburns. But this still looks very fuzzy and unclean. In a previous posting, it was stated that eletrolysis is the only way to go for upper lip! Is that true? I am interested in permanently reducing the thinner hairs as well as the thicker ones. What do you guys recommend?

Thank You.

It sounds like you have very little hair. A “couple” can easily be removed with electrolysis. I wouldn’t suggest laser on the face, especially with darker skin and fine and/or sparse hair". Laser should only be considered on a woman’s face for very dark coarse and dense hair (pretty rare for someone without a medical condition causing it…and if that’s what it is, the condition should be treated first anyways, before laser OR electrolysis)

Lagirl, I really, really feel so upset at how you come into this forum, and just spread your self-serving agenda. This is the Electrolysis forum. This is for people that know better. This forum is for people that don’t, or no longer, fall for scams. You have no place here pushing your agenda of Beauty Shop Science. You argue and carry on as if you’re on some crusade. I come to the Electrolysis forum because I have no wish to hear about the multi-million dollar scam that laser is.

I have posted the links you speak of. Am I just supposed to keep posting them over and over?

You come off incredibly obtuse. Go get a science book and read what a ‘nanometer’ is. Go read about wavelength.

You do consider yourself an expert because you go around recommending lasers and strengths to people you haven’t even seen in person. This is foolish and dangerous.

You post far, far too much to just be a casual person being treated by laser. There’s more to your involvement that I think you’re not letting onto.

By the way, You keep saying that I treated by inept operators. One was an operator that had years of experience, the other was the physician who owned and operated the clinic, the third was a technician that the owner recruited out of many applicants. You just don’t seem to understand, like others, I did my research. What is with you? You justr don’t seem to understand that laser is a half-baked science that has failed.

You target me because of my scientific background and that fact that I point out gross, blatant errors in your thinking.

You take a populist stand, trying to make your opinion and experience (?) seem like it’s the norm, and those in disagreement are wrong.

My ‘Shortcomings’? Umm. I really don’t know where to begin with this. I really think you should back up at this point.

Hmm. RJC, BRR …Okay, that’s two. Three including you. Have you counted how many have said their hair grew back? Go do that.

Face the facts. Laser is no longer considered anywhere near permanent. Sometimes it’s effects only last weeks, not even months!

Great fads in American History:
The Hula Hoop
The Mood Ring
The Pet Rock
Laser Hair ‘Removal’ …‘Look Ma, I’m shedding!’

Actually, this is an unbiased electrolysis forum for people who want unbiased information. That’s how Andrea, the moderator, defines it. Everything else you say above is mindless banter/personal opinion based on absolutely nothing besides your personal unhappiness with your laser treatments (discounting those like mine which were successful). You can think what you want about laser and you’re free to make your personal assumption of what it is if you’re close-minded enough to base it on nothing but YOUR personal experience (after all, you’re mad at the laser industry, so I guess in some way it makes it fair). But don’t try to convert your statements to “facts”. They are ONLY based on YOUR personal (bad) experience. So, maybe you should preface your statements with that. My only concern is the fact that you state everything as if it’s a fact. You have no logic to your argument. Actually, it’s not even an argument, just banter. If you did, you might have had some solid explanation for all those who actually got results from laser. Maybe if you went to law school instead of your supposed medical school, you would have learned to support your statements and make a point – not just sound like you’re angry because you didn’t get results.