feb 6 i went to two consultations. i’m getting my underarms, legs, full bikini, and two patches on the back of my neck. i decided to forget he forearms since my hairs are so fine and i don’t mind just using an epilator. the first place was A+ Laser in Mt.Prospect. It’s in the older part of town so the office was located in an old building. that worried me a tad since i’m somewhat swayed by aesthetics. =P their office is very very small. the actual room that they do laser in is small as well but very clean and bright. i didn’t feel as though the room was unsanitary or anything like that. the technician i spoke with was very very knowledgeable. she has been doing electrolysis (thermolysis i believe) for 20 years and started laser about 1 1/2 years ago after doing research on it for about 10 years. i was a bit concerned with her having only done it for that short of a time…but in talking with her i realized that she really does know her stuff. she uses a new model candela gentlase alexandrite laser. she did a test patch on me. she didn’t use any gel, she said that this particular machine does not need it. it also had a built in cooling spray system. she did two small spots on my leg and boy did it smart. immediately after there were visible raised areas. by the time i got home a few hours later and checked they were gone. she told me that she likes to ice down afterwards. she does not like to use emla or such on large areas. she also does not like to ice before hand. the reason she said is so she knows she is not damaging my skin unknowingly. make sense to me.
whoa…hit enter on accident and posted prematurely…ok continuing on…her prices are right up there with the big guys such as pure laser which i was a bit surprised at since she is in an old building with a small office i would think her overhead would be lower than the big boys. she told me i would need to come in every 8 weeks and that i should do my underarms and legs on one day and my bikini and back of neck on another. she says it’s less stress on the skin and generally the body. i think i have decided to do some electrolysis with her but am still unsure of which laser office i will go with. ok onto the next place…The Advanced Laser Center in Schaumburg. Nice big building, modern office, very roomy. clean, bright. they use the coolglide. they also have a epitouch alexandrite but a old model. she says the coolglide is her laser of choice. they also do chemical peels, photorejuvenation, microdermabrasion, botox, and other anti aging/wrinkle systems here. the office has been there since 1986 and before that they used to be downtown. the tech has been at this office for 2 years and like a dummy i forgot to ask how long she has been doing laser in general. she did a large test patch on my leg. she iced my leg, spread the gel on and zapped me several times. i didn’t feel a thing. there was no redness or raised areas on my skin. i told her so and she pushed it up a notch and did a couple more areas and i still didn’t feel a thing. i asked her if this was being done at an effective level for this body part and she said yes. she even went as far as saying that some people have to work up to the level i was just at. i was sort of under the impression that laser was a no pain no gain type of thing lol. i will have to post in another area to see if i am incorrect. the prices here were a bit cheaper than the first place. now the difference being the A+ laser said she could clear in about 4-5 sessions typically and where this place is saying 6-10. but for a pkg of 4 advanced laser has been the cheapest so far, it’s just a matter of if i’m going to get any results in 4 sessions or 8-10. now im a bit confused as to what systema and tech i should choose. ugh.
out of the two places i visited today i felt that the tech at A+ was the most knowledgeable and i didn’t feel like i was being sold a packaged product by a marketing team. i was very comfortable with her and we clicked. i’m not sure why i have reservations about the second place. they have by far the better office located in a modern building and the tech there was knowledgeable as well. she didn’t say or do anything that turned me off to her, but she is still in my list of options…either way i have narrowed it down to 3 choices: the places i visited today A+, and advacned laser, and a place i visited a week or so back called puer laser. i will post again in the regular forum when i start doing my sessions. thanks for looking! 