consultations with coolglide and gentleyag - UK

Hair Removal Methods Laser hair removal
#1

Hi,

I am a male of indian origin in the UK who is planning on having laser hair removal. The area i’m looking to have treatment on are my arms.

I have arranged consultations with 2 clinics between 4-10 november,

First clinic has the gentlelase and gentleyag, and is attached to my local hospital. They are a chain with 17 different clinics with varying attachments to local hospitals.
http://www.lasercare-clinics.co.uk/

Second clinic has the lightsheer and coolglide, it is a privately run clinic operating in london - UK.
http://www.boston-clinic.co.uk/treatments/treatments.html

Am I right in thinking that the gentleyag and coolglide will be the best lasers for me (probably IV or V on the fritzpatrick scale).

Also I have been looking for infomation on the power levels that should be used. Should both lasers be used at 30-35J for effective therapy?

Also what are the approximate maximum levels that are safe with these machines - I am worried about being undertreated and overtreated - so any help here would be great!!

Also any advice on other questions I should ask at the consultations would be really helpful!!

I will be updating this thread with photo’s before/after test patchs later this week. To see what everyone on this board thinks my chances of sucess will be like based on hair density coarseness etc. And I hope to update this thread (including photo’s) as I have laser hair removal to help anyone else out there.

Thanks for any advice!!

#2

yes, for your skin type, they will probably use a gentleyag at one and coolglide at the other. since they’re yags, there is not much chance of burning the skin. that’s what they’re made for, darker skin types. have them try test spots at various fluences to see how high your skin can handle before you committ. it’s hard to give you an estimate on settings as you won’t know how your particular skin will react.

#3

Have tried taking photo’s with my camera today but seems my cam doesn’t like taking close-up shots (shots are so blurry, you really can’t make out the hairs at all!) - am going to hunt down another camera tomorrow.

#4

Here are some photo’s like to see hear what everyone thinks of my chances of sucess, or anything in general - lol.

the hair here has been trimmed with an electric hair trimmer.

[image]http://img495.imageshack.us/img495/6894/img53828rj.jpg[/image]

[image]http://img495.imageshack.us/img495/7010/img54118gj.jpg[/image]

[image]http://img495.imageshack.us/img495/7010/img54118gj.jpg[/image]

[image]http://img495.imageshack.us/img495/5655/img53994xh.jpg[/image]

A close up of some of the terminal hairs

[image]http://img495.imageshack.us/img495/462/img54259ec.jpg[/image]

If I had to describe the hair pattern, I would say that there are 2 distint hair types, both appear terminal, but some are more terminal.

#5

I would say you have a good chance of success. The hairs are pretty coarse and definitely dark.

#6

Had my first treatment with the coolglide laser after deciding on it. The experience went very well, apart from some pain when treating the areas close to the underarms.

Was treated at 35 joules, the areas (upper arms) were shaved and cooled with an ice-packs before and after treatment. It has been a couple of days and i can see some shedding already. There has been no burning or discolouration of skin at all. the only side-effect i had some reddening of the hair follicles for a day or so.

Hoping for good results, just hoping whether someone could comment on the strengh used and possibly what would be the next treatment strengh I should be treated at.

Will try and update more throughly later.

#7

the settings are very good to start at and redness around teh follicles is a good sign that it’s working properly. good luck. sounds like you’re on your way. it pays to do your research <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

#8

You wrote:

'Am I right in thinking that the gentleyag and coolglide will be the best lasers for me (probably IV or V on the fritzpatrick scale).

Also I have been looking for infomation on the power levels that should be used. Should both lasers be used at 30-35J for effective therapy?

Also what are the approximate maximum levels that are safe with these machines - I am worried about being undertreated and overtreated - so any help here would be great!!’

…Looks like you already decided on a clinic and laser type, but I wouldn’t have recommended a GentleYag for type V. The higher, morte effective fluences are gonna hurt, possibly burn. The shedding you saw at a 35J treatment wass most likely fractured brittle hairs, not true extrusion.

You really want to go with the best thing possible for your skin type and not throw your money away. You really want to not just rely on an Nd:Yag’s light power alone. Look for a Syneron ELOS clinic with a Comet (good) or Galaxy (best). These will give more permanent results and will clear finer hairs much better. Think about scouting aother clinics between treatments, you may be pleasantly surprised by going with a more advanced laser.

Mantary

#9

I think tech’s experience is a lot more important in this case. 35 joules is also good for first treatment and on a Yag. And if the results are looking good in terms of shedding etc, it’s working and I don’t see a reason to mess with it. Yags are good lasers for coarse hair. You’ll get good results on all coarse hair at high settings and with a good tech.

#10

It’s interesting that at the second clinic, prices for the Lightsheer are slightly higher for many body parts than for the Coolglide.

For your dark skin type I would definitely go with the Coolglide over the Lightsheer. I couldn’t see the pictures but from your description you are at least a type IV or V. The Comet merits consideration also but it is difficult to find a clinic with one.

RJC2001

#11

since i’m based in the United Kingdom there is a limited choice between the different lasers availble. Have goggled on the lasers which use combined RF frequency but have yet to find in the UK. SO have emailed the manufactors hoping they can point me in the right direction.

Lagirl, the professional used by the practactionr was one of the main reasons I decided to go with the coolglide. The nurse who gave me the test patch with the gentleyag told me that the clinic was extremely conservative with settings - not even going as high as those recommended in the upper range by the manufacture. Like you I think that the person aiming the device is equally important if not more then the device itself.

It’s too soon to see the results, but as an experience I was entirely happy with it, lol. I have tried pulling a couple of random hairs out, just to check that they are sliding out without any resistance, I have found they are.

Will continue to update with my experience as it goes along.

#12

Just a quick update, its been a month since my first treatment now. There were a few missed spots maybe 2 small (1cm areas), but considering the large area being treated this does not concern me.

So far I am impressed and happy with the results, my left arm seems to have responded better then the right (but right had more hair to begin with). The hair started shedding after 3-4 days of treatment but most the shedding occured later about 3 weeks after treatment, I still have the ossacional hair shedding now (tombstones mainly). The condition of the skin is fine and if anything has improved, no burns, scars or anything like that.

Hair growth has slowed to almost a stop and only now can i see new hair growing in. Probably from follicles that were not in the right stage when I had the treatment.

If I had to give a percentage in terms of hairloss - could be as high as 60 - 70% - but suppose maybe too early to tell yet.

Looking forward to my next treatment - gonna try and get tech to increase the power to 40 joules!

#13

Looks like the Coolglide is going to work fine for you! Keep us posted.

RJC2001

#14

Have now had my 2nd treatment, was treated at 36 joules, the treatment was less painful then the 1st time round. In a rush will update futher when shedding occurs.

#15

Hey Everyone,

Just wanted to futher update, its been 1 month now since my 2nd treatment. Any futher hairloss is not apparent. So fair there is sparse regrowth in some areas. It does look like more area’s were missed this time round. Overall i am pleased with the results so far. The treatment seems to have worked best on the back of my arms were the hair was denser rather then on vellus like hair. One point which is noticible is the fact that new hair does not have the appearence of stubble. Which to me suggests that the hair is most likely thinning.

Gonna post before and after pics up. Some before pics (no treatment taken place)
[image]http://img54.imageshack.us/img54/6851/img53817yp.th.jpg[/image]

Update with more later

#16

on your color skin especially, laser won’t work on vellus hairs, and i would probably try not to touch those areas with laser to avoid stimulating those vellus hairs to grow in thicker

#17

[image]http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/3623/img56668sn.th.jpg[/image]

hi heres a pic of the same arm after 3 treatments. Treatments have been about 6 weeks apart. Wanna point out that the marking u see is not the result burns to the skin, but is due to my stupidly picking and poking at tombstones under the skin. My skin inflames very easily, will post a more through update soon.

#18

thanks for the update. looking good. i can’t help to pick sometimes either. try not to <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />