Cynosure Apogee Elite MPX Settings? Starting LHR

Hair Removal Methods Laser hair removal
#1

Hi,

I’m going to start laser hair removal sessions for the bikini area (brazilian) in the first week of Feb, and possibly on my forearms soon after that. The clinic I will be going to uses a Cynosure Apogee Elite laser - MPX I think? It has a NdYAG along with the Alex. I hope this is basically the same and as effective as the Alex-only Elite if I’m requesting they use the 755 wavelength but I don’t know the difference in spot size. I’ve picked a clinic with this machine partially because I read here that the Apogee may be slightly better than the Gentlelase for hair that’s slightly less coarse, like on my forearms.

I found another clinic I absolutely loved – great staff, professional, clean and with a great reputation – but they switched to the Soprano several years ago and while I’m sure it works better in their techs’ hands than it has for most people, I just felt more comfortable that an Alex would give me the permanency I wanted (though the lightsheer worked for me previously, too).

I’ve been researching a lot (and this forum has been very helpful, thank you!) this time around since I had two sessions about 8 years ago and was badly burned the second time when treating the inner bikini line area. When I say badly, I mean a spot that was black, blistering and that is now white where it happened. (I think this happened because the skin was darker and the settings probably too high, but also I think there was some hair that hadn’t been shaved there). That being said, I still had good results on the “outside the bathing suit” area - I would say about 50% of the hair has never grown back (this was with the lightsheer btw, but I don’t know the settings).

I am probably a Type II leaning towards III…Caucasian but with a more olive tone to my skin than many people, with dark brown hair. I’m wondering what settings I should push for on my first and subsequent sessions. Is 25J / 30ms okay to do the whole way through, or do I need to push for 30 after the first time? They said their usual setting for fair skinned bikini/underarm removal was 20J / 30ms, but are willing to adjust if the doctor will approve the settings I request. Also, it seems like they may want to switch to the NdYAG for the inner parts, possibly…any idea what approximate settings they should be using then, or what range? Or what it might need to change to if they stick with the Alex?

Thank you! And if I can sneak two more questions in quickly…

  1. EMLA is fine to use, right? I used it on my original treatments.
  2. From what I’ve read, all the hair I had showing just under the skin (after shaving) before the treatment should shed or they missed a spot, correct?

Thank you! Sorry this post was so long.

Kate

#2

An adjustable pulse Alexandrite laser ( like the Elite MPX ) would give you good results. Have them try the 18 mm spot size. I will not comment on settings but if they have a Doctor on site, I would leave it to them. Using EMLA is OK under their guidance. NDYAG for darker areas is also OK. You sound like skin type 3 and not
2. The Olive tone would be skin type 3 +.

#3

25J/30 sounds like a 15mm spot size, the MPX goes up to 18mm which would be better. If you’re type 3 you still shouldn’t really need the Yag. I’m type 3, caucasian you can see here from an old post http://i999.photobucket.com/albums/af118/edokid/edokidlhr.jpg

I always use the alex. The only time I have to watch is in the summer, my one clinic is really picky, if I have any colour to me at all they want to use the yag. I tan very easily so I either take a break for the full summer or I stay out of the sun but even that is really hard. If they want to treat me with the yag I pretty much say nevermind and not do the treatment. I’ve had yag done on my stomach and forearms as well as legs, the results are no where near as good as with the alex. I do however use yag on my face which gives the best results there because beard hair is so dark and coarse and deep.

Btw the MPX is better than the Apogee Elite.

#4

Apogee MPX is a good new machine and better than a straight Apogee Elite as mentioned. GentleLASE is great too though.

You don’t sound like a type II to me either. It’s hard to burn that type and that type wouldn’t have any olive tones. Type II is very pale. You sound like at least a type III. If they want to switch to a Yag on some parts, you’re definitely darker than a III there. Settings on the Yag would be different from Alex.

The best way to know what settings are best is to have them test spot your skin and see how high they can go without adverse effects. Spot size is very important as decreasing it makes joules less effective.

If the spot size is 18mm, then those settings are good. You should ask them to use the biggest spot size.

#5

If the spot size is 18mm then it’s the Yag. The 18mm on Alexandrite only goes up to 22 joules but the yag goes to 27. At 15 it goes to 30 so would be the 15 if it was the alex.

#6

Thanks for the replies, everyone. Greatly appreciated!

I’m glad to hear the MPX has your approval. Sounds like a 20J / 30 setting on the 18mm spot size is probably a good setting to try then, but of course I will consult with the doctor on my first appointment and take it from there (and maybe ask you another question or two if I’m feeling uncertain about anything). I’ll double check the spot size also! I really should have done that before, sorry.

They actually haven’t even seen the area where they said they might switch to a Yag (the area where I was burned before), just that they often do that so we’ll see…but I did think I was a probably a type III. Now I am more certain. I just thought most people of english/irish background were type II, so said inbetween.

I’m also planning to break in the summer on my arms, since they tan easily, and stick with the Alex. Glad to hear that still worked for you in the end, Edokid. I know it’s best to stay consistent with the treatments every 8 weeks or so, but I’ll just have to have a few more treatments than average, if necessary.

Wish me luck! I did book in with their most experienced tech so here’s hoping for no burns and great results :wink: