I hate making new topics all the time I should just have one for my questions 
Does the cynosure Apogee Elite use the same settings as GentleLASE? As I’m looking to switch clinics to one that has Apogee as the price is really good. I know it’s max 15mm spot size, but if I do 15mm/20j on GentleLASE is that the same for the CynoSure?
The Gentlelase has a shorter 3 msc pulse width whereas the Elite
uses a 5 msc pulse width. Therefore, I would suggest using an Elite at 15/22 J to equate a Gentlelase 15/20.
Great thanks! Just wanted to check as I’m changing clinics and wanted to check so I can make sure they’re using the right settings.
If I did a test patch on GentleLASE at 15mm/20j, and the results were fine, is it safe to assume that I should be okay with the Apogee at 15mm/20 or 22j or should I do another test patch?
What’s your skin type again? Can you go higher than that?
And yes, they’re both alex lasers. So if you set similar settings, it should be similar. The only difference will be pulse since you can’t go lower than 5ms on Apogee and GentleLASE is stable at 3ms.
My skin type is 3. I just did a full face/beard treatment with gentlelase at I believe 20j on a 12 or 15 spot size, I’m not 100% sure though either way it hurt like crazy any higher I’d die. I want to switch clinics since my current place is super sketchy. The owner told me $200 for an area I wanted to do, then my best friend goes in and does the exact same area for $45. When I questioned the owner about the huge difference in price, I was told, and I quote “It sounds like your friend got a good deal then for $45! Have a nice day” I was just about to buy a package for face arms and under arms, but they just lost my $3000+. So wanted to switch to another clinic but this one uses CynoSure apogee so wanted to check.
Btw welcome back lagirl, been awhile!
If you’re a true type III (not middle eastern decent), then you should be able to handle higher settings. Yes, pain is not pretty, but better to use a numbing cream and guarantee that you are killing the hair.
Thanks. It’s a busy time for me right now. Hopefully, it’ll get better soon. Can’t contribute as much as I want to right now.
I’m definitely not middle eastern, background is 1/4 British and 3/4 French Canadian. I’ll see about going higher then, I think I can handle more other places, but face I’m not sure. I don’t know what setting she used on it as my test patch was 15mm and 20j but I think she used a 12 on my face to be more accurate. AFter about 3 pulss she asked me to rate it on a scale from 1-10 in terms of pain and I said definitely 7 then she did another one and I said more like 8 or more as it hurt a lot, and I have a high pain tolerance, so I think she may have turned it down, but it didn’t really hurt any less, either I just got used to it, or she turned it down a little but I’d say the whole treatment was more like a 7-8,
For the face, you really should be using a numbing cream. Pain shouldn’t be your limit. It should be your skin’s reaction. If it’s not being burned, you’re good.
I was actually wondering that. When I did a test at 15mm with 20j it was darker/red around each hair for a week then went away, so that’s why I was nervous to do my entire face, but oddly it didn’t do that this time. But I was wondering about the numbing cream, I notice people on here talking about it and normally I have a high pain tolerance, that’s why I’ve never even thought of it. But as she was doing my face I was thinking about it and if they work how it would be so much better so maybe I should look into that.
For really dense coarse hair, especially on an area of a decent size (when the whole thing is not over in 2-3 mins), it’s definitely necessary. A male face almost always needs it for that reason.
Jeeze so I’m a trooper then, full frontal neck, beard/cheeks chin and upper lip with nothing. I’m switching clinics anyway, but my current one never even suggested it…
Everyone I have a question. I finally went to my new place and did my forearms with Apogee Elite at 15mm. First it was on 15J which I didn’t feel and I know people here said do 22 if I’ve done 20 on GentleLASE. She upped to 16 which I felt a bit more but nothing major so she went to 17. That I did feel and not sure if I could go higher than that. She really had an issue going higher, she said 17 is the highest she’ll ever go at that spot size and pulse width (20 I believe). She was saying it will burn me if higher since I’m a bit olive coloured. It felt similar to GentleLASE except I found that apogee feels more like a concentrated shot in a smaller area where GentleLASE is much larger, which makes sense 15 vs 18. After the treatment my arms were bumpy and red all over which was the same as when I did GentleLASE. She was worried that it might burn and kept the cooling on it for a long time. This was 2 hours ago and its still really red but coming down, nothing major and again similar to my GentleLASE results. The only difference is it looks more like IPL since it’s red dots all over the place.
My question is, is what she saying correct? I mean 15mm at 17j seems to be too low based on what people say but the way it felt and the reaction I had seem to be the same as GentleLASE. Everyone at the clinic was all saying as well based on the skin reaction I’ll definitely have good results with this. The other thing is she didn’t seem to be some nut like some people get on here where they want to stay safe. She’s been doing later for 8 years and really seems to know a lot. She even pointed out the mistakes my last clinic made, and drew me diagrams showing how laser should be done and what not, so I feel like I did get good service, just curious about the settings… Oh and the last thing she said was for my face to come early that she’ll put numbing cream on for free and that you should never do face without numbing cream which echo’s the above.
Did you have 20j done on GentleLASE with then 18mm spot size or the 15mm? Was the the reaction from that? These lasers are both alex, but GentleLASE has a fixed pulse width of 3ms, which is much lower than 20ms.
When I had this reaction with GentleLASE it was 18mm at I believe 16J and the reaction was almost identical. If anything this was a stronger reaction as my arms have all red dots where the hairs were zapped, similar to with IPL and that was done 6 hours ago. Not sure if its from the ultrasound gel or what.
The GentleLASE test spot was 15mm I believe and it was 20J she had said but it was just a test spot on my neck so wasn’t able to compare how it worked. So I guess I’m just not sure what 15mm, 20ms and 17J on Apogee compares to 15mm on GentleLASE.
On my hands she changed pulse width she said since its finer hair and said it needs different pulse width…
Red dots look like allergic reaction? Even a little bit warm to the touch?
We’ve seen that reaction a few times before. Either you change nothing and it will go away (won’t see that next time) or you just lower the settings a bit.
Yeah looks like allergic reaction, or like hundreds of mosquito bites for about 15 minutes then goes down, redness gone after a few hours. Not really warm to touch but had lots of cooling. I’ve had it on GentleLASE on my 1st forearm treatment then again now. I’m not concerned over it, she was a bit though. My question was more just about settings, since at 18mm 16J on GentleLASE I had this reaction, and this was 15mm 17J. I seem to remember 15mm at 20J on GentleLASE is the same as 18mm 16J, so that’s why I jus thought 17 was low but based on the reaction doesn’t seem to be.
The red dots for a few days are a good sign. It’s only an issue if it doesn’t go away after a week.
15mm/20j is likely lower than 18mm/16j, though it’s not exactly an apples to apples comparison. Either way, larger spot size is usually best. And lowest pulse you can handle is best.
Thanks just wanted to make sure. The feeling and reaction is the same I’d say, but I just remember someone here saying 15mm/20J you should do 22J on Apogee but it has to be different, the way the 17J felt, anything higher would burn a hole through me. I’ll see how the results go. I have to say though I really enjoyed the apogee, it’s nice how it just has that little stick to hold it against your skin, was much easier for her to fire around my fingers. Not a huge fan of the ultrasound gel but it definitely did feel cool.