Does the Lightsheer treatment take twice as long as Alexandrite?

I heard that LighSheer uses a 9mm spot size (as oppossed to the GentleLase Alexandrite 18mm spot). Does this mean it will take me twice as long to do the treatment, and I will feel more pain?
also, isnt there a greater probability that they will miss spots?

In short to answer your question yes. It will take much longer and the diode is much more painful. I sugguest finding someone that uses the Cynosure products since they use air cooling which is much faster and painless compared to the other products on the market. The Gentlelase uses a cryogen spray which takes forever and really doesnt add any patient comfort, while the air cooling by cynosure gives the pateint comfort before, after and during treatments.

I heard that LighSheer uses a 9mm spot size (as oppossed to the GentleLase Alexandrite 18mm spot). Does this mean it will take me twice as long to do the treatment, and I will feel more pain?
also, isnt there a greater probability that they will miss spots?

I found the diode to be less painful than the alexandrite. The Lightsheer diode laser I was treated with had a 12mm spot size. Beware of the Gentlelase with a 18mm spot size. When the 18mm spot is used, the maximum fluence is only 20J.

Here is a good paper on laser parameters such as spot size and fluence.

RJC2001

At high enough fluences, which should be used anyways, there is pain and a level of discomfort involved with any laser. yes, GentleLASE spot size can go up to 18mm, but the highest fluence is 20 joules at that setting. So, for most, they should be using a smaller spot size anyways, so that they can use higher joules. There is a possibility of missing spots no matter which laser and spot size. Noone is perfect, you just need an experienced tech who will be careful when treating you. Someone inexperienced will miss more spots with GentleLASE on 18mm, than someone very experienced using a 9mm LightSheer. Some LightSheer machines are 12mm btw. Also, 18mm on GentleLASE are round sections, while LightSheer is square. So they need to overlap anyways. With LightSheer, some find the missed areas to be “stripes” of hair, while with GentleLASE they’re “spots”.

What you should be concerned is experience of the tech, whichever laser he’s using.