electrolysis or laser?

i am interested in getting permanent hair removal. i want it done to my bikini area. i have med./light skin and dark, coarse hair. i dont know too much about either of these, :confused: so if you know about either electrolysis or laser, please reply. i need info. on prices, how many sessions needed, after effects, and anything else. thanx for your responses.

[ August 22, 2002, 08:18 PM: Message edited by: confuzed_HELP ]

Welcome, confuzed_HELP!

Your skin and hair color make you a good candidate for laser or electrolysis. The key in either case will be practitioner skill.

In addition, it’s important with either method to avoid sun in the treated area both before and after treatment.

If you have a significant amount of hair, I’d probably give it a few shots with laser and finish up with electrolysis. I had electrolysis in that area and found it to be quite painful, even with EMLA topical anesthetic. If you can reduce or weaken the hairs in that area first, you may have an easier time of it. Don’t get me wrong, laser will hurt there, too, but because it can cover an area more quickly, the first few clearing will not hurt as much (or at least as long) as laser.

Definitely do a test patch first. Some people respond to laser with markes that look like cigarette burns, which can take several months to clear up in some cases. Electrolysis can leave tiny scabs or red spots that should be left alone until they heal.

In either case, it’s not a good idea to start treatment right before a vacation or honeymoon. A lot of women think they’ll get it done a day or two before a trip, which i do not recommend.

Again practitioner skill is the most important thing, but for this area, I recommend an alexandrite or diode laser, or blend electrolysis. These methods have a slight edge on effectiveness, based on anecdotal reports.

That’s the basics! If you have other questions, let me know!

thanx so much for your response andrea. that has helped a lot! i have one more question…what do i need to know about the practitioner and how do i find one?

Glad it was helpful! For tips on finding a good practitioner, check out the following pages:

HairFacts: Choosing a laser/IPL practitioner

HairFacts: Choosing and electrologist