Hi!
Well, like most of the folks here i have a problem with unwanted hair, nothing too bad, and although i wanted to solve this problem with a true laser first, i ended up going to a clinic that uses an IPL instead. Now i am sitting at home with burns from that IPL device - the Palomar Medilux - and am not sure what to do next, i left a message for the doctor who performed the treatment, but she didn’t call me back, so …
Here is my story: i had a mild hormonal imbalance when i was about 14 or 15 years old, fixed it with proper medical therapy and everything is fine now except the unwanted hair, as i said before, nothing too bad, the hair just got a bit darker and longer in some places, kept it with razors and wax under control; the only thing that annoyed me was my “happy trail”. At first, it was just a thin line of fine hair, i started plucking, tweezing and waxing and the hair got coarser and stronger, so after a few years i decided to get i permanently removed. Or at least reduced.
I live in Eastern Europe and there are only a few clinics in my area performing laser hair removal and the prices are still too high for me (and for most people, to be honest). A few weeks ago i heard about a place that got a new hair removal device, the Palomar Medilux, and they offered treatments at a really low price. For example, i would have to pay X amount of money to get one single treatment with the Diode or the Nd:Yag and for the same amount of money i can get 5 or 6 treatments with the Palomar Medilux. I thought that i should risk it, wasn’t to worried about the cash, but now i think that the only thing i should have been worried about was my skin.
I had my first treatment on Saturday and all that happened afterwards is solemnly my fault, as i am neither a minor, nor am i stupid and i was informed enough not to let this happen: although i just wanted to ask a couple of questions about the device and the procedure, meet the doctors and to get a test spot done, the woman literally rushed me into the treatment stating that i was the ideal candidate, not answering all of my questions, performing what now looks like an unprofessional treatment and leaving me with burns that don’t hurt (now), but do look really scary.
The area below my belly button was shaved, the area above not, i have fine, brown hairs there. The treatment itself lasted a couple of minutes, didn’t hurt at all and there was no swelling or redness afterwards. True, the part of my tummy i had shaved before the treatment looks fine now, the area that wasn’t shaved prior treatment looks … well … not too good: there are red spots all over and one tiny area (size of a penny) looks like i have scratched myself too much and peeled of a layer of skin, the skin there is a bit darkish/purple. No swelling, no pain, but after 3 days it isn’t getting better.
I am using Aloe Vera with Tea Tree Oil and vitamin E and a cortisone cream to help me with the healing process and to prevent infections, but i am wondering how long it is going to take to heal completely and whether this episode will leave me permanently scarred (i went to my family physician and he said that i got burned badly and that there was nothing more we could do except to wait).
The one thing i know is that the lady from the salon used the Palomar Medliux with the LuxY handpiece and that the setting was 20J/cm2. No test spot was done, i had to fill out a questionnaire about previous/current medical conditions, she explained about the shedding process and when i asked her about the wavelength she said 525, but i am not sure i got that one right. She mentioned that those were the settings “of an Alexandrite laser”, but this doesn’t make any sense to me. Also, the thing that bothered me the most - this is the point where i should have left the office - is that she only gave me informations when i pressed her about a certain issue. And that she was quite in a hurry. My mistake, of course.
What am i supposed to do now? Is there anything else i can do to speed up the healing process? Are there any chances i might end up with permanent scars or hyperpigmentation?
Any suggestions or help will be appreciated!
P.S. sorry for the bad English
