Girl with Hairy Butt needs Help and Info

Hair Removal Methods Laser hair removal
#1

Hello everyone!

I’m new here, and I want to get laser hair removal. My skin is a type III, but I don’t have a tan. I want to laser hair off of my buttocks, legs, arm pits, arms, stomach, and bikini area. The most embarassing part is my butt. I have long dark coarse hair on my butt, so that’s the part I want to start lasering first. I would have loved to use laser sooner in my life, but my parents and I couldn’t afford it. The money I’m using now is from student loans (I’m 20 years old and in college). So I’m hoping laser will work in getting rid of the hair, because I’d hate to still be hairy and also be in debt.

Let me tell you a little more about my hair drama past. I started to get dark coarse hair on my body when I was 12 years old (several months after first receiving my period). The worse spots were on my butt, pubic area, and legs. I haven’t worn shorts or a bathing suit since I was 12! When I first started shaving, I would just use an old disposable shaver and water! I obviously didn’t know who to shave and my mother didn’t teach me, because she didn’t know how to shave properly. My mother is middle eastern, but she doesn’t have as much hair as I do (well she doesn’t have butt hair like me). My father is of European decent (English, Danish, etc.). I have by far the worst body hair in both sides of my family.

When I was 14 or 15 had a hormonal imbalance test done by my pediatrician, and the results came back negetive. I had another hormonal test done when I was 18 by an endocrinologist, but the results also came back negetive. I don’t know if I should really trust those results and doctors (I have HMO), because I’ve been tests 5 times for iron deficiency anemia (I am usually fatigued), and thrice the results came back negetive and twice the results came back positive. I don’t have much trust in doctors because of that. When I was 15, I decided to go on the birth control pill ortho tricyclin, because I believed their was something hormonally wrong with me. Well, I was young and naive, and I didn’t realize that the pill wouldn’t help and could even make hair growth worse! I was on the pill for about 6 to 8 months, and when I didn’t see any change in my hair growth, I stopped. When I was 17 or 18, I convinced my mother to take me down to Mexico in order to buy some estrogen pills. She did it, but regreted it. I took the pills for about a month and a half with no results to my body hair. Once again, I was naive and not informed about how estrogen doesn’t control hair growth, and the androgen hormone is the controller over hair growth.

Also, when I was 14, I got electrolysis on my arm pits and legs (I was too embarassed to get my butt done. Imagine your butt in the air while someone sticks a needle in your butt cheeks! Yeesh!). I would go almost every weekend for almost 3 months, and each session would last about 2 hours. Electrolysis takes a very long time, and even though I spent a lot of time getting electrolysis, I only had one full removal on my lower legs and one full treatment on my arm pits. And I still have very dark coarse hair on my legs and arm pits. It was a complete waste of money (60 dollars per hour, and about 2 hours per weekend for about 3 months, so all together well over a thousand dollars). I got the thousand plus dollars from my dad. (My parents divorced when I was 4 years old, and my dad stopped paying child support when I was 6 years old, but when I was 14 years old, my mom and I were so poor that my mom decided to go to a private child support company to make my dad start paying again.) So the first check my mom and I received was for a little over a thousand dollars, but unfortunately that was the last thousand dollar check. The rest of the monthly payments would range from 20 to 120 dollars, and since we’re poor, we couldn’t afford to go get electrolysis anymore. I chose electrolysis and not laser because back then laser was very very expensive.

Wow! That was a lot of information! Sorry!

Anyway, I just had my first laser hair removal consultation last Thursday. My dermatologist (I have bad acne) recommended me to the aesthetic dermatologist. I have very poor social skills due to my insecurities thast stem from my body hair, so when I was talking to the nurse at the consultation, I got very nervous and forgot to ask a few things I should’ve asked. I even printed out the consultations questions from hairfacts.com, but that didn’t help me. I didn’t get to speak to the technician who performs the laser hair removal, but I did find out how much each body part will cost (300 dollars each treatment for the butt), and the laser is GentleLASE. They’ve had GentleLASE for over three years. I scheduled an appointment with them on Feb. 20th at 2:00. That was the only time I could get because the only other earlier openings were during the morning but I can’t go in the morning because I have school at that time. My therapist (Yes I see a therapist because I suffer from depression and GAD due to my hair insecurities.) suggested that I should schedule another appointment with the technician, and I should get other appointments with other lhr places. I think that’s a good idea, but I think it might be weird to schedule an appointment again with the same place. I hate being bothersome, but I really want to find the right place with the right technician and right laser.

#2

From what you describe, it DOES seem like you have an underlying hormonal issue. I would really explore that to its fullest before getting into these treatments because if you actually do, then laser can remove the hair that’s there, but your body will be producing new hair. Is it possible to go to another endocrinologist and get another opinion? Maybe do some research first to find who is the best one in the area and go there? The fact that you mention that you have anemia may also have something to do with the hair growth. That should be checked as well. It sounds like you may possibly have PCOS. What other areas on your body do you have hair? Any facial?

In general, GenteLASE laser is a good laser for your skin and hair type. It’s an alexandrite. I would also recommend (as you suggested) to check out at least 2-3 other places to compare technicians, prices, etc.

Electrolysis by the way does work very well, but relatively slowly, that’s why you didn’t see results quickly. you are having very large areas treated and you say you do have dark coarse hair and light skin…so laser is probably best for you to start and then finish off remaining finer hairs with electrolysis. that would probably be most cost-effective.

But like I said, before any of these treatments I would explore the underlying causes as thouroughly as you can so that you will actually see permanent results of hair removal.

#3

I agree with lagirl’s comments about looking into endocrinological options/PCOS, and I want to add that I feel your pain about having a fuzzbutt! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> Actually, mine is more like lower back (sacrum) and kind of wispy. Ick. Believe me, any dermatologist has treated tons of women in that area, so don’t be embarassed!

#4

I agree, for electrologists treating the butt area is very common. They treat everything including pubic areas. same with laser operators. you just have to look at them as you would at “doctors”. they’ve seen everything and do this on a regular basis with many patients. no need to be embarassed! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

and I see from another post that you are in Los Angeles as well. I’m sure you can find a very good reputable endo doctor somewhere in this area. It’s a plus to be in such a large city when it comes to these things. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

#5

Well I don’t facial hair, but I have gained 20 pounds in 2 months! By the way what’s the difference between hirsutism and PCOS? or are they the samething?

My mom had to have her thyroid remove over 10 years ago, and now I’m afraid with hair and weight gain that I might have hypothyroid. But I’ve been reading some of the other threads on here, and I’m afraid that I might have PCOS and be misdiagnosed as hypothyroid or vice versa. What should I do? I want to be diagnosed correctly, so which doctor should I go to have the correct tests done? My regular doctor? An endocrinologist? A thyroid specialist? A gynecologist?

Also, I’m looking for laser doctors in the Burbank and Beverly Hills area, but I live in the San Fernando Valley. It takes me about 30 minutes to one hour to drive to either Burbank or Beverly Hills. So would it be ok for me to put on numbing cream (like EMLA, etc.) and drive 30 minutes to an hour to the laser place, or will the numbing cream were off too quickly? And will it be safe for me to sit on my butt when I’m driving home after I just had my butt hair lasered?

#6

I would find a good endocrinologist, maybe research who is best in the area.

you shouldn’t use EMLA for your first treatment anyways. most people find that they don’t need it or doesn’t really do much for the pain (depends on how deep-rooted the hair is I think). You should try it without it and see how it goes. If you absolutely can’t handle it, then EMLA or a similar cream can be used. But you can’t use it on a large area like an entire butt. It’s dangerous in large doses like that. The way it works though, is you have to put it on about 1 hour beforehand anyways and leave it to take effect if you do use it. And yes, you will be ok driving back after the treatment.

Btw, weight gain is also associated with PCOS. Like you said, it sounds like you may have one of the above conditions. Hirsuitism is a genetic reason for hair growth. PCOS is a condition that can be treated with medicine. You should look for some forums for women with PCOS. There are several online where you can find good information as well as possibly recommendations for good specialists in the area to go to.

#7

Well I just made a Laser Hair removal consultaion appointment with Dr. Reza Babapour in Beverly Hills for tomorrow at 3:00 pm. Wish me luck!

I’m now going to look into finding an endocrinologist in my area.

#8

He’s a dermatologist, so he might be able to help you with determining if you have a medical condition or recommend a good endocrinologist. let us know how it goes. i wouldn’t start any treatments before determining for sure if you have an issue though as mentioned before. since the treatments would be useless if you do have it until you get it under control.

#9

I visited Dr. Babapour last week. Unfortunately, I arrived late, because my class was running long, and there was a lot of traffic and I had a hard time finding parking until I noticed the parking structure across the street from his office. So anyway, I spoke with Dr. Babapour, and everything went well, but since I was late, I didn’t have time to get a patch test, because I had to go pick up my mom from work. I made another appointment with him, which was yesterday. I was really nervous, because I was afraid it was going to hurt like hell, but it wasn’t that bad at all! He did four test spots on each butt cheek at 14 joules. I was thinking since it didn’t hurt at all I should ask him to use higher joules, like at 16j or 18j. What do you think? Do you think he’ll do it? Or is it too early to do it that high of a setting even though it didn’t hurt that much? (And why is it better for higher joules?)

Also, I asked him about my possibility of having a hormonal imbalance, and unfortunately, he is not covered by my medical care (Healthnet). So I’m just going to my own doctor for the hormonal imbalance problem.

#10

you can try asking for higher joules, he may be more comfortable trying it on several spots first and then if everything is fine by next treatment, he will up the settings. you definitely have to ask. I had first treatment on bikini at 14 joules, second at 16 joules, and all from there at 30 joules (when he felt comfortable I knew what I was talking about). I also have type II skin. The lighter the skin, the safer it is to use higher settings. First treatment would be ok at 14-18 joules. I would ask for higher anywhere after that. Higher joules target finer hair better, so as hair gets finer, you should be using higher settings.

#11

You are not alone. I’ve had blood tests done for hormonal imbalances as well and nothing has ever shown up. I have a good amount of coarse hair on my face and some on my abdomen, as well as short, softer but dark hairs on my stomache and upper back. Because of all this I also had bad acne which lead to scarring and I also have a very high anxiety level.
I’ve been bleaching and tweezing for years and I finally had a laser treatment done by my dermatologist about two years ago but she ended up burning a spot on my chin so badly that I scarred and now I’m worried about doing it again. I’m now using Vaniqua, which is great for slowing down the growth but does nothing for the thickness of hair and I still need a lot of makeup to cover it up. I don’t know what to do now and I don’t want to keep spending so much money on makeup and prescriptions as well as all this time I spend worrying.

#12

what is your skin and hair type? what laser was used on you that one time? normally, you don’t get any burns, that’s only when the tech uses too high settings on the laser if they’re inexperienced.

#13

I have lighter-medium, olive skin tone with very dark brown hair. My dermatologist had told me that she had had the precedure done on herself as well. Her, a nurse, and some laser specialist guy were all in the room. I don’t know what setting she was using. I already scar easily as it is, which is horrible, especially since I had such bad acne, so her burning my chin added to the bad experience. I’m looking into a place called Ritz Laser, which is about 45 minutes away from me. I want to get my face done again and eventually my stomache and abdomen. I’m worry about being able to afford it and I’ll have to wait until after school so I have time to recover. After my first treatment I swelled up quite a bit and my skin oozed for a good few hours. I don’t want to have to go through that again.

#14

Hey thanks for posting about your similar problem! I’m going to see my doctor again to have him run tests on me again, but specifically for PCOS and hypothyroid condition. Both of those can cause excessive hair growth. I made an appointment on March 1st. I’m surprised that you weren’t diagnosed with any type of hormonal imbalance especially since you have excessive hair on your face. Do other women in your family have excessive hair?

Also, I’m kind of concerned that you want to get laser hair removal on your face, because I’ve heard many horror stories on this message board about women getting laser hair removal on their face and the hair coming back even darker and thicker than before! How much dark coarse hair on your face do you have? Is the hair on your face all dark and coarse, or is it patches mixed with softer thinner hair? Even though I had a bad experience with electrolysis on my legs and arm pits, I think it would be ideal to use on the face, because the face is a smaller area, so have you ever thought about getting electrolysis instead?

And one more thing, you mentioned that your dermatologist had used the same laser, but does your dermatologist have the same skin type as you? Different lasers are good for different skin types. Also, did your dermatologist give any cream or medication or at least an explanation for the burn on your chin?

#15

pixee, you should fine someone with a Yag laser. It’s best for your skin tone and it’s gentler on the skin than alex or diode lasers. I think they probably used alex or a diode on you at high settings which are not safe for olive skin. make sure to have at least 2-3 consutlations and compare techs etc before you committ. use the search feature on this forum as well to find some recommendations if there are any in your area.

#16

The only thing my dermotologist said was something to the affect of “Kind of gotcha there” and then proceeded to act like it wasn’t a big deal or anything and I didn’t really get a chance to look at it until I got home. I put aloe and antibacterial cream on it at least five times a day until it scabbed over and eventually turned into a scar. What made it even worse is that she knows that I have scarring issues as it is but she didn’t give me anything!

Thank you for the information about a different type of laser. The problem with this area is that it is very hard to find places that do these kinds of procedures so I figured it would be safest going through my doctor…apparently not…

Anyway, to answer you question, I have coarser hair on and under my chin as well as a few spots along my jaw line and lower cheek. I can see the areas that the laser did actually work so I want to go in and try it again, but done by someone else. I’ll look for a few more places.

#17

unfortunately, in this industry, a medical degree is really not that important. you need to find someone who is experienced specifically in hair removal and once again, look for a Yag laser. also, only treat the coarse dark dense hair areas with it, it’s not a good option for sparse fine hairs. electrolysis is better on those. where are you located?

#18

I’m in southeast Wisconsin. I’ve got a couple places within 45 minutes of me that I’m going to look into. Both have Yag lasers. I’m worried about all the time and money (neither of which I have much of) that it is going to take. It’s so embarrassing that I don’t want to keep going to various other practitioners about it…but once I finally get rid of it I will be such a happier and more comfortable person. I have trouble getting close to people and not feeling disgusted with myself. I want to start with my face and eventually do my stomache…the only problem is if I do my stomache it will look funny if I don’t get rid of the finer and sparser hairs that lead around to my back and the tiny ones on my back…I guess I’ll figure something out…or just keep bleaching for the rest of my life…

#19

I can relate to you on about feeling self-disgust and not wanting to get close to people. And I too have dark thinner finer hair around my lower back and far outer butt area that I’m hoping to eliminate, but I’m not quite sure if the laser will be able to get them or not.

Good job about finding a place that use YAG lasers. Keep us posted on how everything went!

#20

pixie, I’m also in southeastern Wisconsin and have had three treatments at the Ritz so far. The first two were with a Candela laser that was too much for my skin. The last one (on bikini area) was with a Yag laser. Much less pain and I didn’t have the pigmentation changes I’d experienced with the other laser. I have a skin type III but react like someone with a higher skin type so that’s how the owner is going to treat me. When you have your first appointment be sure to be upfront and very clear about all your past experiences and how your skin reacts and scars.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.