Hair Removal Questions

Hello All, first my thanks to Andrea for producing this wonderful resource.

My description:

25 year old male
white skin, but not fair
dark-hair on back, upper arms, shoulders

Desired Goal:

I would so happy with just 70% hair reduction!!

I think I am an excellent candidate for hair removal based on the literature that I have read. I went in for a free consultation at clinic near my home and was scared-off by the hard sell put on me by the owner. She wasn’t a doctor and didn’t even inspect what I wanted off.

Also, I am somewhat frightened by the scars I have seen on Hairfacts and in some news stories.

Questions:

  1. Because of the scarring risk, I don’t want to use a pain-killer or topical creme. What laser should my tech use? Gentlelase?

  2. How much of a risk is scarring? Is the cause of scarring an issue my body might have with the laser, or is it a problem caused by the laser operator (i.e. too agressive?)

  3. How much should I pay? At the consultation, the asking price was $4500 for 5 treatments. That seemed too much.

  4. What else can I do to decrease the risk of scarring?

  5. Is it reasonable to find a tech who will do a test area? Is this a common request?

  6. My mother is Indian with very dark skin, but my skin tone is as white as most Americans. The important thing is how your skin appears for treatment, not necessarily the genes behind it?

Thanks, I hope this is not too long…I just want to make sure I do as much research as possible! My younger brother has almost no hair at all on his body though he is only a few years younger than me–drives me crazy that he calls me an ape. And I feel really awkward at the beach with a hairy back and shoulders!

look up the Fitzpatrick skin chart to determine your skin type. if you’re type IV or lighter, either a diode(like LightSheer, but there are others by different manufacturers) or an alexandrite (liek GentleLASE, Apogee, etc) laser is best for you. if you are darker than that, then a Yag (like GentleYag, Coolglide, Sciton etc) laser should be used to avoid burning. Scarring is not a common issue at all, that is VERY rare and can only happen with a very inexperienced tech who not only sets too high settings for the skin type he’s treating, but also doesn’t recognize that he’s burning the skin as the treatment goes on. An experienced tech would use as high of settings as possible without burning the skin for best results and if he sees that the skin is not taking it well after 1-2 pulses, he turns down the setting. Basically, there is no scarring or any kind of adverse effects at all and no risk if the tech knows what they’re doing. It doesn’t depend on the laser. It depends on the settings that the tech sets. Settings have to be as high as possible for best results, but not so high as to burn your skin.

Yes, patch tests are very common. Most places offer to do it for free to show you how it feels and so you can see the result for yourself. I would recommend to do it regardless. This way you will see if you are a good candidate. If the hair sheds like it’s supposed to 2-3 weeks after the treatment etc before committing and paying the full amount.

Where are you located? The best way to go is to look for a recommended clinic on these boards in your area. If not, it is recommended that you do at least 3 consultations at different places before making a committment. You will most likely find that the prices vary widely and you can also bargain since the industry is getting pretty competitive. But most importantly, look for the most experienced and knowledgeable technician – that is what will determine your results.

If you are type III, I would go with the Lightsheer or other high powered diode laser. If you are type IV, I would recommend a Nd:YAG like the Sciton or Coolglide.

Your brother should not be so smug. He can start sprouting back and shoulder hair at any time!

RJC2001

i was wondering if anyone has ever gotten laser hair removal on thier butt. if so how much did it cost- how long did it take-and how were the results? what else can i do to make my ass not hairyyyyyyy!

yes, that’s a common area. a lot of people do it. cost varies by location and specific place you go to. have a few free consultations and get pricing. you will need 6-8 treaments. I would think the cost ranges from $150-250 per treatment for an area that size.