help me talk intelligently to these laser techs

Hair Removal Methods Laser hair removal
#1

So I had my first treatment on my lower legs and three weeks later had maybe 10-15% shedding. I just called them and they said this is normal and all I should expect for each session. From what I’ve read on here, I thought 90% of the current cycle’s hairs should shed within three weeks for that session to be considered effective

Also, they said for lower legs, 9-10 sessions are needed.

If they are incorrect, can you give me a link to a study or an expert stating what should actually happen? They are saying, “I’m a certified technician for nine years and your information is wrong.”
Here is my info and the laser specs:
The technician used the Cutera Prowave, she said she used the yag side, not the IPL side, that she didn’t use IPL for hair removal. It stung a little but didnt’ hurt much.

Again, I am skin type III. The settings she told me were joules 21, the spot size is set at 10-30, and repetitions 1.2, not sure what that part means.

I hate being talked to like I’m an idiot. But maybe in this case, I am?

#2

I am in the same boat using the same machine however it was the IPL side despite my request for the Yag side. Ive had very little shedding and no pain at all.

I helped the shedding by going at underarms and bikini line with a tweezer and removed the hairs that would easily slide out, however i cant do that on the leg.
One poster suggested duct tape but that didn’t do anything at all. Is there anyway way to help to determine the leg shedding ?

When I ask about inducing hair growth if treating areas of fine hair i am told that in thier years of experience that that is NOT what they have seen. I am told that it does remove the hair, as long as there is dark pigmented hair as that is what the laser targets. With the warnings here it is so hard to know what to believe… are they outright lying ?? What gives??

#3

The hair has to shed for it to work regardless of laser type used. You have to realize that anyone can go out and buy a laser and start a business. What makes things worse is that many of these people get trained by the manufacturer, who has a little hand out showing what settings to use by skin type. These settings typically seem to be more the “safe” range for that skin type, but not necessarily the settings required to remove hair permanently. Clinics also don’t want to burn you and risk a lawsuit so they also use caution in picking settings. You need someone that is experienced and willing to use the highest possible settings that your skin can handle when doing the treatment.

I say this over and over on here, you almost never can talk a tech into using higher settings. It’s kind of like going to a mechanic and telling them how to fix your car, or hiring a plumber and then telling them what type of pipe to use when installing a sink for you.

#4

You’ll do much better with GentleLase or LightSheer diode.

9-10 sessions-TOO much. If your hair is laser-able, you should not need more than 6 sessions on lower legs.

Unfortunately, I haven’t come across a single study that talks about shedding. All the studies I have read talk about “reduction” at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and so on.

Good laser treatments hurt a lot without numbing cream.

#5

Remember that you’re trying to permanently kill the hair. When the hair is stunned, or injured or killed, it falls out. Now if low energy is used it might only stun the hair and not actually kill it, meaning it falls out but wasn’t permanently killed. So that’s why shedding doesn’t necessarily determine if the treatment will work. However, having said that, if the hair doesn’t fall out at ALL, then basically it means that it wasn’t even stunned or injured and continues to grow on. When you think about it, how can the hair be permanently killed if it stays in you and keeps growing?

#6

Well they are saying that only 10-15% of hairs get killed off per treatment, that this is normal and exactly the results I should be expecting.
And just like Edokid said, I feel retarded trying to contradict them since they are the ‘experts’.

#7

Yes, 15-20% gets killed because that’s the portion in the right phase of growth during the treatment, but everything should shed regardless. If it doesn’t shed, nothing happened to it.

#8

Mine has only shed about 20 percent as well. I get the same response from my tech. In fact she didn’t give me any info during the consult other than answer the questions from me. I didn’t know about shedding so did not ask. It was never mentioned at all. When i ask about fine hair not being effective or possibly inducing more hair I am told that is not their experience and that as long as it has the dark pigment that it will work. There are not any choices in my town so I feel kind of stuck.