I wanna do laser in my face but I'm scared! (Pics)

Hair Removal Methods Laser hair removal
#1

Hi there!

I’m a 29 years old guy from Spain.
I’d say my skin is type II, at least everyone who see me say that I’m white like a ghost.

2 years ago a few hair appeared in my cheek. Why? who knows. But after using some decolorant it growth more and more. I also made one IPL sesion before the decolorant but I don’t feel that was the reason of the growth at all.

I’ve read A LOT about the hair growth stimulation, and it really scared me. It scared me so much that I started using electrolysis even without trying laser first.
I made 3 electroysis sesions. My hair takes like 3 months to grow up again, so I make the sesions every 3 months.

But in the last one, I could feel a very small scars, maybe not even scars, maybe the pore was just bigger, but If I’m supposed to need like 10 more sesions to make it disappear (wich means at last 2 years) I dont wanna risk to get scars either :confused:

This is how my cheek look right now:

cheek2_zps6c06f9e5.jpg735×619

Rotated picture:

Rotated picture :

For some reason there is more hair in my right side than in the left one (like 40 hair in the right side and 20 in the left)

The top part of the line are the parts I want to remove.
I went to a dermatologist who works with all kind of lasers and IPL ande he said the best option is Alexandrite and that everything is gonna be perfect.
I went to another one and said Alexandrite is the best option aswell, but he talked me about the risk of hair growth stimulation (paradoxal effect) but he said it shouldn’t happen.
I went to another dermatologist, she doesnt work with lasers and she said she only knows 1 persone who suffered hair growth stimulation and he solved it with more laser.

I talked with a last dermatologist and again this one said that knows no one who had this kind of problem

But then you read a lot of people suffering it. One of the dermatologist told me only 1% of the people who uses laser/IPL suffers this kind of problem.

I read an study from 1998 to 2003 and the rate of people who suffered it was 10% (50 out of 550)
In this article I also read that cold packs in the next areas can prevent the hair growth stimulation, but no one is using cold packs, aren’t they?

I don’t really know what to do. I have a very imperceptible vellus in my face and I dont want to shave those cheeks because I dont want it to become like my beard.
I’m affraid of laser too. If growth stimulation happens, where is it gonna extend? To the eye an to the sides?

Oh god, why is it so frustrating.

Thanks for reading and thanks for your help. Sorry about my english, I’m from Spain and I try to write it as well as I can :eek:

#2

Thanks a lot for your post and photo. It’s important because what you are describing is very common in this area; in fact expected. I have done hundreds of beard cases in this area and what you are describing happens in pretty much all cases. Good news: it’s only temporary.

Indeed, the pores DO look bigger. In a sense they are (and you can feel this irregularity). So, what you are observing is “right on.” If you wish, I will go into great detail about exactly what’s going-on in the “healing skin” … but the bottom line is that this will even-out and when the process is finished the areas being worked-on will look exactly like the surrounding skin (in most cases even better). *

By the way, from your photo, I can see your electrologist is really killing the hairs. I’d stay with this person, and you will get exactly what you are looking for. (It’s a very good “look” too.)

So, please don’t worry about this … and, again, the time you’ve taken to illustrate this common “problem” is greatly appreciated. Our readers help lots of other people! Bravo!

*It’s odd, but the chin can do this too … well, LOOK the same anyway; but for different reasons. That all levels out too.

#3

Laser works best in very dense thick hair. The area you have lined off isnt very dense.Also results can be really unpredictable, and often come out looking patchy. Honestly you are best taking Michaels advice and sticking with electrolysis.Regardless of how you do it, your velus hair shouldnt be affected.

What you have is not a lot of work for electrolysis. It’s a small area with not particularly dense hair, and this is one area electrology truly shines. As michael said the stretched pores will readjust with time.Stick with what you are already doing.

Seana

#4

Thank you very much for your answer, I appreciate it

How temporary do you think it is? Weeks? Months? To be honest I don’t feel the pores are so open now (I made my last sesion about 3 months ago) but I can’t really say it because there is already hair on them.

I’d love that, If you don’t mind

How is that?

Ok this is the issue about this: All the sesions were made in different places, LOL.

The first one was in Madrid, SPAIN, wich I read it’s one of the best places.
The secon one was in London (I lived there for 3 months), in Parkside Beauty Centre, and the last one in Barcelona where I’m living now.

The first place was ok, couldn’t really say anything because it was the first time. The second place (London) I think it was the best, It hurted more than the other places but I have the feeling they did it pretty well. No one hair (maybe 1 or 2) appeared again the first 2 months. (Then they growed up again)
The last one (Barcelona, my city) is the one were I saw a bigger pores, and after 2 week, 5 or 6 hair grew up again.

So I don’t know if I should keep going in Barcelona, or what. London was GREAT, They were electrolygists, wich I think it’s a career there. In Spain there isn’t such think, but the electrologyst who made me this in Barcelona is supposed to have 19 years of experience.
But as I said, I think this place wasnt as good as the other 2

If you look it downloading the image (and with the zoom) you still think they aren’t that dense?

One of the other things I dont like about the electrolyisis is the recovery time. I love doing sport, but doing electrolosys means 2 weeks without sweating, so it means 2 weeks with no sport.
Another think is that in my job, 1 time at week I usually have to clean dishes and its very hot, with some hot steam on the room, and It means I should ask for a holiday week every time I do the electrolysis :confused:

There is one question I would like to ask; I made a Photo rejuvenation with IPL 2-3 years ago (is that the correct word for it) and I loved the result (I have some sun spots in the skin that really disappeared)
I’d love to do it again, but I don’t think its compatible with the electrolysis. I mean, I guess If I make a Photo rejuvenation sesion, I couldn’t do a electrolysis sesion even 3 or 4 months after, because my skin is still fresh and Inclined to get scars, isn’t it?

Thank you very much

#5

*Double post

#6

I did go back and re-look at your photos. The area below your working line is very dense, but your working are really is not. It’s not efficient to do laser there.

I wont comment on the photo-rejuvenation because I dont know about he process or it’s effects so others may have to comment on that.In general thugh it’s a good idea to avoid other proceedures at he sme time you are doing electrolysis.

You wont catch me though giving you an excuse to not do the dishes, you arent going to build up enough sweat to make any difference. I dont see a lot of cuse to avoid sports either to be honest.In the first day or two maybe dont run any marthons, but after that I dont see it having much of an effect.

Seana

#7

It’s not any excuse. All electrologists told me to avoid sweating for 1 weak at least.
Same with the steam. The problem of the dishes room is not about the sweating, it’s about the hot steam. Everytime I leave this room my face is red due the hot an the steam, and electrologysts told me I should avoid hot steam too.

So if I’m wrong please any profesional correct me, but at least this is what everyone said.

By the way, this is another and more accurate picture (sorry for the rotation)
What do you think about the hair density in this one?

(rotated picture DF)

20140209_141918_zps1b036f96.jpg800×637

#8

Hey Michael Bono I’d love if you could answer my quotes.

(Someone edited my first post and changed some of the pictures. Good job /sarcasm)

#9

To which quotes are you referring?

You may send me a private email on my address:

mikebono@cox.net

I’ll try!

#10

UriBCN:

From the annotations it was Dee who rotated your picture.She would have done so because the way it was rotated makes judging the removal area very difficult.In your original pictures you drew a line above which is what you were having removed.If you were talking below that area, absolutely the hair is dense enough for laser. However above that line I still dont see anything that could not be removed by electrolysis in under an hour! The hair is NOT dense. It would be a complete waste of money to do laser in that area, laser would NOT remove the hair properly, would be far more expensive, and would extend the treatment.

Let me put it into perspective. Lets say you went ahead anyway and had laser above that line. IT would take on average 5-6 treatments averaging $120-$150 each. 6X120=$720. After that you would still need to go back and have some electrolysis done to remove some hairs that werent gotten by laser with electrolysis, then a year later to likely remove all the hair again when it regrows (Laser has a really bad tendency to have the follicles regenerate 5 month-2years later ESPECIALLY when the hair is sparse) .
Now lets compare this to doing the same are by electrolysis, that is above where you indicted you are having the hair removed. The primary difference with electrolysis, is once the hair is gone, except for out of cycle regrowth hairs, the hair is gone forever. So you would need 3-4 electrolysis sessions ranging in time frame from 1 hour to 15 minutes , so say, 1 hour, 45 minutes, 30 minutes, and finally 15 minutes, spaced 3 months or so apart.Lets be generous, and say it’s 3 hours total. At an average of $60 /hour you are looking at a cost of $180. It’s less than 1/5 the cost and you do not have to worry about patchiness, removing strays or regenerating follicles OR laser induced hair growth ( which also happens).

To me, it would be no brainer.

Seana

#11

It’s exactly the opposite. Alexandrite costs me like 22$ per sesion in a good clinic in Barcelona. 7 Treatments cost me 120€ (About 170$)
Electrolysis cost me like 40$ per sesion, but if I want to go a good place (I still don’t feel very confidence about the Electrolysis place in Barcelona) I must take a flight and it means like 100$ every treatment if I’m lucky getting a good flight.

So electrolysis is way more expensive.

Anyways, I’ll probably keep electrolosys.

Can I ask, do you know any case of hair growth stimulation in a guy? not a girl

#12

I agree with with Seana, it would be better better if you choose electrolysis. Moreover, it is 100% permanent hair removal method.

additional, there is one of the greatest specialist of electrolysis in Spain.

#13

Let me just “swoop in” here in my predictable irascible way … tee hee

A couple of your telling quotes:

“I went to a dermatologist who works with all kind of lasers and IPL and he said the best option is Alexandrite and that everything is gonna be perfect. … All the sessions [I have done so far] were made in DIFFERENT places. I don’t really know what to do!”

Besides driving yourself NUTS … you know what? If you ask 20 people for their opinion, you will get 20 different opinions! You’ll end up totally confused, and I think you are!

Posters here on Hairtell, none of them, are laser technicians. Indeed, a few are electrolysis and laser clients but they can only speak from their own personal experience.

With due respect, I think you are making way too much out of your situation. Why? Because you have a VERY minimal case. Given the cases that Josefa, Dee and I regularly see, your case is virtually nothing, and “not every interesting” either. I mean, you have nothing to worry about.

For example, Hairtell has a few “sort-of clients” that regularly post here. They have been equivocating about their treatments for YEARS, and have accomplished NOTHING. Years of “hand wringing” has yielded them no results. It’s annoying to see them complain and prattle on and on … and never do anything about their “problem!” Don’t become “one of those!” Please!

Whatever you have been doing has caused you no skin damage. If you want to do laser, by ALL means go ahead and give it a try; it’s not going to kill you! The worst situation is that it won’t do anything. Besides, the prices you have quoted ($22 per session) are unbelievable. You have nothing to risk.

If laser doesn’t work, you can always go to an electrologist to clean up the mess. What you are seeking is absolute certitude. Nobody can absolutely guarantee anything (well, except a few damned good electrologists). Take the plunge already and get going.

Continuing to ask questions will only cause MORE confusion. Besides, the answers you have gotten here on Hairtell don’t seem to have “registered.”

Or, just shave the hairs! That would work too! There is no risk in shaving, and a lot of people just shave!

#14

[stands up to confess]
I’m one of those Michael referred to. 7 years ago i got on the merry go round and just last week I jumped off an into the capable arms of an electrologist. at the very least i now have some results to show for it, even if they’re mixed! and now I think to myself: I COULD HAVE DONE THIS SEVEN YEARS AGO and I want to slap my still somewhat whiskered face.

#15

EEEEK! Harriet … I didn’t mean you!

But, funny that we DO recognize ourselves. How do I know this? Well, see, I’m like this too!

They say, “If you ‘got it’ you ‘spot it’.” Yep!

But then, this is YOUR FACE and caution is … well, you already know …

#16

I know you most likely don’t want to hear that. but if I was you I would be very happy. compared to my condition you are literally hairless. there is so much blank space between your eyes and your natural beard line, you are lucky. my beard begins directly under my eyes. there is no laser possible and I doubt electrlysis is.

that few hair would be btw a very easy job for an arabic barber and the thread method. result would be perfect.

#17

Electrolysis could fix that.

You are right. For exemple, lots of turkish barber thread the clients’ cheekbone.

#18

Michael you ar godamn right. Guess this happens to those who are obsesed with their physical appearance, like me. It’s hard to deal with that. Sometimes you see something you didnt see before and you start wondering if that was caused by electrolysis or any other shit when maybe you had that years ago.

I would like to try it being treated by Josefa but I don’t know how to contact her, looks like private missatges aren’t the way to get an appoinment, and I’m not able to find his phone number either. Anyone can give me a hand about it?

Thanks for your post. honestly.

#19

My phone number is not a secret. This appears at least 2 times on the first page of Google, if you do a search only putting my full name. Josefa Macías Reina. 952 10 40 25

Sorry, for the moment, I can not take more clients.

#20

Thank you for your answer.

I probably saw that number but I was looking for a center or beauty center website so I wasn’t sure if that was a personal number or not.

Is there an option to put in queue?

I’ll keep doing electrolysis here in Barcelona but I would like to be treated by you in a future if there is a choice, even if it means waiting more than 6 months

Thank you