I have written several posts regarding white course hair on my face/stray black ones too. I went in for my first treatment with the Aurora, and it went well, very little pain with some redness that went away in a 1/2 hour. Wasn’t to painful but did get painful where the black hair is on my chin and upper lip area. They told me that I will need 4 to 6 treatments and that this machine will take care of the white hair too. I spoke too my dermatologist and she said she is getting a similar laser that will also take care of white hair but a lot more expensive. I come to this board and EVERYONE tells me there is no laser that will get rid of white hair. Who do I believe? All of you or a well known laser clinic and a Dermatologist. Everytime I talk to one of them I feel some hope…I come on here and I get depressed. Is it maybe that you guys have not heard of recent technology? Or are these people taking me for a ride? I have a brochure on the Aurora and it simply states that it is for white/gray and even red hair removal. Also my white hair is still on my face, they did not want to shave that…is it suppose to just fall out? I guess I could call them, but maybe someone here knows…Any help with this would be very much appreciated! 
Allow me to save Andrea some time in answering your question with another question:
Who should you believe, the people who stand to get your money should you decide to try their treatment, or the people who have already paid for the same, and had time to analyze the results?
The people on this board are very well up on the latest technology. We either have read up on it, and or have had it done, and report back to each other on how things went. One of the things laser companies do is to make sure to have frequent “Upgrades” so that no one can ever say that they have had treatment with the latest system over the course of 3 to 5 years, and this is what it gave them. They put out something they call “new” every year or 2 so that the disgruntled people can be told, “Oh, that was the old system, this new one works better.” or they are told that the protocol used on them was not adaquit for the job in light of “new discoveries”.
There are certain realities to be faced about what you can expect. You won’t get better information on what people have received for their money than you will right here in this forum. No one here is making anonymous posts with unverifyable over promises. That is the best you can get on the net.
Lasers will NOT work on white hairs period
Thanks for your reply…I had my first procedure done on Tuesay…“They” say the hair (black & white) will start to shed in a week and a half. I will have a second treatment done in 4wks from the last treatment. If I don’t see any results shortly after the second treatment I will not go on for the next 4. I am hoping that the black corse hair on my chin will thin out and maybe lighten some. I will keep wondering if I don’t go thru this for a little while. My dermatologist works in the same bldg as me for the same hospital. I trust her as I am a fellow employee and our office refers many patients to hers. I don’t think she would pull the wool over my eyes just because we are fellow employees. I hope this works and that I prove all of you wrong. If it doesn’t I will just keep looking for a solution.
Gentle Reader:
It is not my intention to make the suggestion that your doctor is evil and trying to trick you. That is hardly the case. Most doctors are just as hopeful as you that laser will deliver as promised. As has been said here in many places before, the manufacturers shuffle the deck every 2 years or so to say that they have a new and improved product and that the previous negative results one may have heard about are no longer a worry with the new generation product. Two years later, they say the same thing all over again.
I had a doctor ridicule me for my chosen profession when I first started. She has spent thousands of dollars on laser for her and her family, saying it was the cutting edge, and I would be starving for lack of clients in no time. Five years later, she was hairy, and too proud to come to me for treatment. She won’t even talk to me, even though we have many friends in common and do end up at the same party every now and then.
I hope for your sake that the latest product that has your doctor convinced works as well as she hopes. Just keep in mind, many doctors have gotten rid of their lasers, and many even refunded their patients their money when it was all over.
I don’t know of a laser that even tries to say that it works on white and clear hairs. If that is what you have been told, I would look to see that in the company’s brochure, or handbook. There is often a BIG discrepency between what the provider promises, and what the manufacturer claims to be the possible outcome of the use of their product.
[ January 18, 2003, 10:17 AM: Message edited by: James W. Walker VII, CPE ]
During my electrolysis treatment we talked about lasers and white hair. My practitioner told me that the makers of the Nd:YAG laser, Sciton, claim that it will remove white hair. She said she has not seen the Nd:YAG remove white hair and does not believe those claims. She says that to remove white hair she recommends electrolysis.
Iridex, the maker of the Apex 800 diode laser, claims that their laser will remove white hair temporarily, so that regular treatments will maintain the loss of white hair.
From my personal experience the laser has zero effect on white hair. Fortunately I don’t have a lot of white hair. The Lightsheer laser has worked very well on my dark hair though.
RJC2001
Okay…well…I’m not quite sure if the machine they are using on me is “laser”. It’s intense Pulsed light (IPS) I’m not sure if that makes any difference. My dermatologist did tell me a year ago when I addressed her with the hair problem that laser can only “possibly” get rid of dark hair. Now this IPS system will hopefully at least help me with the dark hairs on my chin. Whatever the out come may be I am hoping for some hair reduction so I can feel like a woman again. After I gave birth to my daughter I seem to have gotten hairer…YUK…If anyone is interested and wants to read more about the Aurora Syneron…do a search…I did read some info and it did sound promising…will it work on ME??? we’ll just have to see…please wish me luck and if you read or recieve any info on white hair removal…Please let me know. bajoey@hotmail.com Thanks for all your knowledge…
The “ELOS” technology is a twist on the same old IPL systems that are already out there. As I had stated previously, we tested out this particular machine and could not verify how, or if, the radio-frequency portion of the system worked. It is most assuredly not a laser, and there is a huge difference between the two technologies. IPL will effectively “wax” the dark hairs on the treatment area for about 4 weeks, at which point everything grows back. Usually the treatments are priced lower than true laser treatments (maybe because of the temporary nature of the results?) Laser does work, but there is no laser out there that will treat white or fine, colorless vellus hairs. No melanin equals no chromophor, which means there is no target for the energy. Our clients who have white hairs mixed with dark receive treatment for the dark hair and then electrolysis for the remaining white hairs. It’s the best use of two technologies as far as we are concerned. As far as the doctors are concerned, they are the target of the same, very good, sales reps whose job it is to sell these machines. Many doctors who have had no experience with laser vs IPL just don’t know…and often end up buying machines that don’t deliver. They are human, too…Your best bet still is to stick with laser for darker hair, and finish off with electrolysis for the remaining white hairs.
I’m confused! It’s been over a week since my (IPL) treatment and I plucked the black thick hairs on Sat.(4 days after treatment) and I have no regrowth at all. Normally I have to pluck the dark hairs 2 times daily. I have had nothing regrow…my chin is very smooth. If this machine is like waxing…then I should have already started to feel or even see some regrowth. Waxing and plucking are the same…we are getting it by the root… When I use to wax my face, I would feel regrowth right away…with in three days. It’s been 4 days since plucking and NOTHING has returned. I don’t know anymore…the people at this clinic said the machine is laser…you tell me it’s not. I dont’ know what to do or who to believe. All I know is that I am mentally sick about this hair on my face…and electrolysis will take all day to do each hair. I have a lot all over my face.
When you wax, you pull out the hairs that the wax can stick to by the roots, while leaving any hairs that were too short, or still in the follicle below the skin’s surface. In no time at all, those hairs are starting to reach the size that makes them visable to your naked eye.
Laser and other light based methods cause damage wholesale over the entire area of the treated skin. Hair that was above and below are treated, and the growth process altered. The body now funnels resources into healing the skin, and not so much towards growth of hair. Repairing the skins systems is a much more important function at this time.
Your true test of a hair removal methode is how long after final treatment can you go without further treatment with any type of hair removal method.
Sigh…James, with all due respect, laser does not cause any more damage to the skin than electrolysis does…both are very dependent upon the skill of the practitioner, and the quality of the machine. Bajoey, the machine that is being used on you is most definitely NOT a laser - the doctor must be misinformed or did not understand the difference between IPL and Laser (believe me, this does happen even with doctors!). IPL causes hair loss temporarily, the effect being much the same as waxing. Because you are tweezing, you have hairs that are at different cycles of growth. There are new(anagen) hairs that are just below the surface of the skin that can be targeted by the IPL, but cannot be pulled with wax or tweezers, so you get more hairs with the treatment. Unfortunately, the down-side of IPL is that the hair loss is only temporary and you will get full re-growth in about a month or so. There are some clients who are happy with this temporary loss, and since IPL treatments are usually priced relatively low, they elect to do this instead of waxing. Hope this clarifies the situation for you. I understand your distress in having the hair growth - but if you want to get rid of the white ones, then electrolysis is the only option.
Hello All,
I’ve been reading through this site and the forum over the last few weeks - and I too am very confused.
I have dark, coarse hair growth on my chin and upper lip plus ingrowing hairs on my neck which result in large, red spots and scarring.
Over the course of the last week I have spoken to a Softlight clinic, an electrologist/beauty therapist and a Nd:YAG clinic. So far I have been told the following (not their exact words represented here but merely what I took from the consultations)
Softlight clinic - "We think 6-8 treatments over 6-8 months would be sufficient to rid you of your facial hair. We don’t require you to shave between sessions and would recommend some electrolysis to get rid of the hairs that this “hair removal laser treatment” doesn’t remove! Cost = £60 per treatment
Electrologist - "I think you need to see a laser removal clinic (!!) - it would take YEARS to rid you of the facial hair and even then we can’t guarantee it’s permanent. Laser isn’t permanent but it will remove it faster and it will stay away longer.!
Nd:YAG clinic - “Our laser is far more effective that Softlight - its a real laser and not a pulse light one. We also have a “cooler” system for it that means its virtually painless and not hot. It’s Grade 4 which means its the strongest that can be used by non-medical personnel. You’ll need to SHAVE between sessions and must not use any other type of hair removal. You will need at least 3 sessions (1 per month) and perhaps as many has 8 depending factors such as hormones, stress and length of hair growth cycle” Cost £280 / $350 per session
Well, I’ve opted to give the Nd;YAG a go - the facial hair has really sapped me of my personality and life - I am v. depressed and rarely go out, yet I was once the life and soul of the party. I am only 32 and I feel my life has ended - in fact, I have tried to end it myself such is the despair I sometimes feel. People tell me “it’s not THAT bad” but to me it is - its now an obsession and I have bad ingrowing hairs as I constantly, and without knowing it, pick/pluck at my chin - its a never-ending cycle.
Surely someone out there has a positive thing to say about laser treatment or am I really now just a sad case that will try ANYTHING and pay any amount in the mere hope that it will work???
S.L
skotslass, I have read that the Diode Lightsheer laser works the best. As far as an electrologist I think you should go see someone else and get another opinion. Do as much research and get a few more opinions before you jump into something that might make you feel worse when you have spent enough money and all the hair returns. Do your homework, read all the posts on this site. Good Luck
I have had great success on my dark hair with the Lightsheer laser. Laser doesn’t work on white hair so I am having those removed with electrolysis.
Both laser and electrolysis are deffctive hair removal/reduction methods and each have their place. It has been said many times the most important thing is to find a good practitioner. I am very fortunate to have a practitioner that does both and she is very good at both too.
RJC2001
Scotslass: You are the type of client we treat most frequently, and you are a very good candidate for laser hair removal. I am not quite sure which NdYag laser you have investigated, but I can say that going monthly for treatments is too frequent. You should be seen approximately every 6-8 weeks, in order to take full advantage of the growth cycles of your hair. Anything more frequent is a waste of your time and money. You will end up needing more treatments in order to catch up to the growth cycles. And yes, you can only shave in between treatments - if you wax or tweeze you are removing the target the laser needs in order to work! I know it’s hard psychologically to shave, but in order to get the most effect for your hard-earned money, shaving is your only option in between treatments. Let us know which laser it is, and good luck to you!
Scotslass, I echo everyone’s sentiments that of your options, the long-pulse Nd:YAG is best, but if you can find a diode practitioner, that can be good, too. Practitioner skill is extremely important. You may reach a point where laser no longer is getting much bang for the buck. At that time, you’ll probably need to switch to electrolysis to get any remaining hairs.
Maybe the white hairs stays in ´telogene´or resting phase if you use a syneron aurora IPL. So for the first time it look like that the Aurora destroys white or grey hair. After a few weeks or months those white, grey and red hairs come back again. No result at all. They stay in a resting phase. This could also happen if you use a laser I think.
Many people in this forum says that IPL is not so effective as Laser. Are there scientific evindece of that?
For example: The FDA cleared the Palomar Estelux IPL for permanent hair reduction (if you use the LuxRS handpiece) just like many lasers (Lightsheer, etc). So, I think that IPL is quiet so effective as a Laser.
Most people at this forum have had a laser treatment. Maybe there are not enough people who have had experience with an IPL. So probably many people don´t know or don´t thrust the effectivness of IPL regarding to hair removal.
(I´m sorry my english is probably terrible. It´s not my native language 
)
Your English is fine, gregor! Lasers and IPL came out at the same time, and IPL was very heavily promoted in the US especially. IPL has produced acceptable results fro some people, but many people were unhappy, and many who tried both IPL and laser found lasers worked better for them.