In dire need of an advice

Hair Removal Methods Laser hair removal
#1

Hi there,
I am hair-cursed, a male with thinning head hair and sprouting hairs everywhere else on my body. I am 32 and it’s been about 5 years that I have noticeable albeit fine hair on my cheeks way above the beard line, just below my eyes too and a bit above my eyebrows (1 cm higher too!).
I saw two derm in DC. They both recommended laser, I am type III-IV they say. What I am most concerned about is SIDE EFFECTS:

1- I waxed maybe 10 times a long while ago that made my skin on my cheeks look bumpy unsmooth and had 2 major ingrown that ended up with bumps.

2- I went to the so-claimed “best electrologist” in the area we did a couple of test areas, I ended up with a tiny bump and 3 spots of white discoloration - even 2 months after. So I am not sure I am willing to do it all with electro.

3- I am willing to try laser, both doctors use GentleLase and offered a test patch. But I am still uncertain. I am afraid that the test goes well but the treatment goes bad.

Is there anyway to get rid of this monkey looking face without risking having a patchy skin later on ?

What is to be done ?!
And yes they do bother me a whole lot. People point often my hairiness.

Your advice is greatly appreciated. If you have good recommendations for DC area please let me know.

PS: I also would like to know whether you think a treatment is effective on this kind of “finer” hair.

#2

Take a look at my before and after pictures, and pay close attention to J. Lamb http://www.executiveclearance.com/beforeandafter.html

Electrolysis CAN do what you want done, but as we have said, choosing the right person to do the job is the make or break part of this.

If you are looking to do a full male beard with LASER, you will be disappointed, as what ever reduction you do get, you won’t be able to get full removal, while risking some serious side effects.

#3

  • Laser only works on coarse hair. It won’t work on fine hair.

  • Male facial hair is difficult to treat with laser. Patchiness is possible if the clinic doesn’t have specific experience with male facial hair and doesn’t do proper overlapping.

  • Some parts of the face you’re talking about should be only treated with electrolysis no matter what because they’re close to the eyes and precision is necessary. Laser can’t produce precise results with exact lines. Electrolysis can pick and choose hairs to form a natural look.

  • Check out our sticky post on causes of hair growth. There is a condition in males that results in baldness and more hair everywhere else. You can look into that and potential ways to deal with it, which can result in improvement in the hair situation. One thing that’s important to remember is that if there is something in your body causing the hair to develop, it will continue to do that over time even after you remove the hair that’s currently there. So you have to be ready for touchups later in life.

  • Electrolysis doesn’t have to cause any side effects. Same with laser. It’s all about finding someone who knows what they’re doing. Whether someone is reputable also shouldn’t be judged based on simply what that person claims.

  • There are several recommendations on this forum for practitioners in DC for both laser and electrolysis. Use the Advanced Search feature to look them up. Search for “Washington”, “Virginia”, etc.

#4

Many thanks for both responses. Please allow me to clarify.

  • I am NOT interesting in removing my beard, not at all. It is the area ABOVE the beard line which has both fine and coarse hair.

  • I am very concerned about permanent side effects and I understand that talent is important but yet often uncertain.

  • On the internet I found people talking about sides for both laser and electrolysis.

I am still concerned about the following:

  • the Doc said that GenteLase is used often to areas just near the eye to treat a host of problems so there should be no problem. Is it true ? They are going to treat me just above the eyebrows you think it’s imprecise and they could laser my eyebrows by mistake ?

  • I am fine with a significant reduction and moving maybe to the best electrologist later. However is there an advice of steps to take or watch out for not to end up with discoloration/permanent changes from laser.

I don’t understand but even as I started waxing a while back i feel my skin has changed ( to worse) a lot so that’s why I am cautious. I am indeed cursed by hair as my beard is not as thick as it should have been given my hairiness.

#5

So, you are bothered by fine hair above your eyebrow and thin AND coarse hair above the beard line?

You really should not judge what electrolysis can do for you by one practitoner that screwed things up! Good electrolysis is highly dependent on the training / re-training of the person holding the probe.

I sincerely urge you to drop the idea of getting lased on these areas and concentrate on finding other electrologists to get consult and sample treatments with. If there are no skilled electrologists in your area, then travel within an acceptable radius. If there are still no skilled electrologists further away, then you will just have to cross your fingers and place your hopes in laser. I personally don’t like laser being used near the eyes, but they do have ways to cover and protect the eyes when they shoot the laser beam.

Side Effects. Temporary skin side effects are normal with any proceedure that disturbs the peaceful internal environment of the skin. What you received lasted too long. Most side effects are short-lived, lasting several minutes to less than a week. These are normal parameters, so expect this to happen. This is why it is your obligation to get short samples from as many electrologists as possible so you can compare.

I don’t know what your electrologist was doing? What kind of epilator? Levels of intensity and timing? Did she/he have a good to excellent magnification set up so she /he could instantly see any skin changes immediately as she/he was treating you? If she saw your skin blanching or reacting angrily, that would have been a clue for her to adjust her levels of intensity and timing or change modalities before she did more than one hairs. I don’t know what your healing powers are or your aftercare regime was like. We are dealing with a variety of skin types as electrologists. Some treated areas go back to normal within minutes of good electrolysis care and some take several days. Some people have immune systems that go into overdrive when it comes to healing and some calmly do just the right amount activity to heal the skin.

Be assured that electrolysis will work in your special case and would be a worthwhile pursuit for the money. Hopefully, you live in a place on planet earth where you have more than one choice for electrolysis care.

Maybe we can steer you toward someone good if you fill in your location on your profile.

Dee

#6

From what you describe, you need electrolysis. I would NOT suggest laser to you even if some of the hair is coarse. The problem is that laser won’t be able to provide you with precision, so there is a high chance of removing some hair that you didn’t want gone. Also, there is a chance of touching nearby areas and stimulating more hair to growth. Your situation is not suitable to laser.

Now, in terms of finding a good electrologist, this is definitely possible. And good electrolysis will not leave you with any side effects.

Dee, he mentioned he’s in the DC area in his original post. I think we have some recommendations for that area on the forum.

#7

Okay. Thanks. I really wish that all posters would fill in the location and signature parts if they are wanting help. I can’t possibly search all these posts to put the puzzle pieces together. I’m slowly getting demotivated to help out.

#8

Technically, I already provided information on how to find recommended providers on the forum in my above post. So if the poster is too lazy to do it themselves, I wouldn’t waste your time either.

#9

Many thanks for both of you for the advice. No I am not lazy - the reason I did not provide the area was that I was asking a general question.

But YES I am interested in getting recommendations. I kept searching the forum however with no helpful results for washington DC. As a matter of fact there is a thread that started in 06 and was revived by someone in 08 and they were advised to look up a list of certified electrologists. Now the woman that I visited is on the list and is certified and actually one of the oldest practitioner in the area, but my results with her weren’t great. So a list wouldn’t be very helpful. If you heard really good things about someone, through your experience please let me know and I appreciate your help tremendously.

I do understand your point: Laser won’t remove fine hairs and a good electrologist will with no permanent side effects. Then at least for my facial hair I would be interested in seeing a GOOD electrologist.

#10

We have a sticky post on the electrolysis section of this forum that lists several ways of finding an electrologist. I would call each one first and find out what method they use (i.e. thermolysis, blend, or galvanic) and what the name of the machine is. Start a thread on the electrolysis section of this forum and you’ll get a bit more help.

#11

If you could travel, I think this electrologist would serve you well. She’s highy trained.

Electrolysis of Frederick
Sally K. McAleer, LEI, CPE
198 Thomas Johnson Dr.
Suite 9
Frederick, MD 21702
301-663-0062/ Fax: 301-663-3598

e-mail: SallyMcAleer_1@msn.com

You can call around for places that are closer, but do keep Sally on your short list.

Dee

#12

Not having found an electrologist yet, a doc has convinced me to do a spot test with the Gentlelease above the beard line.
He used 18mm with both a 10 and 12 joules.
It hurts. The thing is that I have not shaved and he did like 4-5 spots and I could smell the hair being burnt. I think I should have shaved. Again my #1 concern is safety.
He told me he used the Gentlelease on patients on facial for other reasons than hair removal, even under eyes for removing ( or diminishing veins)… is this correct? is this done with the same laser, same specifications ? If so I should not be concerned much then …except for not getting good removal… but i am ok with temporary removal with no side effects.
Thanks for your patience.

#13

I actually had those areas done with laser and it’s no big deal at all.

Precision is a little bit tricky between the eyes but it depends exactly what you want to remove there, the closer it is to the eye the harder it gets.

About the beard area, for guys it hurts really bad there because there is so much hair there, if you didn’t shave before it will also make it worse since the hair will be burned on your skin.

#14

Thanks Odi. Are you a guy ? Can you tell me about your experience and skin type ? Was it successful. I am not trying to remove my beard just above the beard on my cheeks and below my eyes it’s very hairy. The doc even told me above my eyebrows as there is hair there. However I am not sure how precise he can get if he’s not gonna hit my eyebrows by mistake.

I am also gonna do my back/shoulders and will have another post on that and keep you updated with my results. But above the beard area is worrying me more.

Many thanks

#15

Yes I am a guy.
Skin type probably about 3.
The first thing that annoyed was the hair between the eyebrows and i can safely say i don’t remember the last time i trimmed the hair there, talking months.
The area above the beard line i also decided to do, i know there are many guys with lots or hair going almost to their eyes so didn’t want to look like that, so after a few treatments probably around 4 there is still hair growing but I’m sure it will go.

For me most of the treatments done were with IPL so I’m amazed that the hair between the eyebrows actually stopped growing, and am now trying diode.

In general if you want to do above the eyebrows then do it, it’s not like you need precision by the millimeter like girls do, and even if so, it’s very hard to miss there but i wouldn’t try below the eyebrow.

#16

That’s a very low setting on GentleLASE. Plus, that’s a large spot size to use on an area where you’re looking for precision. Don’t let the doc “convince” you of anything. People will try to make money off of you. Please avoid falling for this trap.

We warned you about side effects of what you’re doing. I have a feeling you’re going to come back here and post complaining of induced growth. Please remember our warnings.

#17

Thanks Odi and LAgirl.

The doc said he can go up to 14 joules, so I thought that was the maximum. So I guess If I decide to go with him I should convince him about it increasing to 14 ?

As for the side effects Lagirl, thanks again. When I go back and read your earlier replies on this thread i understand that induced growth seemed to be the worst case scenario or quite (if the doctor is not dumb). However with electrolysis there is much uncertainty (since it depends so much on skill) and I have been left with 3 scars from 2 (usually good) practitioners so far. Maybe my skin is not made for that! not sure.

La girl I see for your laser you used 12mm. So that’sa smaller spot size right ? wouldn’t this be more appropriate for face too?

Odi, how did they manage to laser your between the eyebrows. after my experience i feel it’s a too small for an area for Gentlelase. Can you tell me what specifications you used ?

As for my aboove the eyebrows, it’s not really the upper eyebrows, these are hair that starts few mm above my eyebrows and till 1-2 cam way above them… they’re really more like forehead hair. So i thought these were feasible, but then the gentelase was really (I felt) burning hair in the surrounding area…

I am frustrated about this area - but less so for my back and shoulders because these i don t have any option - and minor temporary side effects would be fine.

#18

Maximum on 18mm spot size is 20J. I wouldn’t even be treated at anything below 14J. That should be the minimum. However, once again, this is for DENSE coarse hair. Sparse hair and areas where precision is needed shouldn’t be treated with laser at all. It’s an overkill that’s likely to result in induced growth.

Both laser and electrolysis results depend on skill. But I would NOT say that electrolysis involves more uncertainty AT ALL. In fact, I would say it’s a lot easier to get results with electrolysis than with laser because there aren’t that many requirements to get results using this method. For laser, hair needs to be a certain specific type ONLY. Electrolysis can treat ANY hair.

I’m not sure how you’re judging whether the electrologists were good besides using their own claims. Scarring should NOT happen with proper electrolysis. I’ve had electrolysis done on 5 different areas by 3 different electrologists with absolutely not side effects.

I don’t know where you see me using 12mm laser. Most of my treatments were with an 18mm spot size at 16J+ on GentleLASE. I tried to lower the spot size and increase the joules a few times to try to affect the finer hair. It didn’t really work on most of it. So once again, ONLY DENSE COARSE HAIR will benefit from laser.

Lasering between eyebrows is possible with a smaller spot size…probably a 12mm.

Once again, I don’t think you realize the impact induced hair growth will have on you. If you’re worried about a relatively small amount of hair on those areas now, wait until you have that entire area covered with fine hair. That’s what I’m trying to make you avoid. Of course, the end decision is up to you. I just don’t really understand the logic here. There is basically almost no chance you will get the results you want with laser. It sounds like the only reason you’re still wanting to try it is because you don’t believe you can find a good electrologist, which isn’t true. Either way, believing this doesn’t make laser in your situation any more effective.

Also, please use the same logic for back and shoulders. ONLY COARSE DENSE HAIR should be treated with laser.

#19

Wyo, I gave you the name of a good GREAT electrologist. Did you have a consult with Sally yet?

Dee

#20

I used the Soprano XL and it has a 12mm spot size so it’s not that of a problem between the eyebrows.

Could you maybe take a photo of your face to show the area you want done?