Inbetween LHR

cette · September 26, 2002, 10:08am

I would desperately like LHR on my face - the hair is quite a problem for me, fast growing and I have a lot of it which I pluck every day - but the one thing (OK, apart from pain, cost, risk of scarring and embarasemnt) is how to manage the hairs if I cannot pluck or wax the hairs inbetween session.
The thought of shaving or letting them grow makes me feel extrememly anxious.

Can the therapist treat hairs under the surface?
I have read that you are supposed to only shave or trim the hairs for a few weeks between treatments, but for me - this is not really viable.
I am not sure if I am overreacting (afraid to shave for fear of cutting myself as I did when I was 10, or having permanent '5 o’clcok shadow) or if it’s just I don’t want to do a ‘masculine’ thing.

How did others cope? This is not one of two stray hairs I am talking about.

jokeemotion · September 26, 2002, 1:44pm

I think whatever treatment you choose, you’re unfortunately going to have to let the hairs grow.

I’d recommend getting your doctor or practitioner to check the cause of your hair. If it’s being fed by high testosterone levels, it will be very stubborn.

If you go for laser, the hair has to be there to conduct the heat down into the follicle. If you go for electrolysis, it has to be long enough to grasp with tweezers.

Have you considered getting your face treated in ‘areas’ - so concentrate say on your top lip, then your chin, and so on. Unfortunately, that’s going to take a longer time, and it might work out a bit more expensive, too.

When I had laser, my doctor asked for 24 hours growth, which was very embarrassing!! But I was talking online to someone from Switzerland who was told to shave extremely closely before being treated. Maybe you could look around for someone who doesn’t ask for lots of growth.

You might like to consider electrolysis, as you can leave just a few hairs unplucked ready for each time you go. It takes a long time though.

As for shaving, I can relate to that!! There is just no way I could ‘wet shave’ with foam all over my face like my Dad did. But I found an electric rotary shaver (even though it was a man’s one) didn’t cause me too much grief!!

Reading this back, I’m not that sure if I’ve been much help really. Sorry!

Andrea · October 1, 2002, 3:00am

cette, laser will be ineffective if you have plucked the hairs. They target melanin in the hair, so if you pluck them, they’ll remain untreated and will grow back same as before.

Your only option is to shave or trim prior to laser. Talk with your practitioner about their preferences.

If you do not wish to shave, your only option is to get the hairs as they come in with electro or laser. Either way, treatment is most effective if hairs have grown up to the skin’s surface.

RJC2001 · October 1, 2002, 4:24am

Shaving recommendations vary with the laser. With the Apogee they recommended hair length 1-2mm at time of treatment. That means shaving 2-3 days before the treatment. With the Lightsheer they recommended being clean shaven the night before treatment.

With most of the lasers you can start shaving again 2-3 days after treatment. Singed hair may hang around for a week or two maybe longer but shaving can help bing them out.

RJC2001

cindylouwho · October 1, 2002, 4:57am

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by cette:
How to manage the hairs if I cannot pluck or wax the hairs in between sessions?

The thought of shaving or letting them grow makes me feel extrememly anxious.

I have read that you are supposed to only shave or trim the hairs for a few weeks between treatments, but for me - this is not really viable.

I am not sure if I am overreacting (afraid to shave for fear of cutting myself as I did when I was 10, or having permanent '5 o’clcok shadow) or if it’s just I don’t want to do a ‘masculine’ thing.

How did others cope? This is not one of two stray hairs I am talking about.<hr /></blockquote>I coped by shaving. I didn’t like it at first either, but got used to it. The hair can be very short and it can still be treated.

And I shave in between treatments too, when the hairs that haven’t been killed grow back.

It has been worth it, the hairs that grow back are so much LESS obvious than before I started laser.

And you don’t have to use foam. I use my water soluble skin cleanser and a razor.

Seems to me you have to decide what is more masculine feeling for you, a few minutes of shaving so that you prep for laser and get rid of the hair, or facial hairs that never really get taken care of and that you still have to pluck and never really taking care of the problem in a permanent manner and keeping up with plucking (which made my skin look a lot worse than shaving ever did, since you can NEVER get all of those hairs!)

You won’t have to shave forever if you get all of the hair permanently removed, it will be a temporary situation, but if you pluck, you will still be plucking years from now.

Also, it is none of my business, but if you have that much growth (don’t feel bad, I did too which is why I got laser in the first place) I hope you’ve looked into the cause to see if there is a medical issue going on? For me it was PCOS, but for you, it could be another reason. Whatever you decide to do about the hair, your health is more important, so I urge you to find out, if you haven’t already, what is going on, if anything, with your endocrine system that is causing this in the first place.

cette · October 2, 2002, 2:21pm

Thanks for your replies. I do not think I have PCOS, as have none of the other symptons. Also, I try to get away from blaming some kind of ‘imbalance’ or ‘medical problem’. I think I am just hairy, as are other women.
What could a doctor tell me? Offer me drugs to try and ‘balance’ my hormones?
So…it seems shaving is the only option if I am to go ahead with LHR. I suppose I have top accept ‘short term pain, long term gain’ or else just continue plucking, I mean, I have done for years with no major probems!

Andrea · October 4, 2002, 4:02am

By far, the most common cause of unwanted hair is idiopathic, or simple heredity. However, studies have indicated that about 2% of women who seek hair removal have an undiagnosed medical condition that is the underlying cause. Although it’s rare, it’s important to keep it in the back of your head in case you are not responding well to hair removal treatment.

cette · October 4, 2002, 9:54am

But wouldn’t I have other symptoms? Like irregular periods, acne, pains, tiredness, low blood pressure…whatever?!
Because I am a very healthy, perfectly normal woman in every other way.