Hello all,
I’ve perused some of the threads here that relate to my question, but it seems like there are so many different possibilities…I was hoping someone could synthesize all of this information to help me figure out what I ought to do.
I am a white male in my early twenties with dark brown hair, and am in the process of getting laser treatment on my beard, the results of which have so far been very mixed. Due to my location when I began treatment, the only practice I could reasonably access was a Sona Laser Center franchise, which claimed it had occasionally done work male facial hair. I have gone in for only two treatments so far, and have a third scheduled in a couple of weeks. I am skeptical of this schedule, though; while the “Sona Concept” says that treatments should be spaced pretty far out from each other (five months between visits, in my case), in reading of others’ experiences with hair removal of all sorts–including facial hair–at places other than Sona, it seems as though appointments are scheduled far more frequently. Have my sessions taken place so far apart that their effectiveness might be compromised?
My face has not reacted very well to the treatments, but I’m not sure if this is normal. Redness has lasted for over a week, and during that time shaving has been quite painful. Also, whitehead-like things have shown up in MASS quantities for quite some time following each treatment.
While the hair on my cheeks ultimately came out, perhaps within two weeks following treatment, the majority of hair around my chin never fell out. Sona claims that I should enjoy a totally hair-free period for a few weeks, but because the chin area seems to have largely resisted treatment, I have not yet been able to cease shaving at least part of the face every day. After a month or so passed following each treatment, there was enough regrowth throughout the face that I’ve needed to do a full shave every day.
I also don’t feel as though there has been very much hair reduction yet. Perhaps I am worrying prematurely; after all, I have only undergone two treatments. Still, if I skip a day of shaving, the growth is very noticeable–maybe a tiny bit more sparse across the cheeks, but virtually as it was prior to treatment everywhere else.
I am considering seeking treatment elsewhere, and wonder if people here think that would be wise. I’ve recently relocated close to Pittsburgh, PA, where there appears to be a branch of American Laser Center. Would this clinic be a better bet than Sona? Would it schedule appointments more frequently than once every five months–and would such scheduling make a difference, or is Sona’s schedule perfectly reasonable? Would this clinic–or any others people know of in this area–use different equipment that might be more effective on the face? Would my face react less violently to different equipment? Is there a particular type of laser that I should seek out (I don’t know what Sona uses–does it differ from franchise to franchise, or does someone here know what they use?)? Finally, would my hair/skin/anthing else suffer in any way if I stop the treatment cycle I’ve already begun and start a new set of treatments?
I didn’t buy a “treatment package” from Sona and have simply been paying on a per-appointment basis, so I have nothing to lose financially if I switch practices. I’m just looking to maximize my results and do so hopefully on a more frequent basis.
If anyone could comment on the questions I’ve raised with any advice, information, etc., I would truly appreciate it.
Thanks!