Laser virgin needs advice!

Hair Removal Methods Laser hair removal
#1

Hi All,

I’m new here, and very happy to find this board! I sat here crying reading some of the stuff… it’s nice to know that I’m not alone, and somehow it helps to see other people who can relate. And seeing the before and after pics is SO helpful!

Anyway, I’ve had an excess hair problem all my life since school and was teased horribly and made to feel like a freak. I tried the facial hair bleach, but that didn’t really cover very well, it was still very visible. So I finally got desperate and started shaving it. I’ve had to shave every day since then. I’m sick of it and have always wanted to get something done about it. But I’m so scared and confused!

There are so many different types of lasers or IPL things, and different people seem to have totally different experiences with them. First I thought it sounded like the Light Sheer would be best… but then I started reading that some people’s skin gets really red and scabbed from it?? And it can take 3 weeks for it to heal and the hair to fall out between treatments? I read that the Aurora is more gentle on the skin and won’t leave it as red or make scabs, but it takes longer to get rid of the hair. Plus there’s the Cool Glide and a bunch of others too. I dunno which one to look for!

Can you still shave in between treatments? If not I’d be stuck in my house, I couldn’t go out in public like that :frowning: Also, some say they have treatments every 10 or 12 weeks, and I’ve seen some post that they have them only 10 days apart… how does this work? Does the doctor decide how far apart they should be, or does it even matter? I would like to get it over with as fast as possible, but I don’t wanna risk hurting my skin. I have very light skin and dark thick hair. My mom has auburn hair and fair skin, so we freckle too. Any chance of laser making my skin freckle?

I have also read here that it’s painful, and that scares me (big wussy here). Can anyone describe the pain better for me? Like does it feel like holding a flame on your skin, or like a hot curling iron, or more like holding a hair dryer too close to your skin? I just wanna know what to expect. I’m thinking about going for a consultation and patch test, but I’m really nervous. I’ve heard the horror stories about people being permanently scarred from lasers and that freaks me out! I’ve already decided I would go to a plastic surgeon to have it done, I don’t want some tech with no real medical training using a laser on my face.

Any advice or info on my questions would be SO much appreciated! I really wanna do this cause I know I would be so much happier with it gone! I’m just soo scared :confused: Thanks!

#2

Just an update… I called the place to get more info, and found out that the plastic surgeon doesn’t actually perform the laser treatments. Their Esthetician does it… I don’t know much about what kinda training those have? She told me they are “skin care specialists” who have laser training. The only other thing that worries me is, they only have the laser machine in their office once a month… they borrow it from a nearby hospital. So that means they only preform treatments once a month, and maybe don’t have as much experience as someone who does it every day? She also said it’s not permanent, and neither is Electrolysis. They recommend treatments once a month for 3 months in a row. Anyone have any thoughts or advice on this?

#3

i can only speak to one thing, and that is that, indeed, laser is not permanent, but w/ the right electrolysist, electrolysis is permanent, but is so time consuming and painful.

Laser is usually used about every 4-6 for your initial 4-6 treatments, and that’s where the long lasting hair removal comes in. You may only need touch ups every 6 mos. or so. Read about the different lasers (there is a guide here…somewhere) to find the most effective laser for you (skin and hair type), then find a reputable place w/ that laser. Good luck.