Hi Lagirl,
I am panicking! Its been 2 and half weeks since I had laser on my legs and the hair has not started shedding yet. When I had bikini done it was shedding at this stage. I have tried pulling the hair with my fingers but hair is still defo attached! Should I call the clinic at this stage or just wait another week. I have shaved the hair and I know this can delay the hair in shedding. I will defo try and get the pulse settings when I next visit her (I dont know why I always feel awkward to ask her). And Lagirl my thigh hair are still quite course even for a girl 
which is why desperate to get legs treated also. Defo took after my father on that scale!!! My technition asked me to go back in 6 weeks after first leg treatment to ensure hairs are in anagen stage, so I was going to follow her advice at this stage but then after second session use my own initiative for third treatment and there after, although six weeks did seem early to me. If there isnt much hair at six week then I wont go. So far my bikini is looking great, cant wait to see in a few weeks what hair has returned. The last time she did my bikini was on 19 joules which defo helped shedding start sooner. still got some pepperspots but cant be botherred to pick them. Again if you can advise about my legs though that would be much appreciated, maybe the joules of 17/18 was just too low. thanks
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The real question here is whether the hair is growing as usual. On legs, hair sometimes stays as pepperspots, i.e. dead hairs stuck in follicles. The most important thing is that it shouldn’t be growing, as usual.
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Once again, it’s impossible for us to comment on the settings without knowing the spot size and pulse width being used. Just joules doesn’t tell us enough. If pulse is very low, those are strong settings. However, if pulse is high, then they’re low settings.
think the hairs are still growing, so shaved legs yesterday to see if they grow or not. will let you know by monday, if I do see some growth then I will call the laser company to let them know. keep you posted.
some hair seems to be growing but most not, so yes think most of the hairs spots that I can see are just pepper spots and will come away eventually. keep you posted
just an update - its been 4 and half weeks since laser on upper and lower legs. I shaved my legs to see if the hair was growing and its been over a week and I have very slight stubble but patchy so the hair is defo not growing at the moment (just dead hair I think). There are some areas where the hair seems to be growing and I am assuming missed patches from the last treatment or maybe new hair growth? its been 5 and half weeks since doing bikini area with laser - new growth is now fully on its way, although there are still some bald patches in places. A lot of people on the forum have mentioned that they dont see new hair growth till maybe around week 8 and have a hair free period, I am seeing new growth alot sooner, is it just my hair type (as its very course) or could it be due to bad treatment? I am booked in to go back in 2 weeks for my next treatments on both legs and bikini but defo think it will be too soon for my legs (as LAGirl said!). How long do hairs remain in Anagen stage (bikini area) as I would rather wait to get legs and bikini done together as it is a 45 minute drive to the clinic, but if I have to I will go and have individual sessions if it means having better treatments and not risking my treatment. I reckon my legs will be ready for another treatment in 4 weeks which would take my bikini to 9 weeks if I have both together - am I waiting too long for bikini area as there is hair there already? Your answers most appreciated. good night 
No. Hair STARTS to come in at around 6 week mark. But you would not usually be ready for another treatment until week 8 or 10. I would wait 10 weeks if you want to do both at the same time.
I am defo seeing hair earlier than 6 weeks! Not sure if its new hair or hair missed though. Will cancel my next appointment and go when there is sufficient hair in both area’s. thanks
Today I went for my laser treatement, 3rd on Bikini and 2nd on legs. its been 10 weeks since last bikini and 9 weeks since last leg laser session. My therapist happily gave me my settings used. Which were today 20joules, 40Pulse, and 12mm spot. My therapist says she always usees 40 pulse due to my skin colouring. Hope that helps with knowing the settings LAgirl! In the past she has started my treatment from about 18 joules and worked it up to 20 joules today which I took pain wise pretty well, only really hurt deep in the bikini area. Feel tender and follicles slightly raised and pink in colour. will let you know how I am getting on in about 2 weeks
What is your skin type again? 40ms is a bit high, especially with only 18-20 joules used. If you’re type III or lighter, you should be able to handle lower pulse. I would really push for 30ms or less if your skin can handle it without issues. By comparison, GentleLASE pulse is 3ms.
being from the med I have slight colour to my skin olive tone not as dark as asian skin, think I am skin type 4. do you think my settings are too low?
Hi LAgirl just double checked and yes I am skin type 4. Am I likly to see poor results with my skin tone and the settings being used?
I have to say skin type 4 is on the dark side for a gentlelase, but if it isnt burning you and you’re getting shedding, then you will be alright, for the moment at least (possibly harder as the hair thins and shrinks).
I also use this laser, and I am lucky to have a ‘gypsy’ skin tone, probably skin type 3 with a yellow tone and dark hair… although my head hair is blonde!.. I am in london too… I use laser-active and i would HIGHLY reccomend them if you are unhappy with your service in anyway, all the Nurses really know their stuff…
Anyhoo, something else I want to make clear and you probably realise by now, is that there is NO-SET-TIME-LIMIT for your next lasering, it is simply when the hair has grown back and is ready to be lasered again, i ALWAYS wait 3 months between my treatments, even the first one, and that means that everything that is going to grow back HAS grown back… so you need less sessions to get the whole lot.
Hope this helps… message me if you have any questions re: london lasering.
She’s using Apogee, not GentleLASE.
Type IV skin is on the edge. Those settings are ok, but I would try for a bit of a lower pulse (20-30ms at most) and a bit higher joules (up to 25J) if your skin can handle it. You just want to make sure you’re affecting the hair permanently. If it’s shedding well, it’s a good sign, but treating at the max you can handle safely is best regardless.
thanks for your responses, I am based too far from London I am actually in the North of the UK so wouldnt consider going to London to get laser done - much too far!
Lagirl I could ask her to do me a test patch on a lower pulse although on Monday she said she wouldnt do a lower pulse on me as I have that in-between tone. On my bikini the hair has been shedding was just abit weirder on my legs i.e didnt notice actual shedding but the hair just seem to stop growing and when I shaved those hairs that were short and stuck it just seemed like pepperspots were left, although when I tried squeezing the hairs out they didnt come out but hair growth had defo slowed down, so will see in two weeks what happens this time. Keep you posted
That reaction is normal on the legs. Pepperspots are usually there for a while.
I don’t see an issue with having her do some test spots with lower pulse. Doesn’t hurt to try.
I started shedding early last week which is great and shedding on both legs and bikini area. Hairs seem to be coming out very easy when it slightly pull at them, so far so good. When the joules are turned up from 18 to 20 does it make much of a difference i.e is this classed as a higher setting? As last time when she lasered my legs at 18joules as I explained I didnt really notice the hairs shedding but this time I can and thought the slightly higher joules has made the difference. I have always had shedding on bikini but never a long hair free period that others talk about, will see this time. Keep you posted
Yes, 20J is higher than 18J and is a higher setting. The spot size also matters. 20J is max on an 18mm spot size which is the largest spot size and what should be used.
settings used on me on my last treatment were 20joules, 40Pulse, and 12mm spot not the 18mm spot as you suggested. But anyway shedding seems to have finished now it’s been 3.5 weeks. I am hair free just some dark spots which I assume are pepper spots and a few odd hairs poking through here and there which were probably missed. Will probably need to go and have bikini lasered this time before I go back again for legs, but will see with the re-growth pattern. I am hoping my legs wont need doing for at least 13 weeks this time since my last session, but bikini hair may still need doing at 8 weeks - will see how the growth returns. thanks
My advice was for GentleLASE alex, not the Apogee you’re using. There is no 18mm spot size on the Apogee. Also, spot size is not adjustable on that machine. It’s only 12mm. In your case, higher joules and much lower pulse can be used if you feel higher settings are necessary. On this machine, you can definitely go much lower than 40ms pulse. GentleLASE machines have a 3ms stable pulse by comparison. You can also go higher on the joules on this machine. See what you can handle.
I thought I had finished shedding but hair still seems to be shedding even now. lots of pepper spots which I managed to squeeze quite a few at the weekend whilst sitting in the garden (sunny weather to blame and the black spots really showed up), I cant help but try and squeeze them as I feel I need to check that the laser is working as I need confirmation that they are just pepper spots. Keep you posted with my progress. thanks