HI I had a test patch with the light sheer diode laser and the results were very good. This was 5 weeks ago. After 2 weeks i decided to have my whole face and neck area done. Its been 3 weeks now since then and i’m far from impressed with the results my face and neck look like the markings on a lepard but in revearse with realy clear spots about 12mm round surounded by hair that has not been touched by the laser yet the test patch is still clear of grouth. Is this normal or just the results of a poor technician not overlapping with the laser What should i do about it ? Its very embarasing
Hello Mark,
Don’t worry too much. I’m not an expert but I don’t think that it’s your technician’s fault.
I had similarly patchy results after my 1st treatment. I would say that it progressively gets better with each treatment. I have had 5 sessions so far and still have small patches here and there but much less than at the begining. I easily shave them with a dry blade.
I don’t think it is possible to achieve an even clearance for a beard with just a few treatments. Male facial hair are very resilient. Please be patient. 
Mike, where did you get your treatments? Chest?
AdMan: beard.
Thanks for your comments Mike,I feel that the uneaven hair removal is in the form of a patern that is of a direct result of the way the laser was used and not random in apearance.
Numerous people have asked what is wrong with my face, to which i say i have been burn’t in a welding accident.So I have now booked in for another appointment on monday rather than wait for 10 weeks like every one seems to advise. I note that you have had the same area cleared as i’m having done and hope your right and i’m just over reacting.
Thanks again for your reasurance
Do you see burns on your face, or is it that just the regrowth is pachy?
Hello Mark,
I had my first 4 treatments spaced 4 or 5 weeks and done at low fluence (the clinic’s choice, not mine). The nurse doing my treatments worked very carefully, even drawing a web of red lines on my face before starting, to make sure she wouldn’t miss any spot. Yet the results were patchy. After the first treatment I remember regretting my decision; no longer the case)!
No one made any comment regarding my appearance but I’m sure people were wondering. You are right with coming up with some excuse; they shouldn’t be asking anyways.
I waited 3 months before getting the 5th treatment and there were still some small patches of hair here and there but nothing too obvious. I shave the patches with a dry blade as needed.
And I don’t have those awful razor bumps anymore! My neck skin used to be permanently irritated and red. That’s part of the past.
I am still unsure how to approach the lack of response on my upper lip and chin. I had the 5th treatment at higher fluence; it was much more painful (even with EMLA cream) and my skin stayed red for 2 weeks. Compared with no EMLA and no “sunburn” look the next morning at lower fluence. But of course higher fluence ought to be more effective.
Clearance I’ve achieved:-
Neck and throat: excellent, >90%.
Cheeks: fair-to-good. 50-70%.
Chin: poor, <30%.
Upper lip: none that I can see, <10%.
Mike
P.S. Ah, something I just remember, for the first 4 treatments, the nurse used to give me a red pen and a mirror before the treatment so that I could mark particularly “stubborn” pacthes. She’d then zap those areas double.
Mark1, sorry to hear about the side effects. I call this outcome striping, and it’s unfortunately too common during aggressive treatment on male facial hair or thicker body hair. As you note, it can either look like leopard spots like this woman’s legs:
http://www.hairfacts.com/medpubs/lasergen/overtreat.html
Or tiger stripes like this woman’s face:
http://www.hairfacts.com/medpubs/lasergen/overtreat2.html
As long as you don’t get blood blisters of burns, it should clear up OK, but some people can see faded spots lasting weeks or months after the spots clear up.
Avoid any sun and check with a dermatologist about hydroquinone or other tone-evening agents if you are concerned.