Male with some trepidation...

Hair Removal Methods Laser hair removal
#1

First off I’d like to say Hi; my name’s Caleb, I’m a 17 year old male and I’m new to these boards. I’ve been reading some of the posts for the past month or so, and recently decided that I’d like to pursue some sort of laser hair removal.

Since the time I was about 15, I’ve had rapid hair growth on my face, legs, arms and chest. Nowadays my beard is coarse and thick, and most people mistake me as someone in his mid-twenties. I don’t have any dark hair on my back as of now, but I know that I will eventually. My chest and legs are both very hairy, but my face is by far the worse: the hair is beginning to grow down the front and sides of my neck, down under my adam’s apple.

I’ve been reading about people’s seemingly mixed results with different kinds of lasers and skin types, and I’m not quite sure what I think. I live in South Florida and I know there’s a hair removal clinic in West Palm which is only like 30 minutes from here; they use the GentLASE I think it’s called…

I’m curious in any advice people can give me. I’m almost positive that I am an ideal choice as far as hair/skin type - white, with coarse dark hair. But I’m interested in things like suggestions about my area, if there is a place with a different kind of laser which might bring me more success, or suggestions as to how long it might take, once I started treatments, before I am [relatively] hair free. From reading people’s posts I feel that I’m not unrealistic in my expectations, but I’d hate to go in and spend hundreds of dollars for a whole body treatment and then so absolutely no results…

Any input would fantastic. And I’ll try and post some pics later so you guys can get an idea…

#2

Since the beard is your worst trouble spot, I would start there. I had 6 treatments on my beard with the Sciton and Lyra-i lasers, both Nd:YAG devices that operate at 1064nm. I have dark skin. My beard is about 80% gone. I could not tolerate a diode laser on my beard, the redness was severe and it was extremely painful.

Since you have light skin and dark hair, you are a good candidate for the Lightsheer diode laser. Some will swear by the alexandrite lasers, but that is old technology. It does work but as the hair gets finer and lighter after a few treatments, you will find the Lightsheer to be superior. The Lightsheer has the widest range of fluence levels and pulse widths available for those with light skin and dark hair. Laser has worked very well for me on coarse dark hair. Qualification of the practitioner is of utmost importance. You have to be aggressive with it to get good results. I suspect that most people who have had poor results from laser have either been undertreated or were not a good candidate to begin with.

The first laser treatment on my chest (extremely thick and coarse hair) resulted in a 50% reduction. It was 90% gone after 8 treatments. I am finishing with electrolysis to get the finer lighter hairs that are left. I want my chest to be 100% hair free and I am there except for a few stragglers.

Good luck on your mission to get rid of the excess hair. You won’t know if laser works for you unless you try it. Do your research. Get test spots from different places if you need to.

RJC2001

#3

Yeah Caleb. Gentlelase rules. I’ve had some treatments now and I 've had pretty cool results. It helps if your hair is dark… mmm, I’d say be prepared for a few hours of electrolysis once laser has done its best or something.

Tu mamacita.

#4

I get treated with GentleLASE (have dark coarse hair and very light skin) on bikini and underarms and am seeing really good results. It’s a good laser for your skin/hair type.