My Laser Experience ... so far

Hair Removal Methods Laser hair removal
#1

Well, I’m sure I should have studied up more before launching in to laser hair removal … but I did.

It started when, after months of discussion, my wife found a Groupon for a laser hair removal place near us. She bought two of them, which would cover me for a “small area” for six treatments. After an initial appointment, we decided to upgrade to a Full Brazilian.

So far things seem to be going well except the technician has been squeamish about treating the scrotal area, and flat refuses to treat the area directly over the testicles – citing concerns about possible long-term damage. Whatever. I figure I’ll coax her to treat most of the area and maybe go with another laser hair removal place for those treatments. After all, the costs are very good.

I also determined that the machine she is using is a Cutera Solera Opus – which I’ve heard is an IPL machine. My worry is that even though the price is right, these treatments might not be worth too much.

Could any of the hair removal experts here weigh in on any of this? Thank you in advance!

#2

Thanks for the advice. I underwent my second full treatment on April 1. I waxed regularly beforehand, and I’ve seen it mentioned on here that if you’ve been waxing, then results can be quicker.

Well, I must be in that category, because the reduction so far has been amazing. I let it grow out for more than three weeks, and I could see only a few dark hairs. But, as the next cycle of hair growth has emerged, I’m seeing more now.

Do any of the experts here want to address the scrotum issue? I just haven’t seen much concern about this in my searches on line. Because I’m older and done with having kids, my technician seems to be sort of OK with doing some of the scrotum if the testicles are fully pulled away. What basis could she have for her belief that this could be dangerous?

#3

Yes, if you’re a waxer, all hair was in anagen when you started, which should speed up the process.

It’s been over a month since that treatment. Did all hair shed within 3 weeks. Whatever didn’t shed wasn’t affected. You can probably wait 10-12 weeks between treatments on this area.

There shouldn’t be any issue treating any part as long as settings are set well to avoid burning it. Usually, that specific area can be darker.

#4

Thanks for the previous comments.

Well, good news all the way around: The nice but perhaps less-than-knowledgeable technician who did my first two full treatments left the spa, and was replaced by an experienced, relaxed and professional older woman who was very comfortable doing any part of my anatomy.

As far as the waxing history aspect: This time I had a big crop of newly growing hair within three weeks or so of my latest treatment (June 4). So we caught a bunch of them with this round. I figure this was like a secondary wave of hair partly triggered by my previous waxing.

#5

I guess I’ll do this thread as sort of a journal.

I still have mixed feelings about how well my treatments have gone with the Cutera Solara prowave IPL machine.

Overall, though, I know I’ve had a significant reduction – which is what LHR is supposed to do.

My last appointment, my new technician not only treated my entire scrotal area but also all the way to the rear, which I understand is part of the definition of a full Brazilian in lots of quarters. I finally felt like I’d gotten the service as advertised.

My current dilemma is that I know – because of white hairs and a tattoo in one part of the work area – that I’m going to finish off with electrolysis. So I’ve started calling and e-mailing electrolysis places near me in Louisville, Kentucky and I keep getting voice mail – at least at the places I’ve called. And then I’ve e-mailed places within 250 miles or so but no response to my e-mails!

But I’m willing to travel from Chicago to Atlanta, from Cleveland to Memphis, St. Louis to Pittsburgh. And everyplace in between for this. If there are really electrolysis people out there in the east-central U.S. who answer their phones/e-mails and are willing to work on guys’ privates, I’d love to hear about them.

#6

No. Where did you hear this information? What’s with the link in your signature?

#7

No data on this and no reports in medical literature. However, certain lasers have been reported to have “some effect” on the P53 gene. You can research this yourself and make your own conclusions.

#8

No, current LHR devices have not been found to cause cancer. The same cannot be said for UV light from tanning beds/the sun and ionizing radiation.

Won’t go into the details of TP53, its transcription factor p53, and cell apoptosis, etc. because the molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Keep in mind that discussions of p53 suppression would also apply to electrolysis, (for which, like laser, there is no evidence of carcinogenic effects).

#9

Just FYI, I found two electrolysis places here in Louisville that will do male Brazilian areas and I have an appointment at one of them next week.

#10

Well now I"ve been through an electrolysis session.

I really like the place I selected because the technician is well-experienced. And there are no multi-treatment packages to get sucked into signing. She even sells her time down into as little as seven-minute increments.

As for the pain, yup. I’d say it’s a little bit worse than laser. But if you are able to handle laser, you should be able to deal with this.

I

#11

I was back for the fifth of six laser hair treatments today. My technician really gave me an aggressive treatment – 24j with .9 hz on the Cutera Solera Opus – 18mm spot size, I believe.

At this point I’m pretty happy with my overall progress – especially when combined with the electrolysis. My final LHR appointment will be around the first of December. I’m also planning on more electrolysis in November.

So far so good.

#12

I went in for a couple more electrolysis treatments, in mid-October following my laser treatment above, and now I’m fairly sure this is going to come out as intended. I haven’t shaved in nearly a month and nothing – not even peach fuzz – seems to be growing in most of the treatment area.

I’ve come to view LHR as sort of like carpet bombing a treatment area – imprecise but largely effective. I see electrolysis as sort of like using “smart” bombs to take out things with more precision.

My electrolysis technician said part of my problem with LHR was that there was a cowlick formation of hair in part of my treatment area – meaning some of the hair was growing out of the skin more or less sideways – flat against the skin. She said she believes that makes it harder for laser treatments to follow the hair to the folicle because it’s not straight up and down.

And I must say that my own LHR treatments were much more effective on places that were outside of the cowlick, so that tends to back her up on it.

#13

OK. Moving forward with my hair-removal journal …

My initial LHR package came to an end with my treatments in December. I had mixed feelings about the effectiveness of the treatments – vs. my own expectations. But I decided to re-up with the purchase of another Groupon for the med spa that I’ve been going to – four treatments for a medium-sized area, brazilian size, for $180.

I figured it couldn’t hurt. :slight_smile: That I’d want the touch-ups anyway.

Meanwhile, by late December, I decided to get serious with my electrolysis treatments, and went for a full clearing of my pube, shaft and scrotum. After four hours and 15 minutes of electrolysis treatments, we had cleared the entire area except for about 2/3 of my scrotum. Time and money ran out temporarily. But we’ll come back to it and get the full clearing next round.

The thing is that 90 percent of all the hair that remains – maybe an even higher percentage – is white hair. This is stuff that the laser would have never cleared even if I’d have had 100 treatments. So I am grateful that my electrolysis technician will remove these even if it is just one at a time. And I know, I’m just getting started.

So with the four laser treatments I have coming, the plan is to announce that I have an electrolysis-only zone and direct the laser tech to my parianal area and I’m thinking of having her do my pits a bit for a significant reduction there. Also, she’ll knock some fur off the bottom of my butt cheeks. I’m also thinking about having her work on my upper thighs, for a reduction but not an elimination of hair there.

#14

OK. Another couple of months have gone by and I’m still at it.

First, I achieved the complete clearance including my scrotum in early February, so now it’s only maintenance with electrolysis for the front part of my brazilian. Of course, that will continue for months.

But meanwhile, I have a surplus of laser treatments, so I did indeed get treated on my pits and upper legs in addition to the pari-anal and butt-cheek work.

I’m only looking for a reduction on my pits and upper legs. But man, did the treatment of my pits ever work amazingly. So far it has been five weeks since my last laser treatment and I still can barely find a hair on my pits. Now, I’m not in a panic because I’ve been through the laser/hair cycle. But still, I wonder if I’ve already gotten more of a reduction on my pits than I really thought might be possible with just one treatment.

#15

Pits are awesome for LASER hair reduction. It is too early to be jubilant. Many pit clients are satisfied after four treatments only. Please let us know how many treatments you need. It would be most amazing to hear if one treatment did it for you.

#16

I don’t think one can get more than 30% PERMANENT reduction from one treatment.

#17

Thanks for your comments. I’m certainly not thinking one treatment is all it would take for a total reduction of my pit hair. And I’m hoping not – because I do want to leave at least a little strip to grow out in the summertime. I just want to tone it down and thin it out a lot.

But I thought it was interesting that of all the places I’ve had lasered, my pits have by far responded in a textbook manner – perhaps better than textbook. Of course my skin is so light there that it might even be classified as type 1. I really have a difficult time getting that area to take a tan at all even when I’m working on it in the summer. I’ll keep y’all posted. My next laser appointment is at the end of this month.

#18

I had another laser treatment today with the Cutera Solera Opus – 12mm spot size, this time. The settings were 25j and 1.0 Hz. Does anybody have an opinion or observations about those settings on this particular IPL machine? Thanks in advance.