Hi,
I am very fair skinned with dark hair. I want to have my underarm and bikini hair removed and am not sure what is better - the GentleLase (alexandrite) or Yag Cool Glide. I heard that the coolglide goes deeper than the gentlelase and this is supposed to be better. I also have found that the coolglide treatments tend to be cheaper - at least in my area and the places I’ve called. Can anyone provide some advice for me, please??
Thanks!
GentleLASE is more effective for your skin type. Yags are for darker skins, more safe for that skin, but also not as effective. Prices don’t depend on the type of laser they use. Laser machines all cost approximately the same. The price they charge just depends on what they choose to charge to make money. You should do more research for more places. Use the advice I provide on how to find other places in the FAQs sticky post at the top of the forum. Also, please read the FAQs so you’ll know what to look for.
Thanks, I have found this web site to be very useful. A practitioner who uses the coolglide told me that their laser goes deeper than the gentlelase therefore hair removal was better with the coolglide. I’m not sure whether to believe this or if they are just trying to get me to go there.
they’re trying to get you to go there. it does penetrate deeper, but that has nothing really to do with your results. that helps people with darker skin not get burned, but the effectiness is also lost since finer hair is not that deep and Yags have a hard time killing those.
this is explained in the FAQs: www.hairremovalforum.com/faq.cfm
Hi,
My laser clinic only has the Aurora Elos laser which is an IPL I believe. I am between a type II and III skin and in the FAQ it suggests a Alexandrite or Diode laser would be best for me but how about an IPL like the Aurora, has anyone had any complaints?
They also have the CoolGlide but I have heard that is for darker skin types. I have light skin and dark hairs.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks 
In addition to the FAQ, a good resource I have found for a technical breakdown of laser types has been from
http://www.ddctech.com/Laser_HRF1.htm
It is a laser manufacturer’s site, but it is an unbiased, technical paper. And the manufacturer makes different laser types, so they don’t really seem to have an interest in pushing one type over another - they just provide the facts.
It doesn’t provide suggestions as the FAQ does - it provides the background that allows you to understand how and why the lasers work the way they do.
Hope that helps.
most people who have tried Aurora don’t get very good results. You’ll get better results if you have light skin, but most find that it makes the hair finer, but not go away completely as that may require more treatments with this IPL. Coolglide should work better on the coarse hairs, but not that well on fine hairs.
that’s my experience with aurora. finer and patchy hair loss.
Hi thanks for all your help so far.
Found another laser clinic in my area and they say that they use the “Dlight Nd yag laser” or “Palomar Estelux intense pulse light machine” so I’m guessing they have a yag laser and this Palomar IPL.
Has anyone heard of these machines and their effectiveness?
Again I am btw a type II and type III, pale skin with dark hairs. Seems strange that they would have a yag laser (this works best on darker skin right?) in New Zealand when most people here are as white as lilies! lol
Anyway does anyone know about these two machines? I’m guessing that the general concensus is that IPL isn’t as effective as laser right?
Any help would be great 
Cheers!
you need an alex or a diode for best results with your skin type
Eddy - I have had experience with the Palomar and a YAG laser. Listen to lagirl. I wish I had went with an alexandrite or a diode.
You can check out my other posts for details on my results from these systems.
Thanks guys…it’s just that I’m in New Zealand at the moment and there really aren’t a whole lot of options, unless I fly up to Auckland but that would add greatly to the expenses…so I guess out of the options I have Aurora or Coolglide would be the least worst 
man this doesn’t sound good.
Coolglide at high settings is a better bet. I wouldn’t pay a cent for Aurora treatments on myself. You can judge by that <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Coolglide is good on the coarse hair, it just had trouble with finer hair.
Ok I’m hunting around on the net but many of the places I’ve found don’t even have a website…found two more clinics one uses the Lumenis Quantum IPL the other uses the Ellipse IPL
But from what I’m hearing IPL’s aren’t that great right? Should I still go with coolglide over these two?
Also lagirl, what do you mean by fine hair? You say the coolglide works best on course hair, so you mean thick dark hairs I’m assuming. I have finer hairs on my lower back (but they are still dark hairs) for example, will these not be treated as well?
I guess I’m asking if by fine hair you mean “colourless hair” won’t work as well with Coolglide or do you mean just all thinner hair in general.
lol I’m confusing myself now!
I was also wondering how does the laser technician know what areas they have treated as they go along. With electrolysis the hair comes out as you go, so obviously they can tell which area has been treated.
But wondering with laser how does the tech know which areas they have already hit and which areas they may have missed completely during a treatment?
Thanks again you have been a great help
well guess I’ll have to go with coolglide then…but can anyone answer some of my questions above?
Yags like Coolglide are not great on thinner hair. To find LightSheer diode clinics or GentleLASE alex laser clinics in your area, run a search on the laser manufacturer websites which I provide in the FAQs. Have you read the FAQ sticky post? (Lumenis makes the LightSheer and Candela makes GentleLASE).
Hey sorry I know this is getting tedious for you guys but I am so gutted that I can’t find a GentleLASE anywhere near me. LAGirl I’m in New Zealand at the moment so the finder won’t work for me.
One more clinic says it uses the Luminex IPL or “Square intense light technology” - has anyone heard of this?
Also are IPL’s just a complete waste of time or do they work ok?
I guess the Coolglide is still my best option over all these IPL’s…is that right?
if your hair is fine, i don’t think Coolglide will be effective. but that depends on how fine etc. if you can provide a picture, it would be easier to tell. most IPLs are not very good. there are a few that got ok reviews including Harmony, Palomar, and Prowave. If you find one of those, it might be ok. Btw. Lumenis makes the LightSheer. Do they only have the Lumenis IPL?
You can email Lumenis and Candela and ask who bought their machines in your country. They should be able to provide a list.
Ok I’ve called all the clinics I know of in Christchurch, New Zealand (where I am) and here are the following options:
So eight options in all…which one do you think would be best for type II or III skin, dark hairs but not all that course. I’ll try and get a pic up as well.
Thanks for all your help
none of these are optimal, but the Palomar machines are your best choice out of those options. If you have the option of doing a test spot, I would try those and the Coolglide.