Hi
I am dark hair w olive light skin
I just had laser hair removal (light sheer et) on my arms - this is my 6th session but only first w light sheer (not sure what the others were) and after a week my hair is not shedding, Infact I’ve been shaving and it’s been growing pretty rough/course. I’ve never experienced this before. I’ve had laser on my legs and underarms (both w 95% reductions 5 years ago) and now arms have been successful until this session w the light sheer. All times in other areas the surface was pretty rough for first two weeks after laser but did not grow back hair immediately after like this time. Does anyone know why this is happening? What should I do? The hair is visible as if after a shave and it’s been a week!
Please read the FAQs at the link below. Shedding takes 3 weeks. It’s too early to judge.
Are you female? Is the hair you’re treating now coarse like your underarms? Laser only works on coarse hair. What laser did you use before when it was successful?
I am female. The hair is growing back coarse and it’s been 12 days.
This is my 6th session but not sure which lasers were used before this light sheer. In the past, after treatment I shave a few days later and it doesn’t grow back for at least 4 weeks. This is not the case this time; it is growing back coarse just like after a shave. I also found that she glided the laser right through and didn’t make sure to stop at each spot needed which I have never seen done before with any of the other body parts that I have done laser on. I am so disappointed that I just wasted $200! 
Thoughts???
Does it look like there are “streaks” of hair growing back, sporadic, or all growing back? Lightsheer is a decent laser, albeit harder to use. It is also impossible to say if the settings were too low without knowing what they are.
You really can’t tell much until you wait the full 3 weeks to let shedding complete. Once that’s done, you can tell what’s left. If all good, everything should shed by that point. Whatever is left was missed and needs a touchup.
You should call both clinics to get more details in order for us to help you. It’s impossible without knowing names of machines and settings used.
Thanks for the feedback.
All places used the light sheer et. Not sure of the settings.
After laser, area had white large spots and quite red for 12 hrs or so giving the impression everything worked and was fine.
Now, there are a lot of patches; a lot of the area has shed but quite a bit is left over and not shed (approx 30-40%) I feel that this is bc she missed spots with her gliding technique. I’ve never had anyone do that; most technicians stop and wait for the laser to zap each area before they move down a large area; she glided the handle through my arm without stopping.
Is it proper etiquette to go back at week 3 and ask for a rezap if such a large area has not shed? I am so disappointed; I am at week 2 tomorrow.
i must say i have had a very similar experience. Most of my LHR treatements were with ipl and yag and with conservative settings. however i usually had decent shedding. Then for the 6th treatment i had acess to lightsheer. It also seemed like i had very little shedding and other small areas just seemed to be not grow back for a long time. I feel that perhaps the hair has become too thin from previous treatments and it is just not as good of a target for the laser? Also seems that certain areas will just not work , no shedding , and pretty much the same hair is back again …so I conclude that laser has done all that its going to do and its time to leave it alone. One thing i notice with the light sheer is that it now looks like i have lighter pigment where the laser was , my armpits look ringed, lighter in the centre where the hair was targeted , and darker on the edge …not sure what it was about that last treatment that would have had that effect.
Yes, most good clinics offer a touchup at 3 weeks. You shouldn’t be disappointed yet. A lot of times shedding doesn’t even start until 10 days post treatment. You need to give it full 3 weeks before assessing.
Reaction after the treatment is good, but it’s not enough to judge whether the treatment’s settings were high. We need to know numbers. You need to treat at max your skin can handle. Even if the hair sheds, it doesn’t mean it was damaged permanently. So knowing settings is very important. Shedding is just one factor. The settings can be strong enough to make the hair shed, but not strong enough to disable it permanently.
I will def wait another week to see fair results.
I called the clinic today and technician / owner explained that only 20% of hair should shed and what I am seeing is hair that wasn’t attached to the follicle.
I think she is full of bs though. It told her that based on my experience and knowledge all hair should shed and that I am quite disappointed.
I don’t think the remaining hair will shed; it is growing quite long now and is at least 2-3 mm in length.
Do you think it could be had that’s too thin or just won’t respond anymore to treatment? maybe lasers done all it can for you?
Nope. Don’t think it’s too thin. The area that didn’t shed is the area with hair that is the coarsest.
Please give it full 3 weeks. It’s really impossible to predict now whether the remaining hair will fall out. It could happen in week 2.5.
And yes, all hair should shed regardless of what phase it is in.
What does it look like before you “shed”? I have very coarse hair in my bikini area and right now, it looks as though it’s just growing back entirely normal - like it usually does after shaving (which I never do because of ingrown hairs). At what point will this hair “fall out”? Sounds so bizarre to me haha.
It looks like it’s growing as normal before it sheds.
Just as i suspected. 3.5 weeks later and large patches have not shed.