Plz Advise! Just Had LHR Consultation...

Hair Removal Methods Laser hair removal
#1

Hey Guys,
Im based in the Philippines right now as Im studying here,

Im an active person and sporty, and used to be in really good shape, but lately, I dont know my hair is starting to get to me and im very conscious about it, I kinda put on a bit of wait etc etc because of not wanting to work out and shizz…anyway ENOUGH of the drama…I finally went to get a consultation…

The Derma was really friendly, she openly said too while they have had great results, they never did a chest area before…I will post pics of my chest so you can see…

Anyway she said the area was quite dense, they use a Diode laser (I dont know the exact model i will need to find out)… She said she would HAVE to put in on the lowest setting due to how close my hair follicles are, there is higher chance of burning. She also said that the chest would have to be done in 3 parts…MAYBE two… But she was saying they may have to make the sessions, as follows… 1) Left Pec, 2)Right Pec, 3) Abdominal …

I was happy that she wasnt like, Okay no problem and just took my money she was truthful and explained all this to me,

I just want to ask you guys,
Is what she saying correct? That its going to take too long to do the whole chest and abs in one session? Because its kinda going to cost me more, She said they would be using a press and pulse method, they wont just glide it,

But its going to cost me roughly 7k Philippine Pesos per session, so if its done in 3 parts ,its going to cost me 21k Pesos which is $510 for one coverage of Chest/Abs

This seems really expensive?..

Though another place has quoted me 12k ($290) dollars for the full chest and abs, so i may go for a consultation soon,

Im just wondering guys,

  1. Is what she said about there being so much hair its going to take longer to do it, and not possible in one session and there is a high chance of burning?

  2. They will have to use the lowest setting first due to seeing how my skin reacts?

Judging on the pics,
What do you guys think?

Chest: http://i1321.photobucket.com/albums/u556/TaoNinja2000/20121224_185746_zps4ee991bd.jpg

Arm: http://i1321.photobucket.com/albums/u556/TaoNinja2000/20121224_185824_zps82a34be1.jpg

I will go to cheaper place soon and have a consultation, because i would rather pay $290 per session rather than $500 dollars,

Also,
Would i expect to have good results?

Thanks again!

#2

Most of my clients are male (or female) body work … so, here goes with my advice. First off, your chest pattern is just about “perfect.” (Arms are perfect too.) If you have no back hair that’s super … but the chest? (BTW, GREAT looking chest, great muscle development … actually, the pattern IS perfect.) If I had that body, I would take off my shirt and STRUT! Hell YEAH!

If the laser place cannot GUARANTEE exactly what your chest is going to look like after their treatment(s) … I mean how many treatments, how much will it cost and what exactly will it look like … I would NOT DO THIS AT ALL! What does “we have had great results,” mean … EXACTLY. Can she show you photos?

By contrast, look at what “our Jossie” (Spain) can produce for her patients: actual photos, real projected treatment time, guaranteed end results and total cost. Now, THAT’S a professional!

(You might get the right look using a simple trimmer with a spacer?)

How would you like that “perfect and natural” hair pattern to end up strange looking? I mean patchy, stripes, “mangled,” moth-eaten, and beaten-up looking? What will you do if you are not satisfied with the results? After the “pummeling” it could take a year or so for the area to normalize … and even then it might not look right to you.

“Nice people” and “cheap/affordable” does NOT “cut it!” The old saying “the cheap comes out expensive” is often TRUE! Get your “tough hat” on and ask them specifically what’s going to happen to you. If you get “goofed up,” you will then have a problem you had not anticipated. And, a problem with a very unknown solution. Probably NO solution in the Philippines? (I’m NOT comfortable with the “we have never done this before.”)

Furthermore, I would offer this same advice were you seeking laser or ELECTROLYSIS: WHAT is the end result?

Do not jump into any procedure unless you are nearly certain of the actual outcome. And have some assurance that the therapist will “make it right” if they don’t get it right! (Free treatments to make it right? Yeah, that’s a nice concept.)

(Almost half of Dr. Chapple’s practice is FIXING what other physicians screwed up on people … this is NOT acceptable! But it is very common! News Flash: physicians sometimes screw up!)

If I get permission from a patient, I will post her photos that show what a local doctor did to her face with “injectable fillers.” She was a total mess! And there is no “fix.” She sued the doctor and won. Presently, we are working with another young woman that got “injections” (fillers) under her eyes that resulted in BAGS under her eyes. AND, even on the internet, this specific product is not supposed to be used near the eyes. (Since there is no lawsuit yet, I’m pretty sure I can post these photos.)

It’s your precious body … be CAREFUL! Don’t end up worse off! “Do no harm” … to YOURSELF! And, go STRUT today!

#3

Hi there,

First of all i would like to thank you for your reply :),

Well as a matter of fact, I do have back hair, But i can wax that easily once a month with no reaction, pimples etc, but its a different story with my chest,

That reacts badly and i get ingrown hairs etc etc and pimples …Hence why im looking towards Laser Removal.

I appreciate your comment about the perfect pattern or hair hehe, But really i do not feel comfortable with it :(,

I dont like approaching girls even because of this,
i feel really self conscious …and really want to do something with it…

if i do get Laser Removal,
Is it going to be really patchy? would i be able to even it out?

What kind of laser would you suggest? right now i have found clinics with Light Sheer Diode and Alexnadrite lasers too,

Thanks again for your reply :slight_smile:

#4

That’s hard to predict. If your tech knows what he/she is doing and is able to properly cover the area, you will most likely have an even reduction. Most likely you’ll see a little patchiness, but after about 8 weeks or so when stuff starts growing back in, it will be much less noticeable if at all. Most places I’ve seen here in the Southern California charge around $350 for chest/abs to give you an idea.

In my opinion, Alexandrite is superior, but if they use crappy settings, it won’t matter. Find out what settings they will use, but you would be better off using a strong diode over a week alex and vice versa (if they use strong settings on the alex, you’re golden.) Since your hair is coarse, expect it to hurt… A LOT.

#5

“Most places I’ve seen here in the Southern California charge around $350 for chest/abs to give you an idea.”

Okay … If you can get your chest/abs done for $350 then go for it. There is not an electrologist on earth that can compete with this price … and, therefore no reason to ever consider electrolysis!

#6

Hey Guys!

Thanks for the advice!

Right so my best choice over which laser to choose will be the Diode like Lightsheer? and the Alexandrite right?..

What kind of results can i expect?
Will I get a “Reduction” which will last for long term?

Or will the hair treated actually never grow back?

This seems to be a very shady area…

Also was the Tech right about saying, they cant do my chest/abs in one session and that it will probably be done in 3 sessions?

I expect its going to hurt :slight_smile:
But im used to pain, so im looking forward to it haha,

I plan on keeping a diary to hopefully aid others in future

#7

“What kind of results can I expect?”

Well, um, “THERE’S THE RUB!” As “the Bard” would say.

I know next to nothing about laser so I will, at this point, defer to our expert here on the subject … So, what can he expect? What say you?

I could give you “final results” with electrolysis, but that’s not your choice. Now, we need to hear from the experts: LAGirl and Brenton. I’m all ears!

#8

I would love Electrolysis,
But there is NO ONE here that does that here :frowning:
Besides i think i have FAR TOO MUCH hair for that :))

But yes,
I look forward to what i have to hear from others ^_^…

I really want to do something about this :(…

Thanks again for everyone replies :slight_smile:

#9

I think you missed the point. He simply asked if $510 seemed expensive and so I was giving him what I pay in So. Cal (not exactly the cheapest area of the US as you well know.) Based on his hair, I would say the most cost-effective option for him would be to blast the hell out of his body with a laser and then finish with electrolysis (it might take longer in terms of time but I’d say he would save money doing it that way, and as someone myself who is cheap, I like that way)

Assuming strong settings are used, I would expect at least 80% permanently gone after 6 sessions going every 2 months or so. Hell, on my legs after 4 treatments, I’m about 13 weeks after my treatment and probably am looking at about 70%+ reduction just to give you an idea. I know LAGirl estimated 95% on someone’s chest similar to yours, but I think that’s a little higher than I’d estimate.

I’m not sure why your tech needs to space it our over 3 sessions. The fact she wants to start on the lowest setting would make me concerned. It might be ok if she keeps going up on the settings until they’re effective.

Out of curiosity, I know flying around Asia is cheap when you’re already in that area… with all the TG surgeries that go on in Thailand, I wonder if you could fly there during a break and find an expert there in hair removal? Just a random idea that popped in my head.

#10

Hey Brenton,

Thanks again for your advice,

I didnt want to go by the words of the Derma as they are biased to their company…

So you think it was concerning that she wanted to do it on the lowest setting? She said is there was no reaction then she would happily bump up the settings,

I think with it being Asia where men dont have much body hair and there are mostly female clients in this place she is not sure of how the skin with react so i guess she is just being cautious…

Hmmm but you think that breaking the chest and abs into 3 parts is not needed? If thats the case i may go to the other clinic and have a consultation, they said it would roughly be $290 as apposed to $510 so i guess its worth a visit…

If anyone else can give me more incite i would really appreciate it :slight_smile:

#11

You should have a consultation with her and see how high she will bump up the settings. If she goes high enough, it may be worth sticking with her (on the diode, you want 12mm spot size and 25J+). You can see the recommended settings here towards the end: http://www.aesthetic.lumenis.com/pdf/highpower_lhr_system.pdf

Breaking into 3 parts isn’t really needed (if you’re blasting your right pec, nothing is happening to your left pec, so not much is happening). There’s nothing wrong with breaking it into 3 parts, but it’s not necessary. If she wants to wait a couple weeks between doing the parts, then you will look rather funky. If she’s talking about like a day or two between, then you’re fine. Get a consultation at both places and see who does what.

#12

Actually, I didn’t misunderstand. I got the recommendation I was looking for.

So, Aussie guy, here’s what I would do. Tell your laser place that a “standard” is 70% clear, (permanent hair removal), after 6 treatments. Ask them if they can achieve this goal and what happens if they don’t?

It’s better to ask NOW, than after the treatments are completed!

Remember too, that a lot of the suggestions you are getting here are not from actual laser technicians. A lot of these suggestions are from patients and not, therefore, from those that have a historical depth of understanding. Personal experience yes (and that is worth something). But a technician in the field, that has worked at this for say 15 years, might have a better perspective.

I’ve probably flown a million miles by commercial jet aircraft. That doesn’t mean I know how to fly an airplane.

#13

Hey guys,

I will be going in for a consultation again soon,

Could someone please give me some advice?

1)What kind of laser is best suited based on the pics on my first post? I think i have seen places offering Lightsheer Diode and an Alexandrite, are those the best 2 for my skin type?

  1. Are there questions which i should ask to test their professionalism ?

I hope to get started on this sooooon,
I really want to get rid of my carpet!

Thanks :slight_smile:

#14

First of all, tell me…

WHY,IN GOD’S NAME, WOULD YOU WANT TO GET RID OF THE HAIR ON YOUR CHEST? Your chest is perfect and…

mmm OK, we are off the topic. :))

To answer some of your questions,

There is no need to have 3 sessions to treat your entire chest ONCE. You will need about 6 good treatments on your chest…do you plan to have 18 sessions?!

Some clinics recommend dividing the total area to be treated in parts…
(a) when the area to be treated is too big; which is not the case here
(b) because of pain : Going by your body (No, I’m not hitting on you :D), I don’t think you would find the pain unbearable. Plus, the pain lasts only as long as you are being given laser shots. You feel nothing except a (very) mild burning sensation after the session is over. The burning sensation usually doesn’t last for more than 30 mins and can be greatly subsided by ice.

I know of women who have done their legs, arms, underarms, bikini area and “the happy trail” in a single session, AT GOOD SETTINGS, so I suspect your clinic is trying to make more money out of you by dividing one treatment into 3 sessions! The fact that they are charging you more further strengthens my suspicion. My clinic charges 300$ per treatment for full legs but if I decide to divide the treatment into two sessions, for whatever reason, they will charge me 150$ or max 160$ per session, so the total cost per treatment would remain pretty much the same (300-320$).

Please refer to Fitzpatrick scale and let us know what you think your skin type is. Additionally, call up your derm and ask what she thinks your skin type is. We will able to advise better when we know what your skin type is. No, I can’t make out from the pictures.

DO NOT WASTE A SESSION TO SEE how your skin reacts. Just have a patch test- patch tests are usually free and if they are not, they cost very little…less than 20$. And when you do have a patch test, note down the settings and post here.

#15

Hey MumbaiGirl,

Aheeem,
Thanks for the reply lol :))
That made me laugh haha,

I dont know,
I guess its a personal issue I have with this hair,
When I used to Wax I used to be in MUCH better shape, but due to all the ingrowns from waxing i just had to stop, Not due to the pain but due to the damage it was doing to my skin, In fact i still got a few issues from my last sessions a few months ago, so i dont want to put my body through this,

I will continue hunting for a clinic that will do it in one sessions, As i thought it was a bit strange that they wanted to do it in 3 parts.

I will try the clinic that charges me 300$ per session,

Thank you for you advice :slight_smile:

If anyone else can add their 2 cents i would be really happy,

I plan to keep a diary for other people also in my situation

#16

I do not believe there would be any reason you would not be able to treat the area all at once.

LAgirl has a list of good questions and to ask practitioners and information to consider when you go for a consultation (just below signature line there is a link on all posts).

#17

Ingrown hairs can often be helped by exfoliation and moisturizing. Exfoliating gloves from the Body Shop and riffi mitt are good options.

You still haven’t told us what your skin type is :stuck_out_tongue:

#18

Hey MumbaiGirl,

Im aware that exfoliating does help with that,
But seriously, My chest breaks out so bad,

I dont want to do it again, It cant be any good for the skin , I get pimples and all sorts of stuff, my hair seems like it grows really quick too :))

When ever it gets waxed, the tip of the hair when it grows back out as if it has been cut, it doesnt look like a new hair grown,

I dont know i think laser is my only option to be comfortable with myself,

Like i said i used to be in really good shape,
But lately…I kind of let go due to the way i feel about myself >@<…I dont want to sound all emo and stuff haha,

Sorry i will go for a consultation soon to get my skin type :slight_smile:

#19

All the best!:slight_smile: