question about settings

Hair Removal Methods Laser hair removal
#1

I had laser treatement some 2.5 weeks ago on my legs and bikini.
The clinic used alexandrite gentle lase by candela.
Settings were : 15mm, 20J.

Small squars were drawn on my legs in order to devide the area. I seem to have few missed spots along those lines.
Shedding started after 1.5 on my bikini. I have a lot of paperspots on my legs.It doesnt seem to me they are coming out any time soon. I started to exfoliate. After the treatement my legs looked as they were waxed ( red spots alle over). All gone next day.
I am type I with dark coarse hair on my bikin as well as on my legs.Doctor told me i was an excellant candidate.
-should i try to push them to use considerably higher setting next time ( 15mm, 30J) or (18mm, 20J) for example.
-as i understand the most important is to use high settings at the very beginning cause after 5, 6 treatements those 30J wont have the same meaning
-what are the chances of burning if i am very pale skin?
-what should be taken into consideration when deciding what settings to use beside skin type, color and density of the hair.
-i belive they will use higher settings next time but i would like to use the maximum

#2

most pepperspots will come out in another 2 weeks or so. i get them on my legs too, not much on my bikini. it happens more when the hair is not as coarse. exfoliating helps a lot. scrub gently in the shower with an exfoliating body wash etc.

highest settings on 15mm is 30 joules and on 18mm 20 joules. i would probably stick with 18mm until the hair gets finer. 16-20 joules on 18mm are good settings. there is no way to tell how likely YOUR skin is to burn. They can test spot it if they are unsure. I’m a type II-III and I’ve used 16 and 18 joules on 18mm without any issues.

#3

thanks for ur replay. i find this forum soooo helpful and informative :slight_smile:
will keep updating on my results when the shedding period is over.

#4

I noticed today on my bikini that i have a small patch … discoloration :confused:…
it might have been there b4 ( already right after the teratement ) but i had a lot of paperspots so it wasnt noticable.I wasnt paying attention. Most of the hairs have sheded on my upper bikini so now it is visible. It can be only seen if looked very closely.
I am aware u can me tell me any specifics BUT… if it is discoloration caused by laser… What are the chancec it will fade away???
I am very confused now cause the settings used were low. 20J, 15 mm??

On that area i wasnt shaved properly prior the treatement. ( hairs were already coming out a bit. They are very dark and coarse usually. Could that be a reason why my skin got burned? :o

#5

discoloration is not the same as a burn. if it’s minor, it will go away, but make take a couple weeks to a couple months. there could also be bruising. it’s hard to tell without a picture. you should show it to your clinic.

slight stubble wouldn’t cause pigmentation or a burn usually. if it’s still called “stubble” i wouldn’t expect it to burn the skin. if it’s a quarter of an inch long…it may.

#6

iT is about quarter inch in diameter. Sort of reddish which makes it look darker from the rest of the skin.
I think it has become less visible since first time i noticed it. :slight_smile:

  • It has been 3 weeks now since my treatement. I have some missed spots. I havent discussed this with my clinc b4. should i ask them for touch up on those areas. I am conserned that those hairs wont be in anagen faze on my next visit…
#7

it depends on how much was missed. if it’s a bunch of hair, then i would ask for a touchup. but if its sparse hairs here and there, that’s normal and can wait.

#8

could u please take a look and tell me what u think? As u can see there are misspots and some hairs beside those missed areas did not shade… DO u think there is too much lef? Shoudlnt it all shade??

http://rapidshare.com/files/51664876/P4150021.JPG.html
lagirl, ssihr?
Anbody… ur thoughts?

#9

Umm difficult to say whether there’s to much left. I can see the areas your talking about, although I’m not sure whether they’d be considered minor.
Might be worth bringing the photo to your next session and mentioning it, just to let them know that you are aware that they have missed areas. Iv’e had the same problem myself where the operator has missed considerable pathces and there was still some umming and ahhing as to what could be done.

Feel free to have a look, the link should be on one of my recent posts “Info. and experiences with laser”.

Atm I’m being treated with a Candella GentleLase 18mm at 18 joules, the nurses seem to have a habit of increasing the power as my treatmets go along, I originally started off with 16 joules (but had to drop to 14 for certain areas, as the pain was insane), and now I’m on 18 joules all over and am having no side effects such as burning etc. So hey bring on 20 joules!

Hope all goes well,
Benji

#10

I don’t see the picture when I went to look for it. I just get some advertising.

#11

i don’t see the picture either. however, on the other forum you said 85-90% shed, which is good. i wouldn’t worry about it, but if your clinic does free touchups, i don’t see a reason not to do it.

#12

. hmm. shoudl work… when u open the link … in a table where it says… download- u click FREE…
and on another page that opens it asks u to write some code letter. U write them in a box and click-SUBMIT
thats it
maybe this will work.
http://i17.tinypic.com/5x8ne44.jpg
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=5x8ne44
http://i16.tinypic.com/4xna1wy.jpg
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=4xna1wy
http://s223.photobucket.com/albums/dd269/maxi2222/

Yes, some 85% has shaded all together:legs and bikini.
However bikini itself… …doctor told me that it would shade right next day (after treatement)and that it was the easiest to treat. Thats why i expected the best results (full shading) there… It started to shade after 1.5 week. I know that also good but i want him to know how it worked for me.
Mabye i am complicating for no reason. I had a bed experience b4 dealing with unexperienced people so now i guess i am questioning everything. I want the best for the money i pay and i want to be sure i am getting the most possible. Thats why i need ur advices and opinions and i really appreciate ur help.
Try to understand me.
I dont know whether they do it for free but i want to show them those missed spots. It is good for them to know as well what kind of results ( shading) their clients get. Thats all. I have an appointment tomorrow.

#13

You are right. Show them. Maybe they will overlap more next time. But 85% is good and nothing to worry about. You are getting results. Shedding is SUPPOSED to start at 1.5 week mark or so and lasts until week 3-3.5. You’re good.

#14

i asume u saw the pic …
again, thanks for ur responses :slight_smile:

#15

so i went to cinic today to show my result. DOc said that he didnt missed those areas on purpose ( i never thought he did… weired…)and countinued explaining that it was impossible to catch every hair and that it was why i need multiple teratemets…I shoudl point him those areas on my next treatemenet so he could pay more attention next time…
So much about touch up… heh
I also asked about settings he is planning to use on another treatement. He was surprised i am asking this ( i guess he is not used on discussing that with clients) In short, he just said he increases when it is necessary. WHen deciding about settings he takes into consideration patient tolerance, skin color, hair…

And now interasting part of my vist. He asked me if i have already made an appointement for second treatement and that i should make sure that i have another treatement somwhere in between 2 moths after the first; the best would be after 6 weeks.
It has been almost 5 weeks now since my first one and he saw that i dont have regrowth yet.
hmm.- either way he just wants to get money

  • or he doesnt know what he is talking about…
    Either way, it is not good.
    U always say to find a clinic with good machine, skilled, who cares about ur results…
    what do u think? What to do?
#16

  • most techs/doctors who recommend 6 weeks just go by what the laser manufacturer tells them. just shows he’s not really up on his research. i wouldn’t dismiss him because of that. just schedule your appt whenever you want to. that’s what i did when i started and my doctor initially said 4 weeks.

  • always ask for exact settings. you have a right to know. yes, they’re not used to clients asking as few read these forums or care enough. most people just expect the doctor to know best. but it sounds like he’s using ok settings since you saw good shedding. you can ask him to use 18mm spot size next time, but make sure joules are at least 14 in that case. i’m not sure what he is planning to raise, spot size or just joules, or both.

  • he’s right that it’s hard to get every hair, especially if you come in cleanly shaved. i would come in with 1-2 days worth of stubble and ask them to overlap by 10% next time. that’s all. i wouldn’t dismiss him for this either.

#17


http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd269/maxi2222/P4250091-1.jpg

i thought i had hyperpigmentation or bruise… and that all is gone… but this reddis spot is still there. I wasnt paying much attention to it; thought it would fade. I was in in clinic and i didnt show them that… i dont know when i first noticed it. Now i wonder if laser coudl have caused it??

What do u think?
What to do now?

#18

how long has it been since the treatment? did you have pigmentation and/or bruising on the same area?

#19

i noticed it way b4… but not sure exactly when. maybe week or 2 after treatement… really dont know. as i said i wasnt paying too much attention to it.
-no, there was no bruising or pigmenattion on that place ever
-it has been about 6 weeks now since treatement

#20

Well, if anybody is interasted…
I went to my doctor today. She told me i have some sort of eczema. I never had that b4. I was proscribed a cream which should help the area to heal. I was also told that it might take another month to heal completely but it is nothing serious. The good thing is that it hasnt spread.
hm…