Should I go back to Laser?

Hair Removal Methods Laser hair removal
#1

Hello everyone!

First of all, let me say I’m very glad I was able to find this forum. I’ve read such interesting and useful information and I wish I’d find it sooner.

I am Portuguese, white skin, black hair and brown eyes.
According to some sources I’d say I’m… type III?

I’m going to share my history and hopefully you’ll be able to give my some insight on what to do next.

5 years ago, when I was 17/18 years old, I decided that I wanted to try Laser Hair Removal. At the time, I was already feeling terrible with the amount of hair in the chest, stomach, back and shoulders. At the time, there weren’t many places that did it for a resonable price and most of them were far away from my hometown. I still decided to try it and went to a place that was 2hours away from home.

I don’t recall much from that time, though. I know that they were using Alexandrite, but I have no idea what were the characteristics of the machine, the Js they were using, etc.
My reaction to the treatment was… agressive, I’d say. After 3 or 4 days I’d get “pimples” (not sure if that would be the correct word in English) everywhere on my chest and on my back. They would dissapear after 1 or 2 weeks (not exagerating here, it did take that long for them to dissapear). I was using Aloe Vera to hidrate myself every day after the treatments. I remember that the hair did fall after a few weeks and when I had hair growing again I’d schedule another session.

After I did 5 sessions (1-2 months apart from each other), I was told by my dermatologist that I needed to stop LHR to start taking Isotretinoin pills due to a severe case of acne. And so I stopped.

I won’t rule out that Isotretinoin might have messed up with my hormonal system, but… I never had given the time to see if the sessions were working as I wasn’t letting the hair grow and now I started to get dissapointed to see “all my hair show up again”.

Jump to two years ago, I started working and there was an IPL place near my work. Since I was “dissapointed” with laser, I decided to give IPL ago (bad decision!). Still better for me than shaving or waxing, but waste of money in the end, I’d say.

It’s been 4 months since my last IPL session and of course, hair is pretty much all here. Thiner? I guess, it might be, but still…

I’m currently living in Germany were I am appaled at the prices for Laser sessions, so if I were to start with a treatment it would be whenever I go to Portugal on holidays. There is now a place close to my home that has Candela GentleLASE Alexandrite with reasonable prices. And they also do Electrolysis if needed, although the price is per minute.

So I guess my questions to you guys would be:

  • Do you think that I should try the place that ofers GentleLASE Alexandrite? If so, what would the appropriate values - wavelength, jules, … - be to my case?

  • Is it worth it going, knowing from the start that I will only be able to go every 3-4 months? My concern is not it taking a bit longer than if I was going every 2 months or so, its basically wasting my money (again) because there’s too much time between sessions.

I will take a photo of my back tonight so that you can have a look at my current state.

Thanks in advance. Regards.

#2

It’s hard to say for sure if all the hair grew back. You were quite young and your body was still developing new hair, which is one of the tradeoffs for treating hair in your teens (I went through the same thing btw.)

Gentlelase is a great laser. I have used it myself and have gotten great results. They should be using a minimum of 18mm/14J (Ideally 16J+). If they use less, it’s not worth going. Going every 3-4 months is fine, especially if you’re doing the legs. Honestly, nothing bad happens for waiting longer.

#3

Thank you so much for your answer Brenton. Indeed I realize I was probably too young at the time. Hopefully from now on I’ll have a better experience.

I’ve attached the photo of my back. After 3 months of last IPL session and about 4 weeks ago I shaved it. Do you think my hair (amount, thickness, etc) is then suitable for Gentlelase?

Thank you so much once again.

qwerty Attachments

IMG_0946.jpg

#4

Sorry for the little bump. After seeing the picture, do you think my hair (amount, thickness, etc) is then suitable for Gentlelase or should I think Electrolysis?

#5

I feel like I am in the same situation as you kinda. I went in for laser exactly a year ago and did treatments for full back and chest and stomach. I didn’t think I needed it for my back because I had a lot of fine hair and some thick hair in certain areas which I called an electrolysis to take care of that but was turned away because she didn’t do large areas anymore >:( but anyways I thought laser was great at first, I was having less hair each time and I was really satisfied with the results and after about 8 treatments in the back and about 10 in the front I didn’t think I needed anymore. I was getting treatments about every month sometimes a month and a half with a machine called Apogee Elite laser. Well after the treatments I had about 10 times the amount of growth on back and on shoulders.Front I would say a little better chest maybe 10% better, stomach idk if I can tell a difference or not maybe a little better too I can’t recall to be honest.

I am now looking into calling around to find an electrolysis for the front as far as the back I think I’m screwed there is too much hair now. I’m not sure what to do. For you I would say electrolysis at least you know that is permanent : /

How do you shave your back btw?

#6

Just saw the picture. Do you have a before picture of your back?

Can you take a look at the laser hair stimulation thread? It is in the laser forum, of course, a sticky at the top. Can you answer some of the questions listed.

If your back hair is too thin or too light in some areas, laser is not an option for you. The hair you have, hmmmm… Looks like a real laser could help, instead of an IPL. Some laser experts would say you need more laser, more than the six to eight treatments that is usually recommended. The back is a strange animal when it comes to laser. The outcome is not always predictable.

Did you go back to the laser clinic and complain? What did they say?

#7

Bem, vim publicar aqui, porque as mensagens privadas esquece. Não sei é se recebes respostas por mail

Ola! Tambem vou escrever sem acentos porque nao percebo mesmo nada o problema das mensagens. Enfim. O meu primeiro instinto ao ler IPL foi mesmo ‘nao o facas!’ mas parece que ja venho tarde lol. Ja escrutinei este site e a internet para encontrar eletrolise/depilacao eletrica ca. Nao foi facil mas encontrei alguns sitios. Publiquei esses sitios aqui:

Se o link nao der e o thread “How to find an electrologist in your area” pag. 22.

Nao fui a todos os sitios pessoalmente, ate porque ha uns no norte e eu sou de Loures. Daqueles a que fui, iniciei primeiro sessoes no Body Center, no Campo Pequeno em Lisboa. No entanto deixei de la ir porque, para alem de nao terem muitos cuidados a nivel de higiene como mencionei num post anteriormente, enganavam-se muito com os horarios. Mais de tres vezes marquei sessoes para uma hora, chegava lá e diziam que era outra hora. Portanto fartei-me e decidi arranjar outro sitio.

O sitio a que vou agora fica em telheiras, tambem em Lisboa. Ja tive uma sessao e ate agora estou satisfeita. Os cuidados de higien parecem ser serios (abre as agulhas a frente do cliente, lava as maos, usa luvas e mascara, usa pincas esterilizadas), o equipamento e moderno (um dos apilus), tem ar condicionado e radio =) A senhora e tambem muito simpatica e acessivel. E um pouco mais caro que o Body Center, mas penso que o que interessa e a qualidade acima de tudo. E penso que a senhora tem bastante experiencia (13 anos, segundo me lembro). Chama-se Helena Ferreira e o sitio onde vou e o Bem me Quero - http://esteticabemmequero.webnode.pt/

Ela e trabalhadora independente e sei que vai a outros sitios, mas nao sei onde.

Penso que a eletrica nas maos certas e a melhor solucao. Mencionaste que os pelos ja vao estando fracos para IPL. Nunca fiz IPL mas fiz lazer alexandrite e agora estou a acabar uma zona com eletrica porque tambem acho que os pelos estao fracos demais para laser e sei que com a eletrica nao corro o risco de estimulacao (ou de estragar o arranjinho, como digo). Em termos de dinheiro tambem compensa mais porque sabes que a longo prazo e um investimento que vale a pena e que vais atingir os resultados que queres. A pessoa com quem faco eletrica esta habituada a fazer zonas grandes no corpo. Demora e tempo e e preciso dedicacao e algumas poupancas. Se e algo que queres mesmo fazer, penso que deves investir, desde que a pessoa seja de confianca. Ate agora nao tenho queixas sobre este sitio, mas tambem ainda so fui uma vez.

Clinica do Pelo e para esquecer. Queimam meia duzia de pelos, crescem-te outra duzia que antes nao tinhas e queimas e o dinheiro so.

Estando no estrangeiro tambem podias procurar onde estas. Pode ser que haja algum sitio. Em Portugal sei que foi bem dificil encontrar, mas no final la consegui.

Boa sorte!