Hi. I have been getting treatment on my full legs & brazillian bikini for about a year (6 treatments on legs, 4 on bikini) at American Laser Centers using the Aurora at the highest setting (I have very light skin). I have gotten good results on my bikini from the aurora and somewhat good results on my lower legs—not much on upper (lighter hair I suppose)…
I switched locations to a different ALC because I moved and they insisted to use the Soprano Laser so I said OK. After the treatment, I waited and waited and no shedding at all! Nothing! I’m not sure what setting she used but I didn’t feel a thing during the treatment. Has anyone had any experiences with the Soprano?
At least with the Aurora there was always some shedding especially on areas with coarse dark hair.
I’m not sure if I should ask to be switched to the Aurora next time I go or just request a higher setting on the Soprano… any suggestions?
This is a new diode laser that only that chain uses. They’re replaced their Auroras I guess at some centers (probably because IPLs don’t work well on most people; best on some light skins). There have been a few posts here from others with the same situation. My guess would be that they haven’t learned to use the machine. It has the same attributes as LightSheer it seems, and there are 3 different settings to set. It’s very different from the Aurora. I would guess they are undertreating you.
There are two new lasers that the ALC chains are using Amerilight and Amerilase. The Amerilase is the upgraded Aurora laser. Amerilase is similar to the comet laser but also has RF and can treat skin type 5 and 6 Also it can do grey hair where many Light Sheer’s can not target.
face and full brazillian 17X (still going for a few hairs)
underarms 3X ( so far just patchy hair spots)
legs 7 X ( pretty smoothe but still a bit of hair all over)
Recently when I started my underarms they switched to Soprano Laser . At first I too felt nothing. Though recently I felt it a LOT more. I think they now are starting to turn up the settings.
I would suggest seeing how high they are setting it, and if they are able to turn it up a bit?
Thanks for the information. We like updates from consumers.
So, you have had 29 LASER treatments over 2 years and things are better for four areas, but you still have some hair. Do you know how much you have spent? What LASER was used before the switch to the Soprano? How many more treatments do you think will you need?
WOW well I got laser a few years ago, and it was quite expensive then…
roughly
full brazillian and full face (chin,neck and cheeks) $3,900
legs $ 2,000
underarms $600.00
I got package deals, with two year gaurentee after. I have spent quite a bit, but it is worth it.
I just wish these darn little hairs would go.
I used the LIGHTSHEER DIODE laser for many treatments before they switched me around my 14th treatment for face and bikinni…and legs and underarms have always had suprano…
Not sure on how many more treatments for bikini really, it is basically done, got a few tough hairs. I think they are not going to give up at all.
At first the suprano seemed very painless, but lately they turned up the settings…and it feels a lot like the pain of lightsheer…which was not too bad…but could feel it.
Thanks for sharing. Soooo…, 2 years, about $6,500 ( or $270 per month avg.), still some smaller hairs present and some stubborn hairs on the bikini line. By the way, those prices are in sync for for what my clients pay when they see a laserologist I recommend to them for certain areas like the underarms and bikini line.
Have you considered having electrolysis on the bikini area or any other area to fine tune and get the rest of the hair that bother you?
It sounds like you’re at a point where you should be switching to electrolysis for the remaining sparse hairs. You reach a diminishing returns with laser. It really works best on coarse dense hair. I have done that with my underarms and bikini as well when I had sparse fine hairs left. Removed them with electrolysis.
I just came back from my hair removal appointment at American Laser Centers. Just to remind everyone, I am doing brazillian bikini and full legs - I have skin type II, mix of black & brown course hair on bottom legs & bikini, and lighter coarse & fine hair on upper legs – this was my 7th treatment on legs & 5th on bikini (so, including this one, 6 treatments with Aurora and 1 with Soprano).
Anyway, I told the tech that the Soprano that she treated me with last time did not produce any shedding and that I felt no pain at all during that treatment-- so I asked her if she could increase the setting on it. She told me that she had the setting almost as high as it would go last time-- then she asked me if I had better results with the Aurora (Amerilight) and I did so I said yes. So she suggested we stick with the Amerilight, and so we did. I’ve had shedding from the Aurora on dark hairs particularly before so I’m hoping this treatment will produce shedding as well - I did feel pain this time but only in the areas where I have dark, coarse hair-- my upper legs I didn’t feel anything. I will post again in 2-3 weeks when it’s time to shed =)
As for the Soprano, I asked her more questions as she treated me. I asked her if maybe it takes more treatments to see shedding using the soprano (like some ppl mentioned here) and she said that if I did not see shedding at all during the first treatment using the Soprano then chances are I won’t the 2nd, 3rd or 4th. I asked how other people are responding to the machine and she said that most of their clients respond better to the Soprano than to the Amerilight but that it is not the case with every patient, so she said that if I didn’t see results with Soprano and did see results with Aurora (Amerilight) it’s better to continue with the Amerilight.
I would guess that since the Soprano is new, they just haven’t learned how to use it. Find out exactly what settings she used (spot size, joules, and pulse). There is a good chance that she doesn’t know what “high” means.
I just called them and asked what setting they used on me when I was treated witht eh Soprano and she said that they aren’t allowed to give out the exact numbers… but she said it was pretty high for my skin type— I asked if they could still go higher and she said, oh yeah definetly… I’m disappointed… before the other girl told me it was almost as high as it could go… I’m starting to think maybe they didn’t even note what setting they used…?? Why would she not be able to tell em otherwise… it’s my body, I should know… weird…
Lagirl, would you advise that I give the Soprano another try at my next treatment session but request that they use a much higher setting than last time… or that I’m better off with the Aurora which does produce shedding but after a year of treatment, it’s hardly what I expected—still gotta shave every day and still lots of hair…
I have seen the Amerilight at the center, but have not used it yet. Let us know how the shedding goes? I just had my eight treatment on the legs , and so far, nothing is growing back yet. But I know those stubbly hairs are about to break out…especially on the upper thighs.
Mzdeadlyspell, what machine are they using on you and what skin type and hair type are you?
So far it has been 10 days since my last laser treatment with the Amerilight and no shedding at all yet… I’ll give it 4 weeks. If I don’t shed, I really don’t know what is wrong— the Soprano produced no shedding last time either =(
If you’re going to go with Soprano, I would ask for specific settings to try. I doubt anything will be different if you just let them do it again as they did last time. It’s a diode, so I would assume you need to be treated at at least 25 joules with under 50-100 pulse.
Update: I just came back from my ALC treatment (#10 on legs and #8 on bikini). I requested that they use the Amerilase on me today. It hurt the most out of all the times I’ve been there… I just hope if works. The technician I had today was also the best I’ve had and was very professional and knowledgable. I will update on results to see if this machine was any better.
Well it’s been almost 3 weeks since my last laser treatment at ALC…this time with the AmeriLase. The results seem to be the same as with the Amerilight. Very little shedding-- mostly in bikini and lower leg area… I don’t think anything shed on upper leg. I am sure she missed lots of spots, as they always do, but as always it is hard to tell as only maybe 10% of the hair actually shed. I am disappointed but will continue until my contract expires =/
But I know those stubbly hairs are about to break out…especially on the upper thighs.