Have you tried treatment with numbing cream? Most people don’t have issues handling it with the numbing cream, when it’s applied properly for an hour beforehand. Taking an advil beforehand and avoiding caffeine and eating well that day helps too.
I wouldn’t call the Soprano “the best laser on the market”. It’s a diode, which already doesn’t make it one. But it should be decent in good hands.
Numbing cream over an entire shoulders/back/chest/abs?
I would die no?
update on the burn pain, it’s gone and it doesn’t look like she hit to many coarse hairs - I’m curious to see the shedding…
Is it possible to get the same results with a diode compared to Gentlelase?
What’s your skin type and what was the power setting they used? If you feel it burns then i would probably say they did a little bit too strong, but it may depend on your color so hard to tell.
for this Soprano XL, from what I saw on the screen, 10j for the top line and 2 something on the line below…
I’m guessing that was skin type? She said I was a type II, thought I was closer to type III, tho the area treated has not seen daylight since 1992
The area is red, and feels like a slight burn and the test was over 10 hours ago.
My treatments on my arms with Gentlelase in the past, 18J 15mm spot - only hurts when getting zapped, absolutely no pain after the treatments.
Is this some type of tradeoff? slightly less pain during the treatment and burnt after? Mind you the test area is maybe 4x2 inches… But I would be livid right now if I had this feeling all over my chest/back/shoulders right now
Is this the diff between the 2 types of lasers diode and alex?
Feels like I’m right back to the drawing board
the only thing holding me back is the PAIN
I’m now considering checking out the duet, but being a diode i’m guessing it’s going to be the same burn
nothin is ever easy is it
on another note, I could not believe the amount of consults and calls the office had while I was there, I just hope everyone is educating themselves as much as possible… Tho I doubt they are…
Just another reason to be thankful for this site and the info it provides.
Well, i think they overdid it on you, that’s why you are still feeling it. 10 joules for you should be ok but i guess they ran too many passes on the same area.
The area should become redish for awhile afterward but it shouldn’t burn in a painful way, maybe a bit warm to the touch for a while.
And it has nothing to do with alex vs. diode or Soprano vs. Lightsheer.
Burns can happen on any machine when inappropriate settings are used.
You really should try to use a numbing cream and ice packs. Yes, it is safe if you use a properly compounded one like EMLA if you don’t combine it with other drugs and break up your treatments into several days even. The people who died used a manually compounded cream with too much lidocaine in it.
Ice packs helps a lot.
I’m surprised to know that you had pain after the treatment. Some of the areas with coarser more dense hair does hurt, but I don’t recall experiencing any burning or pain afterwards. By the time I got home from the laser clinic, I couldn’t feel anything or tell I had something done on my skin. I am a skin type 4, and I am telling you I didn’t have any burning…she used 10j on me aswell. Maybe the laser technician isn’t well experienced. The only area I feel pain with the Soprano laser is lower legs and Bikini area. That’s about it! Everywhere else is pretty tolerable. I don’t even use emla or bother taking tylenol before the treatment. I had my last treatment 5 weeks ago and my legs are still smooth and hairfree. All the shedding is done, and I am due sometime in march again for my fourth treatment.
Male facial hair is more dense and coarse. But there shouldn’t be any pain afterwards, regardless. That’s a sign of overtreatment or slight burn.
Well, it burned after the test treatment, I’m type 2 maybe 3, she didn’t even get into the heavy coarse area and today there looks to be hairs growing in the test area, not shedding…
Zala, you sound like a infomercial.
I’m guessing you are female, and can not possibly have nearly the amount of hair that I have.
This so called Soprano is marketed as painless, even looking at some of the treatments on youtube, people look as if zero pain at all…
This can’t possibly be true with coarse black hairs.
There IS pain involved and I experienced a slight burn feeling for over 10 hours after the treatment.
I have never felt that burn with Gentlelase. 18j 15mm spot
I am thinking about getting a test spot done with the duet.
I don’t think that the soprano is worth the risk of wasting thousands on treatments only to have to go back to Gentlelase.
Red flags on the soprano xl for me are, everyone is sooo positive it works, the women that performs the treatment was way over the top with how successful the processes is, had absolutely no knowledge of ihg…
Just BE HONEST
If you tell me there is a shot it won’t do 100% of what I want or I may just see 50% reduction I would have a lot more respect, I’m a freaking human being and not an atm to you…
Lying about this to people who are emotionally distraught over their hair issues is borderline THEFT
The battle continues
Hi, sorry about the stress you’re having. 
Why are you not continuing with GentleLASE treatment? You mentioned you can’t take the pain, but there are oral painkillers if the area is too big for EMLA. Also, if you can just stand the pain for even two little treatments, then the later treatments don’t hurt nearly as much because the hair is already thinner and lighter. It’s really one of the best options for good candidates. I’ve never used the Soprano, so I can’t say your burning sensation was due to the machine or poor technical work or anything. I can only say I love the GentleLASE (hurts, but it works brilliantly on me).
In fact, if this treatment sheds normally, then maybe you can do final treatments with GentleLASE once the hair isn’t as coarse anymore.
If you think you’re seeing hair grow in, that is inconsistent with the pain you’re feeling. If they treated you so much that you’re in pain over it, then I can’t imagine the hairs weren’t hit. The whole issue seems to be that they were hit too hard, if anything. I have a feeling that this “growth” is just hair being ejected prior to shedding, so don’t panic over that yet. If it truly doesn’t shed, then complain to the clinic. I would also tell them about the pain as well.
Those GentleLASE settings are relatively low since it’s at 15mm spot size. Max settings on 15mm is 30j. That’s probably why you didn’t feel many side effects afterwards.
Some side effects like irritation for several days on male beards is normal after treatments since the hair is so dense and coarse. If you were fine 10 hours after the treatment, then you likely weren’t burned. Can you post some pictures?
Thanks Magical… I can’t tell you how hard its been on me, dealing with this – Anywho…
The soprano treatment was just a test area, I doubt I will even see them again, my gut is telling me to stay away from the XL
GentleLASE - I’ve had 6 treatments on my lower arms, 2 more on my hands - a year later from my last treatment, 60% reduction, hands are 85% clear - HUGE difference from what they were.
BUT - I won’t be able to handle the pain from the GentleLASE on my chest/shoulders/back, and getting looped up on pain pills is not an option for me, I hate drugs.
I’m going to try to find a place with the duet and get hit with that laser - again, they say it’s “painless” I’m not buying into that, but if it is manageable, and the hair sheds, I’ll do it.
My guess is I’ll end up continuing with GentleLASE - the place I go has really been great for me, in fact I kinda feel like i’m cheating ;o) But I need to find out about the duet…
I believe that the duet is a diode laser, 22mm x 35mm spot size, which is huge. I’m hopeful, but not holding my hopes up too high like I did with the soprano and their “virtually painless” claims…
Just want to mention again that ICING is a great option. If you do it before and after the treatment, it significantly reduces pain. EMLA is also a good option. You can split up your treamtents in several days…i.e. chest one day, back another day, etc.
Like Magical said, it hurs the most the first time since the hair is the most dense. Then it hurts less and less each time. If you really really want the hair gone, do the icing method and think about the results. It will help you handle the pain!
LAGirl, Max settings for the GentleLASE is 20J I am not doing my beard.
Maybe in a few years if they were to ever actually come out with a painless laser system
update - looks like you changed your post LA…
Icing does not work - for me - and from what I’ve read here, can make the treatments less effective.
For me, what has worked - Drinking Coffee, eating a really unhealthy surgery meal an hour before, and taking advil 4 hours and then 1 hour before treatment…
I’ve tried it without coffee and that was pointless and gave me a headache…
The numbing cream is an option, but I want to find out about the duet 1st…
Unless you think it’s a complete mistake going with a diode and I should just stick with the Alex…
Oh, on my arms, pain did reduce until after the 4th treatment, and it still hurt like hell…
No, 20J is max on 18mm. On 15mm, it’s 30J.
Joules are not as effective when you decrease the spot size, that’s why the max is higher on smaller spot sizes.
I don’t think killing hair is ever going to be painless. Just like no surgery is going to be painless. Anesthesia is around for this reason.
wow, I was not aware of a 18mm spot size for the GentleLASE, i’ll have to ask about that…
You know, it’s too bad that you couldn’t just get knockout every 3 months and have all the area’s treated at once…
I’m sure if you had enough $$$ that would be possible…
I don’t understand how you can say you feel like being cheated. Zala told you about HER own experience with it. The reason they market it as pain-free is because compared to other machines it’s as painless as it gets. None (in this forum) said it’s actually pain-free but if certain conditions are met the level of discomfort you will experience is minimal.
Some areas hurt more than others so my guess is you were over treated in that area which is why the burning feeling for 10 hours.
I don’t know, maybe it’s just me and my understanding of the English language…
“virtually painless” = pain ???
You do not need to market this devices as painless if it is not.
Has to do with credibility, If you are marketing this as “virtually painless” when it is clearly not painless, then any claims of it’s permanence can also be false.
Someone may go into this, spend thousands thinking that it’s “virtually painless” and after there 1st treatment realize they may have just made a huge mistake and should just deal with the pain from an alex…
I wish I were closer to ya Odi, I’d have you test me.
could of well been the place I went, but being that’s the only place that has that laser in my state, not much of an option…
Please don’t take me wrong here, I’m not trying to come out here looking like a non believer, just being logical and cautious for my own benefit/safety.
oh, I don’t feel cheated at all, I went in for the test spot using the Soprano, not 100% satisfied with it, and it may not merit the investment as compared to GentleLASE
Next up will be a discussion and test using the duet.
If anyone has had experience getting zapped with the duet please share…
Not saying you didn’t have pain or anything but the majority of people being treated with the Soprano actually fall asleep during the treatment, and that is why they say it’s virtually painless.
As i said before, some conditions must exist like skin type, area being treated, the place doing it etc…
You should at least give it 3 weeks and see if the hair is shedding or not.
haireverywhere, honestly you have to stop with the ridiculous posts as there’s no magic answer to what you’re looking for. ALL lasers feel the same give or take a little difference. NO laser is going to be pain free so if you’re looking to go for a treatment and feel nothing then it just doesn’t exist. It also depends on the area like odi said, different body parts feel different. Legs I find are pretty tough, compared to face which is the opposite. When they market devices are virtually painfree, they’re really referring to the most common treatments, being legs underarms and so on. The duet will feel just the same as any other machine, it causes a vacuum which pulls the skin tight, but it’s still a diode laser which is the same as LightSheer or Soprano so it’s still going to hurt. The only benefit is the really big spot size so treatment will be faster. You can post 50 times on here asking for reviews on lasers no one is going to tell you one doesn’t hurt. Even if they do it doesn’t matter. I’ve had GentleLASE 18mm and 20J everywhere and I don’t find it hurts at all. It’s not pleasant, I certainly wouldn’t fall asleep during it, but compared to say getting a tattoo it’s nothing. On stomach and underarms it’s mildly uncomfortable. Face is def not fun but it’s not unbearable, it’s a pretty quick session. So it doesn’t matter what people here tell you, if you asked me if GentleLASE hurts I’d tell you no it doesn’t, only a bit but nothing excruciating.