Switching from Yag to Alex safely

Hair Removal Methods Laser hair removal
#1

I am a medium tan Latina being treated with a Gentlemax using the Yag. My last 3 sessions I was treated at the highest settings 18mm, 30j, 3ms. Sometimes she would double pass the area at that setting and I never had any bad reactions so I am sure I can take higher settings using the Alex option. I am seeing decent results using the Yag but I want to go more aggressively since the hair is finer and more sparse in most areas now.

What would be the next highest settings using the 18mm spot size but switching to the Alex on the same machine? I have read on here that 16j is the minimum I would want to do with an 18mm spot size (not sure what the pulse should be though) on the Gentlemax Alex but is there a formula for figuring out what setting on the Alex would be equal to the settings I’m using now and how to gradually increase power each visit?

#2

Hi Caligirl,

I am a technician in NYC (this is my first post here! :))

How many treatments have you had in total using the YAG? As a technician, I do not double pass the area (personally, I do not think it is safe). If your technician is overlapping properly (about 30% for Candela machines), then there should be no reason to do any double passing.

Without seeing you in person, and if you are a true skintype 4, I’d be hesitant at treating you at 16j on a Candela Alex without giving you a test patch in the area first. Just because you can handle a high YAG setting does not mean you can handle an agressive Alex setting. 16j is NOT the minimum you’d want to do on an 18mm spot size if you are taking the persons’ fitzpatrick into account, as wlel as density, color, thickness of hair and the amount of treatments they have had.

Taking your ethnic background into consideration, it’s important to TP the area first as being a Latina you can pigment if the settings are too high on an Alex.

If you are on a YAG, you should find out the MS (pulse width) that the technician used on you and if it was 5 or 10ms, it should be lowered to 3ms. Hope this helps!!

#3

If you can handle those max settings on the Yag, they should really be treating you with good settings on the Alex. I would try 16J on 18mm and see how your skin handles that. That’s a good setting. Anything higher is fine as well of course, but may not even be necessary.

I’d recommend avoiding double passes. That can burn you.

#4

Thanks so much to both of you for your help. I had my last 3 or 4 visits using the max settings on the Gentle Yag 18mm spot size, 30J and 3ms pulse.

I took a chance and did a test patch (half of my upper left thigh) on the Alex using 18mm, 18J, 3ms and it was noticeably more painful than the max on the Yag. I barely tolerated the pain. After treatment my thigh had red circles on it for the rest of the day and night. The next day they were almost gone but faintly visible. Then they disappeared. I think my laser tech said the max setting on the Gentle Lase at the 18mm spot size is 20J (or she might have said 30J) at 3ms. Is that correct? I’m sure that has been answered on the board so I apologize in advance.

I only do double passes using the Yag and so far I never had a problem but I absolutely recognize the danger. I know it’s not the best practice. I’m hoping to find a more aggressive setting on the Alex so I don’t have to double pass but I have been a little afraid to try the Alex until this point.

#5

Yes, max is 20J on 18mm. She’s correct. If you use anything 16J/18mm and higher, you’ll be fine with the Alex. It sounds like you can handle 16J/18mm given your experience with 18/18.

#6

@ihatebodyhair I have had that red circle effect before. I think it was the first time I used max settings on the gentlemax but I can’t remember. I had it more than once actually but they never stayed. They always faded within a day or two. I think it’s possibly because I wear skinny/tight jeans and take hot showers. That irritates my legs after laser treatments but I always forget not to do that. I am concerned with hyperpigmentation since I have dark skin and I never had pigment left behind. I think I’ll try 16J next time instead of 18J just to be safe.

@LAgirl. Thanks again.

#7

Agreed

#8

Would you both recommend increasing the pulse width from 3 all the way to 20 if I have already treated half of the front of my thigh on the Gentle Lase at 3ms pulse with and 18mm spot size at 18J?

If so why? Is there a realistic chance my skin would not tolerate the same settings or even bumping the joules down to 16 next time? I’m honestly curious since you both agree on this.

#9

You have to play around with it and see how your skin reacts. Eitehr 18J on 18mm with 10-20ms could work, or 16J on 18mm with 5-10ms could work. No way to tell you for sure. You have to test.