Terrible results on my face.

Hair Removal Methods Laser hair removal
#1

I treated my face with Lightsheer before, 5 times. I got great results on my cheeks and neck, but horrid results on my chin and upper lip.

I have very very dark black hair which is very very coarse. I have white skin.

I spoke to my laser technician about the patchiness, she recommended I switch to Alexandrite, and so I did for my last (6th) treatment.

She told me she used lower intensities, but I could swear it didnt hurt any less. I was skeptical about her using low intensities, but she told me everything should be fine since my upper lip and chin are so coarse and dark.

Well it’s been 2 weeks since my Alexandrite treatment, and NOTHING fell off from my face. No shedding, nothing. Usually some hairs will slip out easily after I tug at them following a successful treatment, but not this time. Hair is still growing, and it seems to grow somehat faster than before.

Please tell me what I should do next. My face is very patchy, and even worse now since the hairy parts are even darker and there is more contrast. Should I go back to lightsheer? Even with lightsheer the bottom of my chin was not shedding at all. Should I ask for higher energies? But if I will still get patchy results should I try again on the Alexandrite? Alexandrite gave me excellent results on my legs, but so far nothing at all on my face.

Thanks.

#2

I’ll say only one thing: You’re not alone. While laser has given some people fantastic results (see any post by RJC2001), its results are not always universal.

#3

I dont get it, it’s like my face suddenly stopped responding to treatments. Either that or the technician is refusing to up the joules or adjust other settings (and I think that’s the case, they seem so unexperienced)

I’m left with an upper lip and chin that look half treated and I’m so ashamed to go out in public. I generally do not leave the house unless I must. I’m missing a lot of classes, and only showing up for exams.

I’d like to find a better laser practitioner here in Montreal but it seems that mostly everyone here doesnt know jack. I’ve tried 3 clinics so far, all terrible. I’m currently with Eclipse (who used to be good but they downsized and fired their good practitioners and kept the bad ones.)

#4

It is really difficult to say up front what any one person’s results will be with LASER. Even good initial results don’t say what the final result will be.

Since you are in Montreal, you are in luck if you choose to switch to Electrolysis, the Apilus Center is there, and you should be able to get facial hair removed in a day or two.

You may wish to contact:
Institut Dectro (Montréal) · Louise Lévesque, Director
3400, boulevard Poirier, Saint-Laurent (Québec) Canada H4R 2J5 · 514.856.0881
E-mail: institut-mtl@dectro.com

#5

I’d agree with James here…James Walker that is. Laser results are hard to guarantee. Yes, you can have some amazing results with laser but as to exactly what it will look like, and what it will look like on all people is often hard to say. If its your beard that is bothering you, you might just try shaving it carefully and keeping the area clean until you can try electrolysis if thats what you are looking into. Once I realized that my laser results had hit a plateau I began to look into electrolysis and now thats where I will eventually end up spending my money (and hopefully, lots of it to make my skin look like I did when I was 12 or 13). I have found that good shaving starts in the shower. Let your beard soak in warm water (not scolding hot but a little more than lukewarm) for about two minutes so as to soften it up. Some people will even shave in the shower. I’ve never done that myself on my beard but I used to shave my chest in the shower and it cut down on irritation and ingrowns. Once you get out of the shower, don’t dry your beard off but lather it up good and shave carefully. A good aftercare cream is anything by Neutrogena. They make excellent lotions that replace aftershaves because most aftershaves can actually make your skin even more irritated. But if you are looking to have it gone, and your end result be successful, look into electrolysis. I don’t know how good the place he recommended you to is but if James recommended it, it can’t be that bad. Good luck, and don’t give up.

Oh, one last thing…Go to class! It will make the exams easier. Trust me. I’m a college student as well and I know how hard it is sometime to go face groups of people when you are uncomfortable with certain aspects of yourself. But in reality, most of them are probably uncomfortable with their own self and probably won’t notice what you perceive to be your problem. If they do say anything, tell them to come talk to me.=) Take care bud.

#6

Switching to the alexandrite is a poor choice, especially for hair that has previously been treated with laser and is now finer. You should have stayed with laser rather than switch to the alexandrite. A more experienced practitioner may help. In my experience, Nd:YAG lasers work very well in the beard area, so you may want to consider that too.

Follicles in the beard area are deeper than other areas. The Nd:YAG laser has the deepest penetration followed by the diode (Lightsheer).

What percentage of your original hair is left? Electrolysis is a good option if your hair is fine and you no longer respond to laser treatments.

RJC2001

#7

http://www.boots.com/shop/product_details.jsp?productid=1054829

http://www.boots.com/shop/product_details.jsp?productid=1007252

sorry, lol ive posted this a few times now… but arent these products above claiming to get rid of hair easily… eventually hair will no longer grow back???

this seems the best method to me? no side affects?

i normally would disregard it but its being sold on a well known high street shop

please email me if i should/ should not use these products.

#8

James Walker, do you know of any good laser practitioners in Montreal? The ones Im dealing with do not seem good at all, and there is too much on my face to be done with electrolysis.

Besides, I wasn’t hoping for complete removal, just good reduction (if possible)

I still plan to touch things up and even out edges with electrolysis, but my upper lip and chin are almost full, except for a few spots.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that I dont have any fine hairs on my upper lip and chin. What’s there is very black and coarse.

EDIT2: I just uploaded images.

http://server2.uploadit.org/files/Vandelay-1.jpg
http://server3.uploadit.org/files/Vandelay-3.jpg

This is what I look like RIGHT AFTER I shave. If I wait till the afternoon or something, the contrast gets even worse. My cheeks have very little hair left (just the way I want them) but my upper lip and chin look disastrous.

#9

It’s too bad you can’t spend a weekend in Buffalo, because I could probably clear both your upper lip and chin in a day or two in electrolysis. I have cleared a few people with your kind of overgrowth. If we cleared it all out once, you would have a permanent reduction of the number of hairs growing, in addition to a few weeks of smooth skin.

I don’t know of any LASER practitioners in Montreal to send you to.

#10

If I choose to go with electrolysis, how much money am I looking at approximately?

Also, will my skin look bad (as it often does with laser, specially on the face) the few follwing days?

#11

I really can’t quote you price guesses, especially without actually working on you to the point of knowing for sure what we are up against.

With the amount of hair you have, your first clearance will leave you pink and you will have some swelling for the first 3 days, possibly 5 days depending on how coarse your hair is, and how sensitive your skin may be. After the first clearance, however, there is usually no noticeable swelling, and one can go out dancing later the same day, or at least the next day.

Another option for you would be to selectively thin the area, in which case you would not have swelling, but you would not be clear either. Most people opt for the full clearance and just get it out of the way. Your first pass through an area is always the worst. After that, it is usually a much easier thing, both on sensation, and on post treatment state. After all, after the first treatment, you never have as many hairs as close together ever again.

Feel Free to Email me at ExecutiveImageS(AT)Aol(DOT)Com

#12

Hi jamesb2,

did you have any side-effects on your face apart from bad results with alexandrite laser? how long has it been since your last treatment? have you experienced and sagging, wrinkles, dry, thinnner and more fragile skin as if it has lost its elasticity?