to laser or not to laser

Hair Removal Methods Laser hair removal
#1

i had a test shot on my underarms with soprano xl yesterday. the shot was perfectly fine, completely painless in fact, but there are two things that worry me

1/the technician suggested i’d need 8-10 sessions. i am incredibly pale (skin type 2 and not exactly hairy, there’s about 5mm between the hairs and the hair’s dark. i’ve done a search on soprano xl before i booked for the test shot and someone had mentioned that settings can be turned down so more sessions are necessary. i know you can never tell how many sessions exactly a person would need, but does 8-10 sound right for the amount or hair and colours?

2/it’s not permanent - i feel silly but i did think it was.

i’m wondering if it’s worth me spending so much money for the full (quite long!) treatment only to have to go back very soon.
i used to have my underarms waxed but i hate having to let it grow out. so i shave now and because i’m not that hairy, i don’t really have the stubbly look as soon as i shave and i only need to shave once or twice a week.

i’m also wondering if electrolysis would be a better option, i know it’s usually used for smaller areas but given i don’t really have that much hair, i think it would be an idea.

thanks for any input anyone can give.

#2

Hi there,

I feel you haven’t read through the faqs but here are some answers/suggestions anyway.

Your underarm hair needs to be dark and coarse for it to respond well to Laser. From what you have said, I think your hair isn’t coarse enough or dense enough.

Your description of the shot being ‘fine’ isn’t the same as what we would describe. Laser SHOULD hurt and if the settings are effective, will really hurt quite a bit.

Underarms generally need 6-8 sessions spaced 8-12 weeks apart. And the end result should be permanent providing the right type of hair has been treated with the appropriate laser at good settings. The reason why multiple sessions are required is to kill follicles in all the hair cycles.

I think electrolysis would be perfect for you. I had six sessions of Laser for about 80% permanent reduction in hairs and then switched to electrolysis to clear up the rest.

#3

Please read the FAQs at the link below.

I wouldn’t go to a clinic that thinks laser can’t provide permanent results, especially on an easy to treat area like the underarms. That basically tells me they undertreat their patients.

This isn’t the best machine out there, on top of that. And many clinics don’t know how to use it properly.

I’ve only needed 5 treatments with a good laser (GentleLASE) at good settings for 95%+ permanent reduction that’s now lasted for 5+ years.

Please read the FAQs below.

#4

thanks guys, i did actually read the faq’s - sorry if it didn’t come across!

the fact that the shot didn’t hurt at all (i have absolutely nothing against pain and i would expect it to hurt) had me a little concerned as well as the number of sessions. there’s not that many laser hair removal places where i live and i just came across this one, they only have soprano. i know of another place but i’m not sure what lasers they’ve got. i’ll investigate.

my underarm hair is dark (i’m blond but underarms are quite dark brown) but i’m not sure if it’s coarse. it was really fine when i used to wax but i stopped that over three years ago and i think it’s reasonably thick now but obviously i don’t know what the ideal would be.

good to know you’ve had really good results that lasted for such a long time! the lady who did the test shot said that she did her underarms and started having regrowth after two years but that some people might get 10 months and then have to come back. i really didn’t like that. if i had to have ten sessions - she said they needed to be a month apart (is this a bit close together?) - spent all the money and then got just 10 months of peace out of it i think it’d be a bit of a false economy on my part.

so, would you say that the way to go would be laser other than soprano followed by electrolysis?

thanks! i really do appreciate your help, i’m very new to this!

#5

Ideal is black and thick. I don’t think dark brown and semi coarse is enough. Even my medium coarse hairs which are black did not respond very well.

I would say go straight to electrolysis and find someone who has the capability of doing micro or pico flash thermolysis, if you can.

My underarm tidy-up is with regular old thermolysis and it’s fine too.

#6

ah, i see. it’s definitely not black and thick! thank you so much!

#7

Can you post a photo? The less coarse and dark the hair, the harder to get results. But I wouldn’t judge by that treatment. It sounds like settings were useless.

Call around and see what others are using. If your skin type is III or lighter, look for an alex laser like Apogee or GentleLASE.

#8

thank you la girl! i’ve tried taking a picture with two cameras and can’t get it to show it properly. if i use flash, it’s completely white and if i don’t use flash you just see what looks like a day old stubble when in fact there’s like 5mm long hair. sorry :frowning:

my skin is super super light, a major pain in the summer, i usually say that i’m probably the pastiest person on the planet (i’m sure there are paler people though!)

and i’ve realised (when taking the picture!) that the hairs at the bottom are dark blonde rather than brown so i guess those would stay. and while the brown ones look quite dark when they’re on the skin, if you put your nail underneath one, it’s sort of dark honey brown.

when you brush your finger over the hair, it feels quite soft, there are no prickly ends, even though it’s been shaved.

#9

The hair needs to be coarse like most people’s bikini hair. And it’s important for the end below the skin to be dark in color.

The clinic can do a test spot. If the hair sheds in 3 weeks, you have a chance.

#10

the end below the skin is definitely dark dark, i’ve seen it when i was having them waxed. but i think it’s softer than most people’s bikini hair.

i will investigate what lasers they have at the other clinic. if they have one of your recommended ones, i will get a test shot.

thank you so much for all your help!