Trying to get the facts straight

Hair Removal Methods Laser hair removal
#1

I’m considering laser and have heard a lot of mixed things.

I’m male, early 20s, light skin, dark hair (type II I think) and I’m not necessarily after permanent removal. The more removed the better, but I’d take permanent reduction at this point, as I can’t afford to have years and years of treatments. From the info I’ve pieced together from this site and elsewhere it seems like if laser works at all, I should go about as far as I can with it after about 8 treatments or so.

So here’s my question: What is the difference between permenent removal and permanent reduction? I know laser doesn’t necessarily work on fine hair. So say I remove the hair with laser and it works. Does this mean that hair won’t ever come back? Would it be accurate to say that laser can’t remove all types of hair but the hair it does remove will be removed permanently? Or will this hair continue to grow but just come in finer and lighter?

Thanks for the feedback. I just want to make sure I get the most for my money.

PS- there is this place called “Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow” in certain parts of the US. Has anyone heard of this place? Any good? I’ve only heard their ad on the radio.

Thanks again,

Noone314

#2

The FDA made the distinction between permanent hair removal and reduction based on the test results presented for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation’s clearance to market application. In that application, they could only show a reduction in size of hairs, and a re-staggering of growth phases. Since they never proved that it would remove hair forever in the study, they only were allowed, in a concession, the use of the terms “Long Term Reduction”, “Stable Reduction” and just so they could use the word permanent somehow, “Permanent Hair Reduction” as it was thought that at least the number of hairs present at any given time would be either thinner, or fewer, or both, even though the test study did not prove either.

Electrolysis, no the other hand can give full permanent removal of all hairs on all skins, regardless of hair color, or skin color.

#3

You can read about the term “permanent hair reduction” here:

http://www.hairfacts.com/medpubs/laserperm.html

#4

I’m considering laser and have heard a lot of mixed things.

I’m male, early 20s, light skin, dark hair (type II I think) and I’m not necessarily after permanent removal. The more removed the better, but I’d take permanent reduction at this point, as I can’t afford to have years and years of treatments. From the info I’ve pieced together from this site and elsewhere it seems like if laser works at all, I should go about as far as I can with it after about 8 treatments or so.

So here’s my question: What is the difference between permenent removal and permanent reduction? I know laser doesn’t necessarily work on fine hair. So say I remove the hair with laser and it works. Does this mean that hair won’t ever come back? Would it be accurate to say that laser can’t remove all types of hair but the hair it does remove will be removed permanently? Or will this hair continue to grow but just come in finer and lighter?

Thanks for the feedback. I just want to make sure I get the most for my money.

PS- there is this place called “Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow” in certain parts of the US. Has anyone heard of this place? Any good? I’ve only heard their ad on the radio.

Thanks again,

Noone314

Laser works best on dark, coarse hair and light skin. It does not work well on light and fine hairs. You should see results after 2 treatments. The Lightsheer has sufficient power to treat finer hair as long as the skin is light. The alexandrite laser does not work as well on fine hair.

My experience has been that the hair removed by laser will be removed permanently. Due to growth cycles, some hair will not be removed but will come back finer. To treat that hair, higher fluences must be used but. Eventually some hairs will get so fine that laser will not work on them. After the laser has done all it can, then you can finish with electrolysis.

My motto is start with laser finish with electrolysis. The first laser treatment on my chest permanently removed (reduced, or whatever they want to call it) 50% of the hair. And it did not come back, and it is not going to come back, period. Any regrowth that I saw occurred within two months and was stable after that. I have not had any laser treatments on my abs for two years and they have maintained 90% hair removal (reduction, or whatever they want to call it).

When people do not get good results from laser, it is usually because they have the wrong skin/hair type, they were undertreated, or an ineffective device was used.

RJC2001

#5

Agree with RC2001 here. And wanted to give you advice to stay away from that place you mentioned. Read many bad things/reviews about it. If you want to find a reputable clinic, I would start by checking out all LHR forums for recommendations. The laser tech will be most important in what kind of results you will achieve, so look carefully before deciding on a place. Have at least 3 consultations.

#6

Thanks for the advice. I just hear so many contradicting opinions I don’t know who to believe, so I thought this site would be as unbiased as it’s going to get. I appreciate it.

#7

Just putting my two cents in…:slight_smile:

A year ago I started laser hair removal on my face, neck, bikini, and now legs. So far my results are pretty good. But from the 3rd treatment the hair on my neck has completely vanished 100%, I have light skin and dark coarse hair. I am happy to still report there is no hair at all on my neck!! I am doing well with the face and bikini and have a 70-75% reduction of hair…:slight_smile:

#8

That’s good to hear. I’d be ecstatic with those results. I’d be interested to know if there is any regrowth after more than a year.

Thanks for the update.

Noone