I am doing homework for about 2 month now on laser hair removal for my chin (and maybe upper lip if that works well on my chin). I could have had already at least 2 treatments during this time, but as much as I research I feel more confused.
Here is my experience so far: It seems that I am type II or maybe III, East European - ligh skin, dark and thick hair on my chin. I will refer to this area beacause this is what is bothering the most and I would like to treat first.
Out of all the research that I have done on this forum and on the internet I arrived to the conclusion that Alexandrite or Diode would be the best laser for me. I researched the websites and the adds for more than 10 laser clinics and I selected 2 to call which seemed more serious than the others. I live in Canada (Toronto Area) by the way.
First place (www.lci-laser.com) they seem to know what they are doing. I had a one hour consultation/evaluation/explaining the process, including a patch test with Diode LightSheer. The technician tried 3 levels of intensity and she said that she got a very good response from my hair. I didn’t find the pain unbearable but the next day after the treatment the area became red with swelling and some white bumps. Strange is that a larger (not only the treated area) was red. It is the forth day after the test and it is getting better especially after applying the hydrocortisone cream that she gave me yesterday when I asked her to check and evaluate my patch test because I was concerned. Yesterday she did another patch test with GentleYAG Candela on the other side of my chin and the area treated with this one looks good - no irritation or redness, but is this one efficient for my skin/hair type?
Right after I tried this first place I went to a consultation at www.trilliumlaser.com. This is a smaller private place with only one location. She explain me in 10 minutes what is she going to do after I already told her that I had a patch test with LightSheer at LCI and she saw my redness. She said that none of her patients ever experienced redness for more thatn 24 hours. This is a very strong statment to me which made me not trusting her to much. She did a patch test with EpiTouch 5100. This test was much shorter and on a very small area comapred with the other one. I did not feel almost any pain, but I don’t know what setting she used and if they were strong enough to do anything. Surprisingly the area was red the next day as well, although I felt no pain and it is still red and bumpy also surrounding the area on the third day after the test. This one was pushy, she tried to convince me to do tha whole area not only a test and I did not like this especially when she saw that I had a patch test 3 days ago which was still red.
It looks like the GentleYAG was the most gentle for my skin, but again is this going to be efficient?
Another question I have is that altough I don’t know about any alergies on my side, both LightSheer and EpiTouch used a gel on my face and a Aloe cream after while with the Gentle YAG she used ICE before and after and no gel or cream at all. Is it possible that is a reaction to the gel or cream? Is it possible to use LightSheer or Alexandrite with no gel?
Price is not my first concern, but at trillium she increased the price from 100$ to 150$ when she noticed that I have hair also under my chin on my neck while at LCI they said that that area is included in the chin area ar 97$.
Trillium offers no guarantees of any kind, they have 20% reduction on a package of 7 treatments paid upfront.
LCI offers a nice package (they call it guarantee for 30 month) of up to 13 treatments withinh 30 month at 670+tax. You pay 7 treatments and if you need you may come up to 13 times. Also you have big discounts if you need touch-ups after the 30 months.
My feeling is to trust LCI more. They say though that they just got rid of their alexandrite and replaced it with LightSheer which is more efective. At my location they have LightSheer and GentleYag Candela. Light Sheer which should be more appropriat for my skin type which iritated me and YAG wich left no signs, but is it effective?
Please help me decide.
Thanks,
Simona