I had my first laser hair removal treatment 16 days ago. I had my legs and underarms treated. I was told that I would see the hair fall out between 5-15 days after my treatment. I am still seeing significant regrowth on my legs and a little under my arms. I have been exfoliating daily because the clinic said it would help the process along. How long does it normally take for the hair to fall out? Should I be completely smooth until the next hair cycle starts? When should I start to worry?
I really, REALLY want the laser to work for me but I don’t want to pay for more appointments if its not gonna help.
what is your skin type? what hair type? what laser used? what settings?
shedding can take up to 3.5 weeks. exfoliating does help. some hairs will fall out, some will stay in the skin as pepperspots (dead hairs that appear as dots in the follicles). but you shouldn’t see any hair growing (wait another week to see if it falls out if you do).
I am a I-II skin type. I’m really fair but I also tan well and when I burn it fades to a tan pretty quickly. I have med red hair. I was treated with the gentlelase(sp?) laser. I don’t know what setting was used. I emailed the clinic today to ask about the lack of fall out and what settings were used. I got a general response about how for some people its the 2nd-3rd treatment before people notice any hair reduction. She didn’t tell me what setting was used.
I am really confused now. Based on what I’ve read online, there should be a noticable fall out after EACH treatment. Is that right? I have the impression that after a treatment it should fall out and then you stay smooth until a new hair cycle starts. Is that accurate? If so, then what’s growing now? LOL I am sooooo mixed up.
you are correct. they’re beating around the bush. you should call and ask for spot size and joules used specifically.
also, keep in mind that if you have red hair, laser might not work for you. it depends on if your hair has enough dark pigment in it to attract laser.
p.s. give it full 3.5 weeks before you decide whether whatever is still there will fall out. it takes up to 3.5 weeks.
Thank you soooo much. We did a few test spots before I booked a full appointment. Based on that, I was assured that I would respond well to treatment. I’ll let this ride for another week or two before freaking out. Thanks again!!!
please find out the settings used.
I asked again. I acted like I thought she told me before and I had just forgotten. We’ll see what she says next. I’ll keep ya posted.
Ok I heard from the clinic again today. This was my second attempt to find out what spot size and setting was used for my first treatment.
"Hi Tiffany…
It would reason that if you received some reduction on the under arms…then you will also receive some reduction on the legs…
The setting were the same… We are using a 15mm spot size.
It usually takes a couple of treatments before you will see a reduction, everyone is different. It might be that there is a reduction on the legs, but you aren’t able to really see the difference…
Please, don’t be over anxious…We have to have realistic expectations.
Thank you…Sherry"
I’m not sure what to make of that response. It would seem that all the active hair should fall out and stay gone til the next stage of active hair growth but I wasn’t sure so I emailed to ask. She’s saying it would take multiple treatments before I noticed any reduction. Why would that be? Should I be concerned that I’ve asked twice what setting was used and got no answer? Instead I’m being scolded for expecting too much too soon. What does that mean?
Well, she gave you one part of the setting, the 15mm spot size. (the max is 18mm if you’re using GentleLASE). The max joules on 15mm is 30. Basically, you need the number of joules that she used with the 15mm spot size.
She’s beating around the bush. You should say plain and simple that you have done extensive research online and talked to professionals there and were told that most of the treated hair should shed after every treatment and if it doesn’t, you might be being undertreated. Then ask what joules were used with the 15mm spot size. If you sound like you know what you’re talking about, she will give you a straight answer. Ask for the number of joules that were used with the 15mm spot size.
You’re not expecting too much too soon. Shedding of the hair means the hair was affected. Whatever doesn’t shed and continues to grow as usual wasn’t affected. It’s simple. “Seeing a reduction” should refer to not seeing as much hair grow back in AFTER shedding occured. Hair doesn’t just disappear after several treatments as she’s suggesting. It sheds and doesn’t come back. That’s how you see a reduction.
That’s what was throwing me off. Either it works and the hair falls out or it doesn’t and there’s some sort of reason for it. It wouldn’t not respond to 2 or 3 treatments then finally cooperate. All I could figure is that if I was closer to the end of a growth cycle I might not respond as well as I would at the beginning. I could understand that happening the first treatment but if that’s what’s going on then you’d think she’d just say that. She didn’t.
It has been 3 weeks now. I am shaving less often. Once a week for underarms and every other day for my legs. That is better than doing it every day like I was before. It sounds like the hair was stunned and not killed, another hint that maybe I was undertreated.
if you’re constantly shaving, it can be hard to tell what sheds because you’re not letting the hairs come out of the skin to shed. some may be stuck in the follicles as dead hairs. after your next treatments, i would try not shaving for 2-3 weeks after so you can see exactly what sheds. also, even if the hair is in the wrong phase, it still sheds. everything treated should shed or remain as pepperspots (black dots stuck in follicles that do not grow out as normal hairs would).
Thanks all your help with this. I’m the first in my group of friends to try this so I’m sorta flying blind. Thanks again!!