Trying to decide where to spend my money. American Laser (light Sheer) $3700.00. This would include 7 visits for: back, and shoulders for me; and bikini (brazillian), underarms, and chin for my wife. Brite Smile Medspa (Starlux Palmar IPL) $2700.00 They will match the 7 visits and would do: full t-shirt, (chest, back, shoulders and upper arms) on me; and brazillian, and underarms on my wife.
I’ve read about the differences between IPL and Laser, but a $1000.00 and a larger area is making the Medspa a little sweeeter. But, is this thinking going to leave a bad taste in my mouth?
From the many consumer posts I read here on hairtell and from information I have received from some of my electrolysis clients, I wouldn’t spend my money using any of these light-based systems. Back and shoulder areas are risky for laser induced hair stimulation. Underarms and bikini would be the worth a try??? if you are determined to go forward.
Do a thorough search here on hairtell using keywords such as, ‘American Laser’, ‘Medspa’, 'LightSheer diode’and ‘Starlux Palmar IPL’. Then you will be able to make a better decision. Check out other hair forums such as cosmetic enhancement forum[color:#FF0000]s[/color] or it could be cosmetic enhancement[color:#FF0000]s[/color] forum. I can never remember where that darn “s” goes!
My skin type is a I.5 to II my hair is dark brown and med in courseness. What machine would you be looking for? My wife is Half caucasian and half Asian Indian we figure her at a III to IV in skin type very dark hair and light coco skin. What laser would you recomend for her?
Thanks for the help,
The Yag lasers are recommended for darker skin types like your wife’s. GentleYag is a good device so I hear on these forums.If she gets laser on her face, she’s gambling with laser induced hair growth, which will depress her. Be careful with that decision. Find a laser specialist who is very experienced and have them advise you. As I said, dark brown hair of a medium coarseness is harder to affect OR it may not be affected at all? Please study other posts in the laser forum and read the FAQ’s sticky. I know the idea of laser sounds quick and exciting, but it just isn’t a cure all for certain areas and hair types.
All things considered, what do you think it would cost for my wife to get electrolisis (sp) brazilian and underarms? And, would this be a safer method of hair removal for her? Is it done by the hour or service?
I spent thousands of dollars on laser treatments. I bought a year package and had laser treatments on my lower back and upper legs. Although the laser did get rid of all of the hair, it’s important to realize that it is temporary 
, and the hair grew back in a couple of months. Laser did get rid of about 80 percent of the hair, so there is less hair now and it grows in finer. But it still grew back. It was irritating that I spent so much money for a temporary solution. One day while getting my upper legs lasered and I was so pleased with being hairless that I mentioned to the tech “If only it were permanent” and she replied “only electrolysis is permanent”. So I had a light bulb moment and started getting electrolysis.So now I’m knocking out the remaining hairs with electrolysis. If I could go back I would have had a couple of laser treatments and permanently kill the remaining hair with electrolysis. I would recommend that you get a couple of laser treatments, see how the hair responds, and then get them permanently removed with electrolysis, that way you get rid of the hair, and save tons of money 
Thanks for your post, ThankGod. That’s why they call it laser hair REDUCTION. Combining the two modalities is wise, for some cases.
Kungfu, I would investigate laser for her underarms and bikini area, but she needs a Yag laser for her skin color. She will still need electrolysis in the end. Someone wrote a post a while ago and stated that laser is like the lawnmover and electrolysis is like the weed wacker when it comes to hair removal. If she can get the bulk of the hair removed with laser and then switch to electrolysis like ThankGod4Electro did, that would work. Your location is where? Maybe we can share practitioner names with you.
Dee
Actually, using a Yag on her skin type will hurt a lot, it’s meant for really dark people like skin type 5-6. Diode is probably the best compromise.
Thank you!! We are in the Tacoma area.
I don’t know of any practitioners in Tacoma. Sorry. You will have to get a list together and go check out several. Read all you can about electrolysis and laser here on hairtell, as that will help you with a decision.
A Yag laser verses a diode? My understanding is that a YAG is better on types 4,5,and 6. I guess laser specialist that can actually see your wife should decide that :).
Dee
Diode works really well on 1-4 and on 5 you need to reduce the power and on 6 you need to reduce a lot.
It’s not that Yag wouldn’t work, it’s just that it will hurt like hell for anything under 5. BTW, what i just said about Yag i got from a Candela rep.
Here is Candela’s website. http://www.candelalaser.com/products/index.cfm?task=gentleyag
I don’t see where they caution about treating skin colors above 5. Are you sure you understood the Candela rep correctly?
The GentleYAG site has several papers that you can obtain and peruse, written by different laser doctors, so you can compare information to what drug reps tell you. Always a good idea to verify because people will give you BS whenever they can.
He said it’s great but less than 5 and it will hurt like hell.
Okay, I understand, but the alexandrites and diodes can hurt like hell, too.
In general besides the Soprano XL all laser machines hurt, but he was clear to say that compared to the Gentlelase (which i know hurts) the Gentleyag for anything under 5 hurts a lot more.
Lagirl has said many times here on hairtell, that if LASER does not hurt, then it won’t work. Are you seeing long-term results from the Soprano XL?
It’s different, at some cases you wouldn’t feel it and in some you will, but usually it will be way less than anything else on the market.
About long term, i can’t really say that still, but we’re getting there.
We went to check out the Brite Smile/ Pure MedSpa, not super comfortable there but the price is awesome. They would do a full t-shirt (back, chest, stomach and shoulders)on me, and braziallian and under arms on my wife. This would include 8 visits and a two year garentee for $2700.00. But the big problem is they have a trillion negative remarks about— you name it— on the internet, and they use the starlux palomar IPL. Which is not a super duper method, however I’m SCARED BUT TEMPTED ALL AT THE SAME TIME!!!
The place that I really like (Aesthetic Laser and Skin) uses the lightsheer laser. The owner seemed very honest and I felt comfortable and no pressure. She expalained that she worked for a couple different chain clinics as a Laser Tech then as a manager. After she couldn’t take it any longer she left and opened up her own Clinic. She didn’t have the plastic look of the women at the other two clinics that we visited (WITH BULBUS LIPS AND NO WRINKLES IN SIGHT), but more like an average citizen at work. She took me into a quiet room and discussed what they could offer. But, the price is much higher $4432.50 FOR TWO YEARS this would include a visit every 10-12 weeks. So thats like 8-10 visits over the course of two years. This would only include back and shoulders on me and a brazillian and under arm on my wife NOT A WHOLE T-SHIRT.
WHAT ARE WE TO DO???
You can tell them you got a lower price and see if they will add stuff or lower the price.
Also, in general IPL machines cost less than laser which is why most places would be able to give you better prices.
We went to check out the Brite Smile/ Pure MedSpa, not super comfortable there but the price is awesome. They would do a full t-shirt (back, chest, stomach and shoulders)on me, and braziallian and under arms on my wife. This would include 8 visits and a two year garentee for $2700.00. But the big problem is they have a trillion negative remarks about— you name it— on the internet, and they use the starlux palomar IPL. Which is not a super duper method, however I’m SCARED BUT TEMPTED ALL AT THE SAME TIME!!!
The place that I really like (Aesthetic Laser and Skin) uses the lightsheer laser. The owner seemed very honest and I felt comfortable and no pressure. She expalained that she worked for a couple different chain clinics as a Laser Tech then as a manager. After she couldn’t take it any longer she left and opened up her own Clinic. She didn’t have the plastic look of the women at the other two clinics that we visited (WITH BULBUS LIPS AND NO WRINKLES IN SIGHT), but more like an average citizen at work. She took me into a quiet room and discussed what they could offer. But, the price is much higher $4432.50 FOR TWO YEARS this would include a visit every 10-12 weeks. So thats like 8-10 visits over the course of two years. This would only include back and shoulders on me and a brazillian and under arm on my wife NOT A WHOLE T-SHIRT
iF YOU COMPAIR THESE TWO PRICES AND IF YOU HAD TO CHOOSE ONE. TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE TYPES OF MACHINES AND THE HISTORY OF THE ONE PLACE. WHAT WOULD YOU DO?