Your opinions and suggestions, please :)

Hair Removal Methods Laser hair removal
#1

Hi,

I’m a female, not certain of type but probably a II or III (dark brown hair, blue eyes, I either burn then tan or just tan depending upon area).

American Laser offered me extended bikini and underarms for $1200 (with a $1500 credit and a 10% discount). They weren’t pushy at all, which surprised me in view of some things I had read online. Anyway, this is with a LightSheer diode laser, includes six treatments spaced ten weeks apart, and includes free additional treatments for up to two years afterward if necessary. They gave me some time to think it over, and I’ve decided to do it.

Another local facility was $200 cheaper for the same package, but they didn’t offer extended bikini (which I really wanted), only regular (which is less expensive even at American) and Brazilian styles. This place utilizes an Alexandrite laser instead of the diode.

Does this sound like an appropriate laser for me? How many joules should the thing be set at? Does this sound like a good deal pricewise?

Thanks in advance for your comments.

#2

Well, I just hung up with the manager of ALC.

What she told me yesterday was incorrect: They have also indeed switched from the LightSheer and are now employing the Comet diode laser by Syneron. So now I’m off to research that one…Arggghhhh!

What is amazing is the dearth of good options here in my city. This morning I called around to inquire at several derm clinics. Some of them use IPL and strongly recommended those!! And they were MORE EXPENSIVE than the laser prices I’ve been quoted, AND their whole approach seemed very pushy or canned or something, not the professionalism that one would expect from a physician’s office.

I would appreciate any comments. Thanks for reading.

#3

where are you located? we can’t help with clinics if you don’t provide your location.

you need an alexandrite laser for best results, such as GentleLASE or Apogee. Comet doesn’t have a good reputation on these forums from past experiences of consumers. ALC just made a $6 mil deal with Syneron. Both Aurora and Comet that they offer are not the best options.

please read the FAQs before signing up for anything. and you should check out 4-5 clinics to make sure you get the most experienced person and the best deal. btw, you should ask the other clinic how much the extended bikini is. And I would always pay a bit more for a better machine and a more knowledgeable technician.

#4

I’m new here wave
Thank you, thank you, thank you to whomever made all this info possible (most of what I’ve spent the day reading was Andrea and lagirl).

Didn’t want to start a new topic if my questions had already been answered elsewhere, however not many of the topics on the referral site seemed current. I’ve been over and over the FAQ’s but this is all still so overwhelming!

#5

:slight_smile: it is a lot of information, but it should help you a lot. the FAQs pretty much have everything you need to get started. Read it a few times if you have to to really understand what you need to look for and you will be on your way. Once you get the basics, you can definitely ask questions. Also, try using the Advanced search feature at top right to run a search for “Chicago” to see what clinics have been recommended in the past.

#6

Thanks! I’m back (post summer, trying to re-pale my skin before I consider all this again).

I’m reading all these forums, searching Chicago over and over and finding little positive laser feedback (mostly electrology). I’m VERY skeptical of the medspa’s and I had a consult with HTGT and I think they were fairly honest about the areas they couldn’t treat (ie. my face not having enough dark hairs to make laser a good option). :frowning:

I’ve given up on face for now and will focus I think on bikini and underam; forearms once my skin is pale again. and I think the awesome FAQ’s here have given me the right questions to ask for my next consult. :slight_smile:

lagirl, if you’re out there, would this be an appropriate place to post some hair/skin pics for laser machine suggestions? Maybe with multiple opinions I’ll feel better making the investment.
** also i think in my reading i remember you mentioning experience with ingrowns/psuedofolliculitus which has gotten fairly bad for me in the last year for some reason, will laser help or hurt this?

#7

laser is great for ingrowns. they will be eliminated. that’s why most people get LHR in the first place.

yes, you can post pictures here. you can upload to www.photobucket.com and post the HTML tag right here.

Here’s a provider search for GentleLASE (light skin) and GentleYAG (darker skin)

http://www.candelalaser.com/patients/index.cfm?task=practSearch

p.s. Dr. Michael Green at Light Care in Chicago (http://www.lightcare.net/) used to be a moderator on another forum and has both the GentleLASE and YAG lasers. He’s highly recommended by a few people on another forum.

#8

I was treated by Dr. Michael Green. He is very experienced and it’s one of those places that you know you will get the best treatments with minimal risks for side effects. I would recommend him.

#9

thanks for the rec HB :slight_smile: Did Dr. Green actually perform your treatments or did a tech? I haven’t yet encountered a place where the Dr.s/partners that ran the medspas actually performed individual laser treatments, only consults.

#10

so following up on this I have a consultation there and maybe a first treatment quickly following. HOWEVER, wondered if someone could weigh in on when to get the first treatment if I’m doing bikini, going on vacation starting 3/13 and would like to have a hair free bikini line (and it has been almost a year since i’ve waxed, but that might be what i would do in this case b/c i REALLY don’t want to shave as I’m prone to horrible ingrowns that I don’t get with waxing). help?

(ie I’m not sure i’d have enough sheding by the time I left if I started now)

#11

Nope, you won’t have full shedding if you start now, and burnt hairs are a b*tch to shave because they have a weird texture following treatment sometimes. Shedding starts at about 2 weeks, and finishes by three weeks usually.

HOWEVER, unlike all the other areas, I shed 90% of my bikini line hair with a few days (literally) after treatment, so perhaps bikini lines are unusual in their shed-time and you’d be fine. Or perhaps I just got lucky.

I say, it’s very unlikely you’d have full shedding before your vacation, so it’s a risk.

#12

If you wax you kill your treatment and you will need to way a few months before you can start again.

#13

I know, you’re right, waxing would throw it all away :frowning:
but the ingrown risk from shaving seems worse. grumble grumble.
thanks for the advice though! very helpful. good to know about the annoyance of shaving burnt hairs! had no idea bout that.

#14

It’s not that bad though. If you wax now then yes you’ll have to wait 2-3 months to do laser which shouldn’t be a huge deal since if you tan on vacation you can’t do more laser anyway. On the positive side waxing before laser then letting it all grow back can be beneficial, as now all the hair is in the same growth cycle, versus it being more of a mix so generally you get more effective results.

#15

Waxing before the very first treatment can be a good thing. It synchronizes the hair and makes you see results faster overall. But you’ll have to wait for the hair to grow back after waxing, so having treatments starting about 2 months after that waxing appt.