Laser Hair Removal

[Bre]

I just wrote this in response to a waxing thread but then thought I would also use it to start a new thread for those interested in the best hair removal LASER. Laser works best on fair skinned, dark haired people (me) It doesn't work on fair hair.


I get lasered and while it's a bit pricey I swear it's the best investment I've ever made.

I go every 8 weeks and get brazilian, underarms and lip done and I can not go on enough about how awesome the results are. I have dark brown hair and pale N20 skin. My hair is coarse and I used to suffer from bad ingrown's all around my bikini area we are talking big red blisters which would scar. Since starting laser I have had NOT ONE INGROWN!!

The hair in my bikini area is about 3/4 gone and what's there is very fine. I started in March and have had three treatments about to have my fourth. They say that the average person needs 6-8 treatments. As for my underarms, I used to have to shave them every 1-2 days and was left with shadows and a still a slight stubble, now I have to shave maybe twice near the 6-7week mark and then gone again for a month once they get lasered, there is no shadow anymore

I can't wait till this lots done and I can start on my legs which are also ingrown-prone

I LOVE laser! Look into it!

 

[Indigowaters]

I just had it done on my face and neck for the first time. I'm not going to lie. It hurt! I have a high tolerance for pain and I was at the edge. I'm glad I did it though, because I know in the end I won't have to worry about it anymore but goodness! Oh well. What's good though was I got a HUGE discount. And what I paid was for as many treatments as I need until 2011. I can tell the hair has gotten softer cause it was coarse. I used to tweeze and it left dark scars on my face but now I don't have those. I just hate the fact that I'm going to have to shave because that seems so manly. Eww.

 

[Raerae]

lol lazer is a walk in the park compared to electralysis! ZAP!

 

[Katura]

Bre,

Sounds MADDD expensive...

how bad does it crunch into your bank account?

 

[caffn8me]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raerae lol lazer is a walk in the park compared to electralysis! ZAP!

Not according to a friend of mine who had top lip hair issues - she could fall asleep during electrolysis but found laser extremely painful.

 

[MACtastic]

Hehe its kinda ironic that I found this thread because we were just discussing 'permanent' hair removal in my Human Bio class. Anyways, here is what we learned =D

Cells rapidly divide at your hair follicle, thus making your hair grow. In order for your hair to stop growing, you have to kill every last living cell in each follicle. The reason why laser/electrolysis isn't always permanent is because of the fact that these cells divide so quickly. If just one living cell is left, the hair will grow back. Also, there are nerves in the dermis (the layer of skin where your follicle begins), which means that it is very possible to feel pain while the procedure is going on.

Not saying that it does or doesn't work..there are people who have fabulous results and then there are people whom it didn't work for. You gotta do the research, weigh the pros and cons, and decide if its something worth getting. Its different for everyone I guess.

Glad its working for ya Bre <3

 

[Bre]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katura Bre, Sounds MADDD expensive... how bad does it crunch into your bank account?

For Brazillian it's AU$350 and $150 for Underarms, $100 for Lip

But for me it's so worth it. Before you book in you get a test patch done so you could go try it out and see what you think

There are two types, Laser and IPL, I get Laser which I've been told is more powerful and less painful. But more expensive.

 

[Bre]

Quote:

Originally Posted by caffn8me Not according to a friend of mine who had top lip hair issues - she could fall asleep during electrolysis but found laser extremely painful.

Yeh crazy, I find it slightly uncomfortable but that's about it. I wouldn't mind if it was a bit more painful though I just lie there thinking "yeh f@ck off you little black hairs and don't come back!" hehe

 

[Raerae]

Hahaha....

Yeh lazer and electralysis can be expensive... really just depends on where you go to get your work done, how popular they are, location, etc.

Laser typically takes several treatments, and as an overall time investment will be faster. Wheras electro is generally done by the hour (you can get like 30 min sessions depending on provider).

Also depends on skin and hair type.

Generally as mentioned b4, dark hair, fair skin will get best treatments from laser. Not saying it wont work on other hair and skin types, it's just not as effective. Lighter hairs wont absorb enough energy to kill the hair folicles (thats why generally you wont get good results on blonde hair), and darker skin types will absorb energy as well making it harder to concintrate energy in the folicle.

So yeh, if you have blonde hairs, you'll prolly get the best treatments from electralysis, (i dont know enough about the expierences of darker skinned peeps to comment on what would be better for them).

Also as mentioned, it's not guarenteed 100% that hair will never grow back, so to stay hair free you may have to do upkeep. But for those of us who HATE body hair, and hate shaving, bleaching, waxing and plucking, it might be something to look into.

I haven't been in about a year, but I used, http://www.laserskinsolutions.com/
Very nice people, and very high quality work. Although they are on the pricey side, I think for any work being done that could cause scaring if done incorrectly it's worth paying a bit more.

I think i paid like 150 for upperlip zapping, and then at the time I left it was like 90/hr for electralysis (blonde hairs be damned lol). The neverending quest to have perfectly smooth skin lol...

 

[Indigowaters]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raerae Generally as mentioned b4, dark hair, fair skin will get best treatments from laser. Not saying it wont work on other hair and skin types, it's just not as effective. Lighter hairs wont absorb enough energy to kill the hair folicles (thats why generally you wont get good results on blonde hair), and darker skin types will absorb energy as well making it harder to concintrate energy in the folicle.

That's why they've come out with lasers specifically designed to treat hair on darker skin. One was created by a dermatologist named Eliot F. Battle, Jr. "He advises women of color to ask about the Nd:YAG or Long Pulse Diode lasers, the best, he believes, for our skin." - Taken from Essence magazine, June 2006. His site is at www.culturamed.com.

 

[DaizyDeath]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raerae lol lazer is a walk in the park compared to electralysis! ZAP!

i have to agree with her on this
ive had both electrolisis
and laser


and damn elc. hurts sooo much
they have to do each hair one by one and u also have to have your hair grow out

in some spots it doesnt hurt as much
but in others you grabbing to the table like holy mother of god!

 

[Raerae]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaizyDeath in some spots it doesnt hurt as much but in others you grabbing to the table like holy mother of god!

right under your nose! LOL!

I have a feeling armpits would hurt too, but i'll prolly laser that off b4 trying electalysis. And obviously down below LOL!

I want to get my legs lasered, the lady who did my laser has her legs done and they look so fab all the time.

 

[NICOLE73]

I have had two treatments done so far and I love it!

Before I have my treatment, about an hour, I put on a cream called Emla and it numbs your skin so you can't feel anything. You can buy it over the counter at any pharmacy.
It is so worth it. You will also get better results because the technician can set the laser to a higher level without you being in pain.

 

[Raerae]

yeh i used that cream.

reminded me of rubber bands being snapped on my skin. nothing painful.

 

[Indigowaters]

Dang it! I forgot to take before pictures. But I still have a patch that she didn't get as well as the others (so I may take a picture of that). I am seeing very good results and I'm an African-American NC50 colored woman. I had my face (not lip yet but will next time) and neck done and the hair is less coarse and I can pull them out with my fingers without pinching or pain. I've only shaved once and I don't have stubble or ingrowns. I can't wait to go back until it's finally done!

 

[mrstucker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bre For Brazillian it's AU$350 and $150 for Underarms, $100 for Lip But for me it's so worth it. Before you book in you get a test patch done so you could go try it out and see what you think There are two types, Laser and IPL, I get Laser which I've been told is more powerful and less painful. But more expensive.

OMG I wish! Here it's at least 10X that amount

(not kidding)

 

[Indigowaters]

Ok. I forgot this thread existed. Lol. Well, I went back and got my lip done. It wasn't as bad as I thought. I can really tell the difference now in my FOTDs.

Before: (look at the sides and lip)

After:

 

[Jacq-i]

I'd like to have this done in a few years when I can afford it. I'm kind of scared to though... I know people can get scarred and burned, but are there any long-term risks? Lasers, tanning beds, and the like worry me.

 

[leenabutt]

I get my face done. No more peach fuzz or upper lip hair

I was a hairy monster, trust me. And now my face is flawless (well...minus the occasional breakouts).

 

[amoona]

I did a Brazilian and it didn't really work fully but it did work about 70% so that's pretty good considering that it could have been less.

I was interested in getting my full legs done but it's like $2000 so idk bout that. My cousin who lives in Vegas says its a lot cheaper there, and my uncle's wife in NY says it's even cheaper there. I wonder why California is soo damn expensive?!