Laser hair removal has begun. YAY!!!!!!!

[Alicia Ryanne]

Im so excited!!! Today was my 2nd laser hair removal treatment and the doctor decided to do my flanks and top of shoulders for free. He also asked if i wanted my underarms done. I was quite scared since I hadnt applied any Lidocain cream there to dull the pain. He assured me that it wouldnt be near as bad as the chest or back area. So I said OK.
So...for the cost of getting my back's 2nd treatment and my chest's first treatment, I also got shoulders, flanks, arm pits and even the back of my neck done...all for only $200. And no its not an IPL system. Its a state of the art Alexandrite 755 nm machine. Most laser clinics are actually using a commercial version of an IPL or a laser diode which are not nearly as effective.
This guy knows what he's doing. He simply does not work for some bloated company with lots of overhead to cover.

Anyways..just wanted to share my joy with everyone and Im exceptionally happy that something is happening or being done on my routeto being the real me!!!!

[7sisters]

I can understand how LIBERATING it is to have smooth skin. Just take post laser care seriously and you will be just fine. Your doc seems nice.

[Jay Cee]

Good to hear, Alicia :thumbsup:

[Katesback]

After six sessions with laser on my face I still have to shave. Did it make a difference? Yes but did not completely get rid of the hair.

[Jorja]

After six sessions with laser on my face I still have to shave. Did it make a difference? Yes but did not completely get rid of the hair.

Ya know, thoes roller derby girls are a tough lot. Might take more than six sessions for them. :D


Congratulations Alicia, you will love not having to shave and still be nice and smooth. Have patients it can take several sessions to completely remove it all.

[7sisters]

Well a lot, and I mean a LOT of ggs have hair on their face. It's just downy and soft. Even if laser does not take away the hair entirely it will be very very soft and fine. I bleach mine out of sight. You will love what laser does to the hair.

[Stephenie S]

I am glad you have started laser.

But have you finished your face? That's what's important. No matter WHAT anyone tells you, the bearded lady look is OUT this year.

You can always shave your chest and underarms. I have no hair on my chest, but I shave my underarms and legs daily in the summer. I wouldn't dream of wasting my hard earned money removing my underarm hair.

Stephie

"Well a lot, and I mean a LOT of ggs have hair on their face. It's just downy and soft"

Yes, you're right. We just don't talk about it much. And it's not always all downy and soft. I know several women who have to shave often, especially as we get older.

(not me, of course. LOL)

Stephie

[gretchen2]

How fun, the next step is Electrolysis and that really hurts.

[Alicia Ryanne]

I am glad you have started laser.

But have you finished your face? That's what's important. No matter WHAT anyone tells you, the bearded lady look is OUT this year.

You can always shave your chest and underarms. I have no hair on my chest, but I shave my underarms and legs daily in the summer. I wouldn't dream of wasting my hard earned money removing my underarm hair.

Stephie

"Well a lot, and I mean a LOT of ggs have hair on their face. It's just downy and soft"

Yes, you're right. We just don't talk about it much. And it's not always all downy and soft. I know several women who have to shave often, especially as we get older.

(not me, of course. LOL)

Stephie

I hadnt scheduled for him to do the underarms. He offered for free so it cost me nothing.
As far as getting the face started....no..not yet and Im fine with that as i get to see how well THIS doc does on places that can be covered up if something bad were to happen. Im being careful and Im making no appologies. Since I'm just basically starting out on hair removal, there is plenty left to do in lots of places. As far as.."you can shave your chest"...well yes.....but i get a lot of ingrown hairs no matter what I do so...for ME....doing the back and chest are more important at this moment in time.

[Keri W]

Congratulations Alicia, but beware! Laser was about addicting as getting tattoos for me; I just kept getting more done. Heh, did you get a maintenance plan, I thought it was kind of silly but paid a bit more and still get small additional area done years later. Touch-ups have been pretty scarce on me but it is nice already being paid up when going.

~K~

[Stephenie S]

Congratulations Alicia, but beware! Laser was about addicting as getting tattoos for me; I just kept getting more done. Heh, did you get a maintenance plan, I thought it was kind of silly but paid a bit more and still get small additional area done years later. Touch-ups have been pretty scarce on me but it is nice already being paid up when going.

~K~

This is REALLY good advice. Laser is notoriously unreliable. It works for some and it doesn't work for others. Getting some sort of maintenance plan is very good protection.

Stephie

[Carole Cross]

I had 10 laser sessions on my facial hair with an alexandrite laser system. The last one was 11 months ago. I was informed that I would need several more sessions to remove more of the hair but had to stop for financial reasons. Before I started my beard growth was very fast and my face was never really smooth even after shaving but now the regrowth is very light and there has been no significant increase in the regrowth. I still have to have a light shave in the morning but can go nearly all day without a visible shadow.

I do plan to ga back soon to finish it off and then there may be some elecltrolysis to get rid of the white hairs that the laser can't treat. I will see what hairs are removed with hormones before thinking about getting laser on my body.

[Alicia Ryanne]

Congratulations Alicia, but beware! Laser was about addicting as getting tattoos for me; I just kept getting more done. Heh, did you get a maintenance plan, I thought it was kind of silly but paid a bit more and still get small additional area done years later. Touch-ups have been pretty scarce on me but it is nice already being paid up when going.

~K~

I have a standing special treatment plan for the same price for number of zones worked on. Once done...and thats probably over a year away...a maintenance plan sounds like a good idea. I do not, however, have to pay up front or buy a discount plan. The price I was give is by far easily affordable compared to most places that want to charge 4x as much.

[MillaMarie]

Most reputable Facial/Plastic surgeons offer Laser Hair Reduction only. They will not advertise the service as "hair removal", as this would be unethical. The technique is totally dependent on the quality of the Laser used and technical skill of the technician. Most will have several different machines, the best quality machines are very safe, effective, fast and less painful due to skin coolant delivery simultaneously with laser burst time. These machines are very expensive and need a busy productive practice to justify their acquisition. Be cautious using "cheap" treatments - the technician training, machine quality, and standards of care vary significantly. Had my first treatment this am at my surgeons office done by his tech, he is Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgery, they will do 5 treatments /$400 for face. This is a good price and hard to find but will give you a good idea of pricing.

[Alicia Ryanne]

The doctor Im using has the latest equipment, has multiple units of different types and has the skin coolant delivery simultaneously with laser burst time. His latest machine he bought cost $90,000 if that tells you anything. He has been a laser technician by trade all his adult life.
For the face, it consists of 4 zones as far as his trestment areas are setup. That would amount to $99 per treatment for my price plan. So.....5 treatments would be $500...a tad more expensive then yours. However, 90% of other laser places in the state will charge $1200 for that for only 3 treatments and are using inferior commercial grade IPL machines.
Additonally, if he continues to do areas free just because, that cost is significantly lower.
For the two sessions I have done, the amount of areas he's treated should have cost me $450 at my pricing plan, but Ive only been charged $300.

[CharleneT]

GREAT ! Free laser is a good thing ;) If you are not on HRT, don't spend much having your body done though. It is likely that most of that hair will revert to the more downy and usually invisible female type hair. Legs and face seem to be the exceptions there. Although, my leg/arm hair still grows to almost the same length as before, it is softer and lighter.

I'll echo the advice about starting your face, unless you are very lucky, it is going to take a while to completely clear it off.

[Steph.TS]

what the advantage of the alexandrite over regular IPL? I have a laser clinic locally that advertises alexandrite machines.

[Alicia Ryanne]

Alexandrite is a true laser and the most powerful available for commercial use on body hair I am aware of....at least until something newer comes down the line.
IPL is not laser at all and not even remoitely close to the power and capability of an alexandrite laser.
IPL stands for Intense Pulse Light.
This means that the entire spectrum of visible light is shot into you at each flash. But, hair is heated and the follicle killed(targeted) by by only ONE general frequency(ie the frequency a real hair laser unit is tuned to), so all that excess light is not doing anything else except heat your skin up with an IPL machine.
Additionally, IPL requires many more sessions and usually is not near as effective in the long run. You might get 60-70% reduction over 10-12 treatments on ONE area, whereas a true alexandrite laser(should be in the 720nm frequency) should require 4-6 treatments in one area and be 90% effective at actually killing the follicle, not just putting it into dormancy as can happen often with ipl.
Of course, the only 100% sure thing is electrolysis, but laser will kill most of the hair long term.

Addendum:
Generally if you have a really light complexion you want an Alexandrite, for olive complexion you want a Diode, and for dark complexions a YAG.