Just had my first laser session!

[Simply_Vanessa]

and holy crap, even though I found a doctor that uses the IPL system, it still hurt so much!

and it hurt my pocketbook as well...$250 for the complete face :straightface:

but its not all bad...I rewarded myself with my first professional french manicure to make the pain go away :heehee: even though I do not plan on starting HRT until I am as passable as I can be (which means getting in great shape, and growing my hair...i'll be ready to start around my 22nd bday this february!) it feels so good to finally be at the beginning stages of it all.

this time, im not gonna try to go without using the numbing cream, thats for sure!

I do have some questions though, for people who have experience with laser.
she mentioned that some of the little hairs will start falling out...how soon until this happens? and is there any way I could exfoliate or just loosen the affected hairs to get them outta there sooner?

[Kim_Bitzflick]

I have had laser on my beard (I don't know what kind of laser). It didn't hurt me that much but I started with not much. On my first sessions the hair literally jumped out of my skin. I had a lot of hairs that did this. To answer your question, it is best to just let the hair work its way out.

So after 2 1/2 years my beard is mostly gone. Sadly they can't get the grey hair.

[Ashlie Marie]

I get
IPL I am lucky my Doctor does it for her Transgender Patients only and she just charges for the heads so its like hundred bucks for my face and 200 or 300 for my back and chest, I got lots to do the numbing cream works great all I feel is like a bunch of really big elastic bands being snapped at your skin. Feel great on the nipples.. NOT LOL the hairs on my face will fall out like 6 days later. or so one morning I will go to shave and noticed hairs all of the place while I am putting shaving cream on.. the first couple times it was kinda cool. I remember the first time I got my back down a bout a week or so later I woke up in the morning and it looked like someone had killed a wookie on the bed lol..

[wanagione]

I'm going for my first time next week !

[CharleneT]

$250 for the face seems a little high. You might try negotiating that down a ways ... it is going to take a number of sessions and chances are good the laser place will give you a rate because of that.

[Sejd]

I never did Laser but I did do electrolysis for about a year and she removed about 90 % of my dark hairs. I'm happy with the result although it's not perfect. I still shave but I never have to deal with dark shadows. :0)

[Aprilrain]

did laser twice and yes it hurts. I never had any hair just fall out. I would breakout after the sessions though and once while popping one of the zits a hair came out. disgusting I know. anyway I switched to electrolysis because it is the only permanent hair removal system. I didn't want to take any chances of hair coming back plus I've noticed a lot of white hairs or hairs that are dark but the root is white.
Good luck, cute picture BTW.

[Simply_Vanessa]

$250 for the face seems a little high. You might try negotiating that down a ways ... it is going to take a number of sessions and chances are good the laser place will give you a rate because of that.

Well its my entire face, sideburns, neck, etc. is $250 still really pricey for all that? I guess thats what happens when you get it done by a doctor and not at a salon. :straightface:

so a few days until hairs start falling out...cant wait :)

and I plan on doing electrolysis for the stray hairs after I use laser as much as I can.

[Melody Moore]

At present the Australian dollar is just above the US dollar and I pay $150 AU
per session for my whole face at a clinic that specialises in cosmetic surgery,
which by the way is owned by my regular doctor.

[Steph.TS]

I did a test patch tonight, one in my underarm, and 1 around my nipple, the underarm barely registered, I could feel it but nothing that I'd describe as pain, the nipple was fine, but it did get painful on one of the hits, either way I'm glad I went, and now I wait to see if I have a bad reaction...

[Alicia Ryanne]

The first time is always fun eh? More like Holy cow that hurts. As for the IPL....its not going to be as effective as having a real laser(ie alexandrite) used. IPL is simply intense pulse light and is not targetting anything sepcific as its athe full visible light spectrum and only one frequency is actually what targets the hair follicle.
I would shop around because $250 is high. I can get the face done for $100

[Hope]

I have had 1 laser session on my face. I would describe it as the most painful thing I have ever done... but that is laser and not IPL and I didn't get to have lidocaine cream... just a bullet to bite.

It is not fun, or cheep, but it is simply something that must be endured.

I haven't had any hair just fall out, but I am told by the tech that a lot of it shoots out during the procedure...

[Stephenie S]

Yup. Holy cow.

I never had laser but both laser and electrolysis hurt like the very dickens. For the very sensitive spots like under my nose and close to my lips I got a numbing session from my dentist.

But it has to be done. There is no way you can wear enough makeup to cover a beard shadow outdoors in the sun. According to Vogue Magazine the bearded lady look is out this year.

Stephie

[Alicia Ryanne]

The laser tech I go to said he has onsite the same numbing gel used orally(inside the mouth) that dentists use before giving you a shot of novacaine. He said he will use that on me plus the lidocaine I have when I get started on the face(about 2 months from now)....would be sooner, but...wife says only can get two sections done at a time for financial reasons($200 per month) and am almost done with the back and half way thru with the chest/abs/flanks.
And to be fair to her, she wants her legs done. Since shes so supportive, Im not going to push it :)

[CharleneT]

The laser tech I go to said he has onsite the same numbing gel used orally(inside the mouth) that dentists use before giving you a shot of novacaine. He said he will use that on me plus the lidocaine I have when I get started on the face(about 2 months from now)....would be sooner, but...wife says only can get two sections done at a time for financial reasons($200 per month) and am almost done with the back and half way thru with the chest/abs/flanks.
And to be fair to her, she wants her legs done. Since shes so supportive, Im not going to push it :)


that gel is available over the counter. It works, but nothing is perfect. From my experience, and the reports of others, you will not need it for laser. Electrolysis, maybe to yes. The most common brand name is Emlya, also look for LMX4 or (better) LMX5. If you and your wife are both going to the same tech, with all those areas, I'd be negociating a deal. Very glad to hear that your wife is accepting of these things !!

[Kathi Lake]

I have been having mine done at my dermatologist. He is charging $100.00 a session for the face, neck, sideburns, and eyebrows. They're using the best laser out there (for now), and the pain is bad, but manageable. I use some lidocaine cream on the goatee area, and that makes it a bit more manageable.

My hair does not 'shoot out' as some does. It takes about two weeks until I can use a washcloth or the edge of a credit card to tease it out. It is so gratifying to see the little hairs in the sink and think, "those are gone - never to return!" It is also gratifying to hear an esthetician say after I told her I was doing laser, "I wondered what you were doing. Your skin is flawless!"

:)

Kathi

[lizbendalin]

I found the discomfort of IPL was very manageable, the worst where the facial bones were closest to the skin. Electrolysis is, in my opinion, much more uncomfortable.

I had 8 sessions of IPL - had good initial results. Now...all of it is back (1 year later). Now doing electrolysis. My tech says the thing she is very happy about is the kill rate we are getting with electro. I'm wondering if it is because the follicles have already been stressed (damaged) by the IPL treatments.

[robyn1114]

I'm having my third session today. I'm paying 205 a treatment.

[Steph.TS]

I'm having my first real appointment (not just a consultation) May 7th I'm getting my underarms and chest done, it sounds like it'll cost $300, best of all they use the alexandrite laser!

[Alicia Ryanne]

$300? Holy frack!! I pay only $100 for the entire chest(including abdomen area). Additionally, my tech(who uses the alexandrite laser) has been doing my underarms, shoulders, flanks and back of neck for free. Its also only been $100 for ther entire back which is almost done. Hes even been so nice to do my wifes underarms for free also.

[Simply_Vanessa]

woo hoo...after some intial hair loss after the first treatment...I was exfoliating today and now the real wave of hairs are popping out :) I cant wait to see how many more pop out in the 1-3 weeks after my session. everythings definitely thinner already...cant wait for my 2nd session!

[VickyMI]

Yeah $250 seems high. At American Laser I negotiated $300 for six sessions. One thing to note is that I had been going there for two years and this was an "extension" of my contract. They will deal as variable cost is only the tech's hourly rate.