Another step!

[Suzanne F]

This morning was my first laser treatment for my face and neck! I had saved money waiting for the right time and I received an email last week with further discount at a San Francisco establishment. They had been recommended by the woman that will be doing my electrolysis. She suggested that I should do laser first to save money since she felt I was a good candidate.

The women at the laser were lovely. I had been at a meeting beforehand so I had to come in and take my makeup off. They then administered the numbing cream and 30 minutes later we began. I have to say that it really hurt. I just kept telling myself this was my first big step in physically transitioning. I never asked her to stop and I never made a sound. The technician said she was very impressed!

I am making progress! I have my next appointment in 2 weeks.
Suzanne

[Rianna Humble]

Great news and I'm glad it went so well foryou :hugs:

[Rachel Smith]

I am happy to hear. Mine only hurt a little as most of my hairs are gray. I can only imagine the pain if your whole beard is dark.

[Dianne S]

I had a thick, dark beard. The first few laser sessions hurt a lot, but as the hair thins it gets easier and easier.

[CostaRicaRachel]

I hope it works. I don't know what is different about my beard. I had one laser (diode laser) and no results.
So I went to another lase place (IPL) again no results. So far, I've spent $400 on laser and my beard is the same.

I hope your laser works, maybe I'm just an anomaly.

[Dianne S]

CostaRicaRachel, two sessions are not going to make much difference. I only really started noticing a difference after about 5 sessions, and my current estimate is that it'll take 20 sessions total to get as much as the laser can. I know someone who had 36 sessions, but she's completely without facial hair now. It takes a long time, but if it works for you, it's probably an easier journey than electrolysis.

When you had your sessions, you should have smelled burning hair and it should have hurt. If not, maybe the power was too low.

[grace7777]

The person doing my laser hair removal on my face has told me that it is best to do laser first, and then electrolysis would be done to remove that the laser cannot get rid of.

Laser can be painful, and near the end of one session I had a few tears in my eyes.

I started doing laser in December of 2012 at monthly intervals. After 4 treatments the establishment closed down and then my job ended and I had had to move for my next job, so I stopped the treatments for about 15 months. After 6 months of no treatments the sides of my face did not experience much hair growth, but on the chin and lip a lot of it had grown back.

Resuming treatments in June of 2014, I have had 3 more treatments for a total of 7. It has been nearly 8 weeks since the last treatment and almost nothing on the sides. On the chin there is a little bit of hair growth, and on the lip there has been more growth than the chin, but not a lot. The lip is the most stubborn area. I have my next treatment on Tuesday.

After 7 treatments I am pleased with the results. I have spent a total of $680 on these treatments. Another thing I like about the current place I am going to is that they are trans friendly and very open about it.

[Michelle789]

Congratulations Suzanne!!! You'll start to see that it becomes easier to shave and the beard starts to thin out. Like literally the hair will, at some point, start falling out.

This sounds very much like my first laser treatment too!!!

Also it's good that this time of year the sun is weak, but I would still wear sunscreen. I use Aveeno clear complexion BB cream, medium. It is an SPF-30 sunblock that blends in with the skin. It also nicely covers 5:00 shadow and should be applied under the makeup. I got mine from Target.