Friggin' Laser Beams!

[Zooey]

Today was my first laser appointment for the beard. It'a amazing how fast the appointments are, and I do enjoy having what I assume is basically ultrasound gel poured all over my face, but hot damn - that was uncomfortable. My new suggestion for their marketing copy...

Laser - All the excitement of a brazilian done poorly, now with the added fun of intense, burning heat!

I think next time I'll opt for the numbing gel...

[whowhatwhen]

It hurts less when the density of your facial hair goes down, I've actually never used numbing cream for laser.

[Donnagirl]

I've done four sessions and the results outweigh the burn.... It's really worth the discomfort.

[GabbiSophia]

mine hurt like a %&#@*%$#@ ... sheesh and that was with numbing gel

[Heidi Stevens]

Guess what,Zooey? Over the next three sessions they up the wattage each time you show up! Get the zeecane and grit your teeth. Number five was at even higher power, but Who's right, as the density goes down, the pain does decrease.
But it's worth every shocking moment as you can say bye bye to a lot of concealer!

[Dianne S]

I've done 11 or 12 sessions and can probably look forward to 12 more.

My tech does not recommend numbing cream or anything else on the face. So she gives me a couple of stress balls instead and an ice pack for afterwards... she claims to be using the highest power on the machine, so I guess I can take it.

Definitely worth the discomfort, though. I'm down to 3 or 4 scrubby patches where there used to be dense dark hair all over.

[Eryn]

The numbing gel isn't going to reduce the discomfort, but it will allow them to use higher settings that are more effective. Your choice: more heat or more treatments.

Wait till you try electrolysis!

[PretzelGirl]

I did 17 sessions. It does get easier in my opinion. But I did learn to be hydrated, avoid caffeine, and take a few ibuprofen. Of course the lip is always the worst, even when it gets easier. And laser is relatively fast for the appointment. I can't remember one that lasted more than 15 minutes. Like Erin says, electrolysis is in the batter's box and it hits a little harder, but more painful is that it is never over in 15 minutes.

[arbon]

Lots and lots of pain to get used to on this journey.

[VanTG]

Not one of the fun things, but i guess beauty comes with a price.

[Persephone]

"il faut souffrir pour être belle" -- One must suffer to be beautiful.

A common comment between women in the 19th Century, well before lasers were invented.

Hugs,
Persephone.

[Cindy J Angel]

Ok i have head from a lot of u girls that this hurts. So my question is to all of u for a new girls just starting (i have gray and a little dark hair) and my beard is not a heavy beard. If u know what u know now witch method would you use laser or electronics and what is the best for gray. Moneys tight and witch one is best for the money we have to spend? Thinks love Cindy

[Kate T]

Yeah, it hurts a bit but a lot less than electro or so I'm told.

There are a couple of tips to pain relief:
1. Try taking pain killers about 1 hour before. IF you do this DRINK plenty of water and don't get dehydrated to minimise effects on Liver and Kidney.
2. Try using a prescription cream, be careful with the brand as even with the same actives it is the carrier that is important for penetrating the skin. Obviously don't have any other creams on your face before hand and give your face a good wash with an exfoliator that morning. Shave as close as you dare without grazing your skin. Apply thecream no more than 30 mins before your treatment and preferably around 15 mins. Apply a "coat" i.e. so you look like you've got white zinc cream on your face and don't rub it in. You should feel your lips going a bit numb as it starts to work.
3. Have ice packs to apply between zaps so to speak.
4. I ask my technician to start on the lips and chin (generally the most painful areas) as I found that the "wind up" if she started on the cheeks and neck meant it was MUCH more painful on the lips.

Also make sure you are seeing someone who has a really high reputation for laser and preferably has treated MTF before. Not all lasers and not all technicians are equal unfortunately. I have had really good results from the Lightsheer duet but others have had different results from various lasers. Best rule of thumb is that you should notice at least SOME reduction after 2 treatments, if not maybe try another provider or laser.

Oh, and don't waste your money on IPL on the face. Actually probably generally. I'm yet to come across an MTF where it worked well.

[Nigella]

I never counted the number of sessions had, but must have been in the teens, not once did I use any pain relief. To me it felt like a constant snapping of elastic bands on my skin. Pain relief after was Aloe vera gel, commonly used for sun burn.

[StephanieC]

Wait till you try electrolysis!

OMG yes. At the end, laser was a walk in the park. Then electrolysis started.

The type of laser makes a difference too.

Good luck!

-stephani

[whowhatwhen]

My tech does not recommend numbing cream or anything else on the face. So she gives me a couple of stress balls instead and an ice pack for afterwards...

Same with mine, except she doesn't give me stress balls :/
Not that I mind too much, the pain is temporary and isn't the hour long torture session known as electrolysis

[Eryn]

... isn't the hour long torture session known as electrolysis

After the first hour my electrologist is just getting warmed up!

[whowhatwhen]

I'm close to or actually in tears by the time the hour ends, and that was before HRT so I can't imagine how much more painful it would be now.
O_O

No one around here does numbing injections, nor do black market numbing needles exist which I cannot confirm or deny having researched.

[Rachel Smith]

I agree with the snapping rubberband comment but the electro is killing me. Did you ever see how a worm squirms if you cut it in half with a shovel? Yeah that's what I look like.

[grace7777]

I have done 8 laser sessions on my face and will be doing my ninth one this Tuesday. It is painful and at times have had tears in my eyes. When I look in the mirror and see the results I know the pain is worth it.

I know someday I will probably start doing electrolysis and the pain I read about does scare me.

[Eringirl]

Yup, it takes me 10 minutes just to get my toes to uncurl after we are done!! I have ice packs in the car that I use for about 10 minutes right after. Aloe seems to help but ya, it is a zinger.

And for the next act, electro. And the hits just keep on comin'.

[Angela Campbell]

I won't go as far as to say electro is pleasant, but it's not that bad. I often fall asleep during a session.

When I started I used to lay down for 5 hrs at a session weekly, now down to an hour every other week.

[whowhatwhen]

I used to take OTC meds with a drowsy side effect before electro and that worked beautifully to zone out, not enough to fall asleep but enough to be phased a bit and notice a bit less pain.
Then I started having a reaction to them where my legs would twitch constantly and I had to stop taking them because I'm sure all that twitching and fiddling must've made it harder to work on me.

[Kris Avery]

I'm definitely the whimpy girl here.

I wiggle like Erin, writhe in pain gripping the opposite sides of my pullover for dear life.
I don't even breathe and take breaks to do so...

That is after having gone to my 'happy place' underwater....
And having already applied BLT (benzo, lido, tetra)prescription compound and taking a Vicodin for good measure next time thanks to my OB.

Like I said, we have a winner.

Electro...I am needing it due to the salt and pepper beard ...but not sure I can handle it.
I'm on #5 by the way.

[Dianne S]

Huh. I really don't find laser that bad. It hurts here and there, but really nothing major. It's certainly not bad enough to require cream or pharmaceuticals to deal with the pain.

Let's see if I change my tune if/when I start electro...