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Laser Hair Removal

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Elmorton

Ideal_Rock
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The waxing thread has been really interesting to read and I was wondering if maybe we could ask some questions here to those who have done laser/looked into laser treatments.

What are the costs?

Does it hurt?

How long did it take?

Are there health risks? Did you have any side effects/skin irritation?

What are the outcomes? Has hair grown back? Are you happy with the results?

How do you find a reputable person to do it? Where did you go?

If you decided not to have laser treatment done, what made you change your mind?



-And my additional question - has anyone had facial hair removed? My mom did laser for her upper lip in the 80''s and I very much want to do the same thing, but she said it was extremely painful and also very expensive back then. I''ve half looked into it by scheduling an introductory appt, but then the reviews of the office were not at all good and I backed out. I''m also curious how the skin reacts, because this isn''t a part of my body I''d be able to cover up...
 

Skippy123

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flutterby

Brilliant_Rock
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May 1, 2005
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I have begun researching this. I am totally getting it done at the end of the summer (once I''m out of the sun for awhile)...that old link is totally helpful.

If anyone has any recommendations for a place in LA that would be awesome!
 

gailrmv

Ideal_Rock
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I''d really like to get it done. It''s hard to justify the expense but I bet it''s the kind of thing that I''ll wonder why I didn''t do it sooner. I need to find a good place around me to have a consultation!
 

Petunia

Rough_Rock
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I’ve had laser hair removal on my face……upper lip and chin (sometimes I feel I share more personal information than I should!). I had my first treatment at a dermatology office about 3 weeks ago and will return again in 3 weeks for another round. Upper lip was pretty painful but if you compare the pain to childbirth, it’s tolerable

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. The treatment took about 30 minutes and I was given an ice pack to apply to the area after the procedure. I did notice a little blotchiness on the left side of my jaw but that went away within a couple of hours. So three weeks have passed and I can say I haven’t seen any hair growth in that area. It’s still early and I’m sure some will return before my next appointment.



Here’s to sharing!
 

v!v!

Shiny_Rock
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Feb 26, 2008
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hello! i thought i''d provide some feedback on laser hair removal since i''ve had it done.

what are the costs:

i originally went in wanting to get just my arms done. i have really dark hair and i had been shaving my arms for who knows how long (too long). when i went in they were having a special, if you bought one package of 6 treatments you got a second package for free! so i decided to do my legs too. the cost of 6 sessions ended up being close to $750.

does it hurt:

it''s extremely painful on the lower portion of the legs. the pain is tolerable on the arms and upper legs, but it still doesn''t feel very good. but honestly, the pain is totally worth the results i am seeing.

how long did it take?:

i''m not quite sure if you mean the length of each session, or how long did it take from the beginning session to the end, but i''ll answer both for you. the length of each session really depends on what you''re getting done, but to do my full arms and my legs it takes about an hour.

as far as the time it takes to remove the hair, i started my sessions in november. you are scheduled for an appointment every six weeks. so far i''ve gone to 5 treatments, and my last one will be next month.

are there health risks? did you have any side effects/skin irritation?:

i have sensitive skin. my arms get pretty red after the treatment and for about a week i have little red marks on my arms, but they go away. my legs react fairly well to the treatments, i don''t have any skin irritations or side effects.

what are the outcomes? has hair grown back? are you happy with the results?:

i am extremely happy with the results. i wish i had done this sooner. the hair on my arms are almost completely gone. there are a few stray hairs that grow but for the most part all of the hair is completely gone. my legs look 1000 times better than they used to. i am really light skinned and had really dark leg hair. before, i could shave my legs and it would look like i hadn''t. there is still some hair that tries to grow back, but a lot of it is gone and it comes in really thin. i can go weeks without shaving my legs. it really is so great!!

how did you find a reputable person to do it? where did you go?:

i did a lot of searching on the internet. i found an article in the newspaper about how to find a reputable laser hair removal place. they interviewed the woman that owns the laser hair removal office that i go to and she seemed to really know her stuff. i also checked the better business bureau to make sure that the office had not had any complaints against it.

i live in phoenix, arizona. this is the place i have been going to. i would completely recommend it! let me know if i can help with any other questions!

www.ultrasmoothskin.com
 

Tacori E-ring

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katebar

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I had IPL on my bikini line and under arms. I did not find it painful as such but neither was it pleasant.
But boy it works a treat! 2 years later I have a few stray hairs which i shave maybe once a month.
 

cdt1101

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I starting treatments for my upper lip, chin, and neck (i have NO idea why i''m so hairy!) last May. I am fair, w/ dark hair so I''m "supposed" to be the ideal client for this. Well a year later, and who knows how much $$ (I stopped counting long ago), I still have enough hair that I will have to wax once I finish the treatments. I''m going for my last treatment (my 9th) on Wednesday. I was hoping to be hair free for my June wedding, but it''s not happening. Don''t get me wrong it is WAY better then it was a year ago. I used to have small course dark hair patches on my chin that are completely gone, but I just thought I would be done w/ waxing/plucking forever, and that''s not going to happen.

I haven''t had kids yet, so I''m worried that all the $$ I spent will be for nothing if when pregnant the hair returns. I actually asked the dr. about that before I started the treatments and his response (spoken like a true male) "Between stretch marks and weight gain, hair will be the least of your problems after giving birth"...nice!
 

brazen_irish_hussy

Ideal_Rock
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Jun 13, 2006
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I went through 6 treatments. It was painful but bearable until I start birth control. It makes the skin more photosensitive and in turn, the laser that much more painful. I have a very high pain tolorance, but that was too much. I didn''t do enough to have any long term effects, but be aware there are many medications that increase photosensitivity and if there is a chance you are going to start on one before the treatments finish, you may find it too painful to continue. That''s what happened for me and it made the money spent on the 6 treatments a waste.
 

cara

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Date: 5/12/2008 6:02:21 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
Date: 5/11/2008 9:21:02 PM

Author: Skippy123
I wonder if it changes after pregnancy?
It does...
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I don''t think it was worth the pain and expense IMHO.
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I still shave. My neighbor had it done head to toe...she still shaves...

Tacori (or other unhappy laserers), if you don''t mind answering...

Were you happy with the results before pregnancy? Did/do you have a significant hair reduction even if you still have to shave?

I am thinking of getting my bikini and underarms done, and a significant reduction would be worth it to me even if I had to shave afterwards, as long as I could shave less often and had less razorburn/unpleasantness in the bikini area. That''s really my primary motivation. Shaving for the swimsuit sucks. I''m thinking it would be worth it if I ended up with 75% reduction or more... But if it all comes back in a few years or after a kid my estimation might be different.

Thanks for all those that have shared their experiences in this and the other threads.
 

rms

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I am of middle eastern descent with really dark hair and really fair skin...I grew up so self-conscious. I waxed for years but always had problems with ingrown hairs. I have never done laser but have had electrolysis done for years on various areas. It is absolutely permanent, but there is definitely a time commitment involved. People do seem to say that the laser methods have improved over the years. So big areas like your legs and arms seem great to try. But it seems to me that for areas like your face, underarms and other smaller areas, why not just try electrolysis and absolutely know that it will be permanent. Just MHO for people who just want to do smaller areas. It does hurt A LOT but you can buy topical creams like EMLA that take nearly all the pain away in some areas. I love to wear sleeveless tops and let me tell you, I am no longer self-conscious about it at all. I don''t even remember the last time I had to shave my underarms or my lower legs, it is AMAZING!!
 

Tacori E-ring

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Cara, I would guess I lost 50% of my hair (and I am not that hairy of a person to begin with). I have fairer/light olive skin with dark hair so I suppose to be "ideal."
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It was SO painful I had to tell her to stop for a minute a few times and that is with their "numbing cream.". I thought it was much worse than my tattoo that is on my spine. It is a different kind of pain than childbirth so I cannot compare them. Haha! It feels like bee stings over and over again. BIH brings up an interesting point. I was on BC during my treatments so maybe that is why it was so painful. I got my underarms which was so painful and my bikini area which was slightly less. I spent over 2K so I don''t think it was worth it.

My neighbor went to a different place than me and had the same experience.
 

piccolascimmia

Shiny_Rock
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Apr 4, 2006
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342
What are the costs?
For me, I had upper lip, chin/neck, bikini and underarm for $1200.

Does it hurt?
I personally found the most painful on the innermost bikini area, with the lip, chin, underarms being very very easy to handle the pain. For me, the bikini wasn''t painful at first, but once they started upping the intensity (perhaps session 5), it became more painful. Also, watch out about going to appointments close to your period.

How long did it take?
My sessions to do all of those areas lasted around 30 minutes at most. And I went 8 times every 6 or so weeks.

Are there health risks? Did you have any side effects/skin irritation?
I don''t know of health risks. I had redness immediately after the treatment, which went away within hours. I''ve heard that if you don''t go to a qualified practitioner, they could get the settings wrong and cause ''burnt'' spots.

What are the outcomes? Has hair grown back? Are you happy with the results?
I wish I had done it sooner. It''s now been about a year since my last treatment, and yes I have random hairs sprouting out, but its 95% better than it used to be. They clearly told me that laser will zap any existing hair follicles, but if new ones pop up, those haven''t been treated. I went in for a touch up a few months ago to zap those random hairs, and it cost me $100 for one session. I''m expecting to go back perhaps once a year to get this kind of touch up.

Also, for me, the hair that grows back is perhaps 50% lighter/finer than before. I had horrible wiry hairs , and now the ones that grow back are lighter brown, harder to see, and much finer/less coarse/wiry.

How do you find a reputable person to do it? Where did you go?
I researched my area, went to 4 locations and got the tour, and then based my decision on comfort with the professionalism, qualifications, how long they''d been in business.

Good luck! Like I mentioned earlier, I wish I would have done it sooner than I did. It would have saved me from quite a bit of self consciousness!
 
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