Laser hair removal

[Teela Renee]

I've had two laser sessions so far covering back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and face and each only took about 30 minutes. Also the second one was after starting hormones and was definitely more painful.

That could be from your skin thinning out and getting softer.  One of the perks of being a woman

[KittyKat]

The tech told me I should take motrin prior to my next session. Side note love your new avatar super cute.

[Allyda]

I've had two laser sessions so far covering back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and face and each only took about 30 minutes. Also the second one was after starting hormones and was definitely more painful.

Now this is true, since I've been on hormones my treatments on my face (I have no hair on back or chest, etc.) have definately become more painful, and my skin more sensitive. I've had to turn down my laser's intensities. On a good note though, since I've been on hormones my treatments seem to be more effective. Much less of the wretched things survive. I'll try the motrin trick and see if it helps, thanks.

[Teela Renee]

The tech told me I should take motrin prior to my next session. Side note love your new avatar super cute.

Thank you.

[Allyda]

YMMV but I didn't need any numbing cream. I have a high pain tolerance though. It's been getting easier each time too. I only use some cold-air thingy, and by the third session I only used it half the time. By the fourth, didn't even use it.

Brace yourself when they get to the chin, and around the mouth (assuming you're doing your face). They're the worst. >_<

And after a week or so, I start manually removing hairs, but I do it carefully. If I start slowly pulling and feel a tug, I leave it alone. Otherwise the hair usually slides right out without resistance. Generally though, I can tell which ones are fried just by looking.

I do my own treatments and want to ask, is there a benefit to manually removing hairs? I've just been letting my body push out the dead.

[Teela Renee]

I do my own treatments and want to ask, is there a benefit to manually removing hairs? I've just been letting my body push out the dead.

Most of the literature ive come across, dont wax or pull out hairs, let them fall out on their own after you laser them.  Cause any other stimulation to the issue can promote blood flow to hair follicles and activate new ones and promote the healing of old ones.

[Allyda]

Most of the literature ive come across, dont wax or pull out hairs, let them fall out on their own after you laser them.  Cause any other stimulation to the issue can promote blood flow to hair follicles and activate new ones and promote the healing of old ones.

This is what my research tells me too along with the instructions that came with my professional device. Let them fall out on their own. And especially don't over treat an area cause you could actually stimulate new growth.

[Just Shelly]

I've had about 10 on the face, 2 on the lower chest and bikini line and 1 on the arms. I would not recommend doing laser anywhere else besides face pre hrt....hrt will thin out hair elsewhere and make it finer. I have not had any on my legs....I don't shave much in the winter and can go a month and a half and only then will some will be noticeable.....before hrt I could shave and within a week it would all reappear!!

Laser will not get everything....and it is not permanent unless the hairs are in the right cycle of growth. I am on about my 20th hour of electro on my face...I usually have to go 5 days without shaving for her to have anything to work with....and even then their not too noticeable. I could go probably months without shaving but I still feel the little buggers so I shave lightly most days! Its much easier now letting the hairs grow for electro, then it was early on. When first starting I would be so insecure about all the hairs showing...it was much more noticeable!!

[Sabrina]

Numbing cream is a god send. Very painful without it. But as time goes on and the less hair there is, the better it gets.

[Ashey]

I do my own treatments and want to ask, is there a benefit to manually removing hairs? I've just been letting my body push out the dead.

Yeah I don't recommend it for others really. And I don't do it for all my hairs, but sometimes not all of them come out easily on their own.

[Allyda]

Yeah I don't recommend it for others really. And I don't do it for all my hairs, but sometimes not all of them come out easily on their own.

I've been doing my own for nearly a year now and was just curious. Before you ask though, I didn't have much of a beard anyway, pre hrt but I couldn't get the best results until I learned not to do it right after shaving, best laser settings & technique had to be learned, etc., etc., etc. Now since I've been on hormones I get great results and less comes back if at all. I also wait at least two weeks between treatments to allow for fallout of all the dead ones to ensure I don't over treat. Tomorrow morning I'll give myself another treatment for it's time. I do feel that some electro will eventually be needed to remove some of the grays. I've been using the charcoal dye on them, but again since I've been on hormones I've noticed less and less grays. If I need electro I'll probably have it professionally done for I don't have the patience for the one hair at a time thing. That's why I spent so much on a professional laser that treats up to 60 hairs at once.

[Christine Eryn]

I had 4 sessions a few years ago. For me, it felt like a lit match on my face. Numbing cream is highly recommended! soon after that, I went back to electrolysis.

[Allyda]

I had 4 sessions a few years ago. For me, it felt like a lit match on my face. Numbing cream is highly recommended! soon after that, I went back to electrolysis.

Sounds like your specialist had the laser's intensity set way to high. It should only feel like a momentary pinprick that subsides immediately once the device is removed from the treated area.

[Jenny87]

Before you ask though, I didn't have much of a beard anyway, pre hrt but I couldn't get the best results until I learned not to do it right after shaving,

I've been shaving just before leaving to go to the salon. They told me to shave just before the treatment but i'm sure the most effective session was when i shaved the day before. How long before do you shave before treatment?

Thanks

[Allyda]

I've been shaving just before leaving to go to the salon. They told me to shave just before the treatment but i'm sure the most effective session was when i shaved the day before. How long before do you shave before treatment?

Thanks

I shave the night before an afternoon treatment. I shaved last night because I intend to treat today this afternoon. One, it helps cause you can see the hairs your treating and they'll be gone afterward so you know that area's been treated, two, with the laser on medium setting you get an even burn of the hair down into the follicle where it needs to be for best results.
I am Native American so I have black hair and reddish/olive skin. Depending on your hair and skin color results may vary. Generally the darker the hair and lighter the skin produces the best results.