Laser hair removal for darker skin in NYC

[ImagineKate]

I'm going to see if I can get laser done for my face, as it doesn't seem terribly expensive (relatively speaking).

I have brown/dark skin, not African American but type IV to V on the Fitzpatrick scale.
I was looking at a couple of places in NYC.

Does anyone have any recommendations? I can post a pic of what I'm dealing with.

[Sydney_NYC]

If you don't mind traveling to Queens I highly recommend:

Berkowits School of Electrolysis
107-25 Metropolitan Ave
Flushing, NY 11375
(718) 544-4234

Barry usually answers the phone. Ask for an appointment with Tracy (she teaches laser and electrolysis, but never answers the phone because of her voice) but excels in laser. ($75/session, and no prepay stuff, pay as you go.) Tracy has some new machines that work well with some darker color skin. As long as the hairs are dark, it will work.

[ImagineKate]

Flushing on the 7 train... Not perfect but better than nothing I guess. I will give them a call. Since this is a school they may charge less? I've been scouting groupon deals as well and looking in the village voice and other places.

They do electro as well? Cost wise, how much more is electro?

And yes my hair is jet black Indian hair...

[Sydney_NYC]

Flushing on the 7 train... Not perfect but better than nothing I guess. I will give them a call. Since this is a school they may charge less? I've been scouting groupon deals as well and looking in the village voice and other places.

They do electro as well? Cost wise, how much more is electro?

And yes my hair is jet black Indian hair...

$75 / session for the whole face is a very good price.

For Electrolysis, I use:

Affordable Permanent Electrolysis (she has a website to but can't post it here, but you can google it)
201 West 21st St
New York NY 10011
OFFICE: (212) 633-1503
CELL: (917) 600-0960 

Shelly does the work and she is also transgender. (She learned from the same school.) She's only a few blocks from Callen-Lorde in Chelsea. Try both numbers as I talked to her today is she has been having phone issues in the building. ($75/hour)

[ImagineKate]

Thank you. I will be doing some calling.

[ImagineKate]

Got my first appt booked with Shelly. Price is right too.

I called her to reschedule it because I don't know if I can get in that early but if she can't, I'll just bite the bullet and try my best to make it on time.

EDIT: appt is booked!

Thank you Sydney!

[Sydney_NYC]

Got my first appt booked with Shelly. Price is right too.

I called her to reschedule it because I don't know if I can get in that early but if she can't, I'll just bite the bullet and try my best to make it on time.

EDIT: appt is booked!

Thank you Sydney!

Your welcome. Thursday at 8am is my normal time slot with her. Now that I don't have a whole lot left, it's starting to not be every week I'll miss the conversations with Shelly, but not  the electrolysis itself. I still will be going for some time, just not as often.

[ImagineKate]

Oh I'm there thurs as well

[ImagineKate]

Heading down to Shelly now.

Also I've been reading here about laser clearing your full face. Does it really leave the whole face hairless or reduced and for how long? How does it work exactly? Any primers or videos I can see? Also looking for experience with darker skin.

[Keilana]

The laser neodimio yag has worked perfectly,I have my darker skin and eliminate all my facial hair

[ImagineKate]

Bumping this old topic because I finally went and had laser today.

It wasn't as bad as I envisioned... but it was pretty painful. That said I used some 4% lidocaine which helps a ton.

They used the Nd:YAG laser with cold air. The tech managed the pain pretty well, pausing on the sensitive areas. My face was a bit red at the end and it felt like it was on fire... I smelt burning hair which is a good thing I guess.

The feeling as best as I can describe it is needles being thrown at your face.

I hope this works.

I go back maybe in 4 weeks.

[ImagineKate]

Question about the YAG laser.

How long does shedding take with YAG? They told me come back in 4 weeks or so.

[ImagineKate]

Well, it looks like it all shedded itself in 3 weeks.

My face is super duper smooth. Literally like my 4 year olds faces.

In the morning I really can't see a guy in the mirror anymore. I try but I can't.

There are a few spots they missed below my jawline. Hopefully they get them next session, along with any regrowth.

I also use a proper moisturizer now - FAB ultra repair cream. It works great.