Question for those who got their beard lasered

[martine]

Hi all,

So here's the situation. For me the beard is a major trigger as I'm sure it is for a majority of trans-women. Before I even had the approval for HRT (which I've now started, yeah!) I went ahead and started laser treatments to get rid of it. I've had four sessions up to now and am due for my fifth one tomorrow. I still have a permanent although much diminished shadow which causes me to be quite distressed. I'd just like to know how much treatments it took, on average, for those of you guys who successfully got their beard "lasered".

Thanks

Marty


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[CB]

There's no definitive answer as such, it just gets less and less each time. For me I'd say it was about seven maybe eight sessions.
i started my laser long before getting HRT. If you are already on HRT the grow back will be less and much slower anyway.

[GendrKweer]

I'm olive skinned with black hairs, and laser took maybe 10-12 sessions to get rid of it. I get touch ups once a year or so, but overall, there's been zero regrowth.

[michelle82]

I just had my fifth session and i still have noticeable shadow and small patches of the really thick black needle type hairs around the chin. Its getting less and less each time though. I feel like because i havnt started HRT the regrowth between treatments has been more than if i was already on t-blockers. Im guessing by 8 or 9 treatments ill be pretty clear.

[Jenna Marie]

I had 5 or 6 full sessions and 2 more touch-ups, and was left with a few stray hairs but basically full clearance. I was told I was an ideal candidate who had excellent results, though; I think I got lucky.

[carsandsarcasm]

The clinic I go to only works on sessions of 6 or 8. I was told I should only need 6 but I've paid for 8 to be sure and because 8 means i get a lifetime 40% discount for touch-ups.

[Colleen M]

I've had 6 on the face, only one after starting HRT.  It's been a gradual progression rather than an either/or proposition for me.  It's still coming, and I'm dark hair with light skin, so close to a perfect candidate for laser.  The first thing I noticed was it getting softer rather than thinner.  I'm trying to think of it as teaching me patience for breast growth.       

[Beth Andrea]

Olive skin, dark hair here. I've had 13 sessions (got two packages of 6, and one time they gave me a freebie in spite of my efforts to tell them I had already had 6...LOL). Most of the dark hairs are gone, about 20% of the whiskers are still here but those are grey. (I'm 50).

[Jen72]

Started with heavy thick beard so bummer there and grey added to it. On the plus side I am very white ok hate sun:) So far have had 3 treatments as for the colored stuff I think a good bulk of it Is killed but still have a lot of grey gunk. Funky part I noticed in my last go round was it seems to be effecting my grey trees ya that heavy. Eh there is hope but my guess it will be more in the 10 range at this rate. I do know 3 happens to be bare minimum since it takes that long for the hair cycle complete there for most likely treatments would be in multiples of 3. Almost forgot pre-hrt but thinking the hair removal would work better pre for another reason in that if bigger maybe more light get to follicles to kill the buggers.

[martine]

Thanks to all who replied. I had my fifth session today and my hair removal therapist significantly increased the power of the laser as she felt my beard was thin enough. The pain was more intense but in a sense satisfying as you know something's getting destroyed !


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Lady_Oracle]

I've had about 10-11 sessions (I lost count) I have the ideal skin and hair type and gradually increased the strength of the laser from a low setting. I had very bad bluish shadow all over and by the 6th session most of it was gone in my neck and jaw line. It took about another 4 sessions for the shadow on my chin and upper lip areas to start fading away. I'm going in for another session this monday and I think it's my last one.

I'm like 95 percent clear so far, there's no regrowth. I do still have very tiny black hairs that grow on my upper lip and like a tiny patch on my chin but that's gonna be gone this next session. The rest of my facial hairs have mostly turned into peach fuzz and in some spots its completely bare.

Anyways laser has been a very painful experience but super worth it, a total life saver. It would of taken me almost two years of electrolysis to see the results I've had with laser thus making my life more difficult since my facial hair was giving me tons of anxiety out in public.

[Violet Bloom]

  I had 13 sessions of laser before moving on to electrolysis.  Laser dramatically reduced the thickness of the hairs and probably killed off some.  This helped significantly reduce the constant shaving and regrowth irritation I had suffered with and overall made me much more comfortable with my transition situation.  For me it wasn't a complete solution, especially because I had lots of white hairs left over.  As of last week I've been through 149 hours of electrolysis.  I don't know when it's going to be finished but I can say definitively that starting with laser and being on hormones have both made the electrolysis treatments much more tolerable and productive.

[chefskenzie]

I have had 5 treatments 18 months after starting HRT. I have 100% clear! I am now due to go back in 3 months for maintenance. went to work for first time with no foundation makeup on! was so nice

[alexis.j]

10 sessions later, but the last 3 were spaced quite far appart, as i now only go when it really starts bugging me.
Currently i just pluck the few that are there, until enough has come  back and it irritates me. I was told i had the perfect skin/hair for laser, and that 6-8 sessions will be required.  Now they say it usually takes about12-15, which sounds more realistic to me....

I understand why everyone says start laser ASAP, as it does take some time, and I had some days (pre fulltime ) that things looked quite bad, and foundation couldn't fix it.
I would say, stick it out for 12-15 sessions,  if needed, then if its still not working, go electro.

A friend of mine did 4 laser sessions and gave up because of poor results. They used a crappy old machine.
Now she wants to try electro... But time and funds are a problem.

[ImagineKate]

I'm on my second session and so far so good. She cranked it up a bit, actually she said she adjusted it to go a bit deeper. I smelled the hairs burning and it hurt a bit more. It's already falling out almost a week in.

I did have electrolysis before though. I don't think it will take that long for a full clear.

My hair is super dark but my skin is type IV so they use the Nd:YAG. It's actually pretty good as it's near infrared.

They use what appears to be a brand new machine.

[Eva]

It took me 6 laser treatments 1 1/2 months apart for the first 2-3 then 2 months apart... Its coming up on 2 months after number 6 now and Im very happy to see almost nothing dark coming back... I like to think Im done with laser now and any more dark hairs I will take care of with electro or my new Tria X4 laser Im using on my pits and bikini area.... After about 140 hours of electrolysis I can go in for 1-2 hours a week to clear everything now But I used to go 2-3 times a week for 2 hours per session for at least 6 months before I had my first clearing with blend electro... I donno if I'll ever be "done" with electro 

I never used anything for the pain with laser except for ice afterwards, the first 3 times were the worst but it was also a lot better after that, totally worth the pain.... On number three she mentioned she was gonna turn it up and give it a "double zap" and it was very effective after that

Looking back it was about a year ago I started on this with my first laser treatment... Now I dont shave anymore except for maybe a quick one with an electric shaver between clearings with electro