First laser session

[iKate]

iKate... I wouldn't describe alexandrite laser as a pain free laser.. I had my face cleared with it in the past year and half, and even though I never needed painkillers, or numbing cream it was faaaar from painfree

I'm not really sure. Must have been another type then.

[Sophie Lou]

One of the variables for the pain threshold is that some places are not doing a good job in getting the hair out.

My laser lady was recommended by a transgirl who said that she had tried 4 sessions at 1 place and it didn't hurt too badly, but then switched to a different laser tech and more hair came out than in the 4 last sessions combined.

It also was more painful.

Some places string along their clients for more sessions to make money.

My first session hurt like bloody hell. It was very intense! But SO much hair came out it was astonishing. I am lucky to have an honest laser tech.

[cindy16]

Thanks everyone.

Rhea, that pain free laser (alexandrite or whatever it is) was given as an option in their brochure. I am light skinned by local standards, but the dermatologist didn't give any options and straightaway recommended the Nd:YAG, and I didn't bother asking about the pain free one.

The power get's turned up each session also.

Jessika, that sounds scary. The dermatologist did say that future sessions will be less painful because there will be less hair to zap, but if they turn up the power, I guess it will even out. 

Some places string along their clients for more sessions to make money.

My first session hurt like bloody hell. It was very intense! But SO much hair came out it was astonishing. I am lucky to have an honest laser tech.

Sophie, they've already charged for 6 sessions in advance, and that's a usual practice there I guess. The session did hurt a lot and I can see a lot of hair sticking out of my skin, but I am not sure if this is regular stubble or the burnt ones. Haven't shaved in the last 2 days either. Let's see.

Congratulations on the start it will nice to have much smoother skin:)

Just happen to do 4th session the other day which I did swell but much better then previous experience. My first two were pretty smooth sailing but the third I had broke out with acne under some of the hairs or maybe body trying to expel the hairs. I have to mention after like the next day exfoliate your skin it will help a lot not sure on same day either but at least next day will help the hairs come out and keep pores open to ok sounds gross but bleed out some excess liquid from zapping your follicle and fat under the skin. I am fortunate with fair skin but the oily part not so much just saying if you break out clean your skin and or exfoliate it will be much better and less pain after. Heard of some using witchhazxel too.

Jen72, after the session, I do have a bit of what seems like acne but it's not swollen at all, and I don't have oily skin. Also, most of the redness reduced within about 12 hours, so I haven't applied anything except a skin protection cream and sunscreen.

[akegia]

iKate... I wouldn't describe alexandrite laser as a pain free laser.. I had my face cleared with it in the past year and half, and even though I never needed painkillers, or numbing cream it was faaaar from painfree

Yeah I have gone through 5 treatments with an Alexandrite Laser System and its not painless, just not very painful and never left any redness or swelling on me.

[mmmmm]

The only rule is : if it doesn't hurt, it's not working (as it should). It's either because of wrong settings, or your hair type (it doesn't work on light, red, bronze hair) ... And this is regardless of what type of laser is used. If you don't feel excruciating pain on your upper lip, or just below the lower lip, something is not right. It should hurt like F****** hell ...

[akegia]

The only rule is : if it doesn't hurt, it's not working (as it should). It's either because of wrong settings, or your hair type (it doesn't work on light, red, bronze hair) ... And this is regardless of what type of laser is used. If you don't feel excruciating pain on your upper lip, or just below the lower lip, something is not right. It should hurt like F****** hell ...

So true, I dread the part where they start zapping the upper lip.

[iKate]

The tech who does mine pauses for a few seconds between each pulse on the upper lip

[akegia]

The tech who does mine pauses for a few seconds between each pulse on the upper lip

I tell to just get it over with, so they go over pretty fast.

[ChiGirl]

Shedding question: does the shedding happen totally on its own, or do you need to pluck?  I don't start full treatment for 2 weeks, but I had a sample area done and I've found I've had to pluck all the hairs.  None of them seemed to come out on their own.

[iKate]

Thanks everyone.

Rhea, that pain free laser (alexandrite or whatever it is) was given as an option in their brochure. I am light skinned by local standards, but the dermatologist didn't give any options and straightaway recommended the Nd:YAG, and I didn't bother asking about the pain free one.

I think the pain free one is a diode laser and they do fast pulses that don't apply heat all at once. It may work on you if you are fair skinned but I think anything type IV and darker on the fitzpatrick scale works best with the Nd:YAG. In my case I am type IV bordering on V so they just went with the Nd:YAG straight away.

[iKate]

Shedding question: does the shedding happen totally on its own, or do you need to pluck?  I don't start full treatment for 2 weeks, but I had a sample area done and I've found I've had to pluck all the hairs.  None of them seemed to come out on their own.

It sheds on its own. You may notice it starting to just fall out but at first it seems to be "growing" but in reality it is just pushing out. You can pluck on your own but if they give resistance just leave them alone. It may take 7-14 days to start shedding. Basically the laser will disable the follicle and it will eventually let go of the hair.

[iKate]

I tell to just get it over with, so they go over pretty fast.

She says she pauses because that area is more delicate and she wants to give it a couple seconds to cool down.

So it's like this:

zap, move, zap (wait 2 sec), move, zap, move, zap (wait 2 sec) etc.

The rest of the face she just zaps and moves and it's over within a few minutes.

[Cat]

It sheds anyway, it just takes a while to work its way out.  I don't pluck, but in the second week after laser I do exfoliate more often than I would normally, because that seems to help.  Gently towel-drying my face after I wash helps also.  When I had my sample area done, I didn't notice much hair loss either, but the full face results were much clearer. 

I noticed a significant difference after every treatment but I would echo what others here have said -- it took a good 6 sessions before I really started to see major patches where no hair at all was going back.  Over the first 4-6 sessions, in spite of how much clearance is occurring, there will be lots of dormant hairs entering their active growth phases that also need to be taken care of.  By my last session, which was my ninth, there were whole areas of my face that didn't even turn red at all, which I guess means there are no dark, coarse hairs left there at all to absorb the laser.  Superficially my face looks clear now but I will keep going back until I'm absolutely sure the laser can't do any more.

I think it was slightly less painful last time, too, but the time before that I really struggled with the pain, which I think was a combination of my forgetting to take painkillers, the technician not using ice at all, and my skin being more sensitive now.  I dread having the top lip done every time, but hopefully it won't be quite as bad from now on. 

[cindy16]

I think the pain free one is a diode laser and they do fast pulses that don't apply heat all at once. It may work on you if you are fair skinned but I think anything type IV and darker on the fitzpatrick scale works best with the Nd:YAG. In my case I am type IV bordering on V so they just went with the Nd:YAG straight away.

Thanks. The dermatologist didn't mention anything about my skin type but I googled right now and I think I would be a type III.
I guess I'll ask them next time but if it is not going to do the job as well, then I would rather go through the pain and have a clearer face.

[ainsley]

Heard of some using witchhazxel too.

My electrologist uses witch hazel and I got some for home after zapping sessions.  Never tried it after lasing (duh!).

[Jessika]

4 sessions in, they hurt like hell but still have yet to see any mentioned "shedding". I never see loose or hair falling out. Does shaving mask the shedding?

[Gabrielle_22]

I've never really noticed hairs just falling out during the shedding phase. The affected hair will become looser, and touching them in some way will dislodge/remove said hairs. Some individual follicles will seem like they're still firmly in there if you try plucking, but will fall out a few days later. By 'fall out,' at least for me, I mean with the help of me exfoliating my face. I use a scrub or exfoliating product each day during the shedding phase, and hairs will be on my hands and face as I rub. These are the shedded hairs. The first few times, I was surprised by the sheer number of individual hairs that came out. After about 11 days post-laser, you will likely stop noticing this occurring.

4 sessions in, they hurt like hell but still have yet to see any mentioned "shedding". I never see loose or hair falling out. Does shaving mask the shedding?

It shouldn't completely mask shedding. But when I shave during a shedding phase, I see hairs falling out as when I exfoliate--and you see the hairs actually fallen out, rather than what I normally notice when I shave outside of a shedding phase. So that might be the reason. Or your laser might not be working. Do you notice any reduction of hair at all?

[Jessika]

I've never really noticed hairs just falling out during the shedding phase. The affected hair will become looser, and touching them in some way will dislodge/remove said hairs. Some individual follicles will seem like they're still firmly in there if you try plucking, but will fall out a few days later. By 'fall out,' at least for me, I mean with the help of me exfoliating my face. I use a scrub or exfoliating product each day during the shedding phase, and hairs will be on my hands and face as I rub. These are the shedded hairs. The first few times, I was surprised by the sheer number of individual hairs that came out. After about 11 days post-laser, you will likely stop noticing this occurring.


It shouldn't completely mask shedding. But when I shave during a shedding phase, I see hairs falling out as when I exfoliate--and you see the hairs actually fallen out, rather than what I normally notice when I shave outside of a shedding phase. So that might be the reason. Or your laser might not be working. Do you notice any reduction of hair at all?

Here is a pic of me. I had Laser #4 two days ago and have not shaved yet. It seems a lot less than I would normally have if I had no laser at all. lol I have white hair there too. 


Is it normal to still show up like that? At 48, I have coarse hair. uuugh

[Mariah]

Yes it's normal even at younger  ages for it to show up like that.
Mariah

Here is a pic of me. I had Laser #4 two days ago and have not shaved yet. It seems a lot less than I would normally have if I had no laser at all. lol I have white hair there too. 


Is it normal to still show up like that? At 48, I have coarse hair. uuugh

[cindy16]

I shaved for the first time today since the laser session 3 days ago.
It hurt a bit, and I could still see and feel enough stubble which could not be shaved. I guess that's because it's now loose and should hopefully shed itself in a few days.