Does Facial Hair EVER Go Away?

[LizK]

I don't know about makeup but I suspect you can. The problem is you can't shave for several days after laser so makeup might not do much good. With electrolysis you can't shave before treatment so the only solution is to get as much hair removal finished before full time as possible.

I was told to shave the same night after the treatment by my laser clinic...now you got me worried..is that IPL?

Liz K

[FrancisAnn]

Oh me, please only shave your legs. The talk about shaving your face is making me sick. For your own sanity please do laser or electro to remove your facial hairs......I could not imagine shaving my face, yuck.

[LizK]

Oh me, please only shave your legs. The talk about shaving your face is making me sick. For your own sanity please do laser or electro to remove your facial hairs......I could not imagine shaving my face, yuck.

It is no picnic from this end either....I detest this crap all over my face but I have no choice if I want it removed...I have to let it grow to get rid of it and there is no way they can clear my face in one session...This is now day 4 for me and my Dysphoria today has been awful as a result...thank god I am having a big Electrolysis session tomorrow and then I am due another laser session in a week but I am sick to death of it...I want it gone but cannot find anyone locally who can actually do long sessions...it frustrates the hell out of me.

Liz K

I actually wax my legs

[Michelle_P]

Oh me, please only shave your legs. The talk about shaving your face is making me sick. For your own sanity please do laser or electro to remove your facial hairs......I could not imagine shaving my face, yuck.

Making YOU sick?  Imagine how it feels to BE the one shaving their face, every darn day.  I can't get plucked fast enough.  Freaking dysphoria city every day from this.  I still don't know why someone hasn't invented Anti-Minoxidil for beards. Something to send all those follicles to sleep, preferably permanently.   

Insurance may cover some of this for me, once I get that darn referral.  The therapist is on vacation...  Once they are back, I WANT MY LETTERS! (My nightmare - "Psych Office Space"; "Ah, yeah, about those letters...  Yeah, we're gonna need you to come in for a couple more years first..." )

Meanwhile, shaving.  Every. Darn. Day.   Arrrgh!  (OK, maybe another thread for that section...)

[LizK]

Making YOU sick?  Imagine how it feels to BE the one shaving their face, every darn day...... 

[Dena]

I was told to shave the same night after the treatment by my laser clinic...now you got me worried..is that IPL?

Liz K

My understanding it you don't want the razor to damage the sensitive skin after treatment. Possibly an electric razor might cause fewer problems but talk with the person giving you laser treatment.

[Rebecca]

I shaved on the same morning as laser. As I understand it this also makes the laser more effective as less energy is wasted increasing the chance of cooking the root and also prevents the horrible smell of burnt hair. If lasered on the Saturday I started shaving again on Monday but the condition of your own skin will be your guide.

Electrolysis I can only shave on Monday and Tuesday after that I have to let it grow so there is enough to work with on Saturday. Again by the Monday I'm ok to shave.

Face I am now electrolysis only and laser for everything else.

IPL never tried as anything less than medical grade laser was considered a waste of time. Right or wrong I'm happy with laser and electrolysis.

[mmmmm]

There has to be enough hair outside in order that enough energy gets absorbed and transfered through hair to the follicle. If you shave hours or half day before session you pretty much wasted that session. Some hairs might get burned, but the energy absorbed likely wouldnt be enough to make any damaging impact on follicle. 2-3 days of hair growth should be about ideal length for laser hair removal.


Its perfectly fine to shave on the same day after laser session.

[Rebecca]

Interesting from a quick websearch it seems some places do insist on growth whereas others say at least the night before if not closer to treatment. Perhaps different machines I use the Nd-YAG polaris one but in the end I trust my laser guy with my face and life so I'll do what he says

Always ask your technician to avoid being sent away as unsuitable just in case.

[LizK]

My Laser clinic like a little growth no more than a couple of millimeters...I am at the stage where all my black hair is secondary growth so is finer and easier to zap than the first lot.

I got told the other day by an Electrologist to "moisturise the hell out of your face for two days prior to each session, really slather it on and of course keep hydrated but that of course does very little for your face but is just good for you"...

Liz

[zirconia]

Hi, Pastry

There has to be enough hair outside in order that enough energy gets absorbed and transfered through hair to the follicle. If you shave hours or half day before session you pretty much wasted that session. Some hairs might get burned, but the energy absorbed likely wouldnt be enough to make any damaging impact on follicle. 2-3 days of hair growth should be about ideal length for laser hair removal.

That's fascinating. The clinics I'm familiar with insist on the client shaving right before the session, and even refuse clients who haven't (or sometimes shave the area on the spot for an extra fee.) Their rationale is that any hair that sticks out from the skin blocks and absorbs the laser light and heats up, causing burns to the surface layers (epidermis) while preventing that portion of the energy from penetrating deep enough into the dermis to damage the hair roots.

Does the clinic that told you this use some new technology? It would be very interesting to know how the manufacturer enables the laser energy to bypass the pigment in the hair shafts to reach the roots. If you know the make and model of the equipment used, do let me know. I'd love to find out more.

[mmmmm]

The doctor that I went to uses Alexandrite laser, so its not any new technology. They also have Nd-yag and Diode laser and medical grade IPL, but more or less only use Alexandrite as they find it most effective. How do I know it was in their best interest for laser to be most effective in the least sessions as possible? I only paid for first 7 sessions, everything after that was on them.

I dont know the exact number and model of laser...