Started Laser Today

[Becca Kay]

on my face and neck and it bleeping hurts!  Wow.  I kept hearing that it felt like being "snapped by a rubberband."  It felt a lot hotter and sharper than that.

The nurse noted that my facial hair is very thick, which means there's a lot of energy going into my face each time she activated the laser. 

Also bleeping expensive.

[Megan.]

It's not fun,  but as it clears it does get better. Keep your eye on the prize [emoji5].  X

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[Charlotte F]

I kept hearing that it felt like being "snapped by a rubberband."  It felt a lot hotter and sharper than that.

Ha ha!  They said the same thing to me too!  A couple of the girls here recommended avoiding caffeine and drinking lots of water on the day of laser.  I tried this on Monday and my second session was far less painful.  In fact I hardly had any redness either and didn't need anywhere near as much aloe vera afterwards

Persevere and if you have similar results to me you will be really pleased you did

[Dena]

You could always do it the old school way. Electrolysis is death by thousands of pokes and cost about 5 times as much. Your also talking around 200 hours on the table enjoying the company of the Marquis de Sade reincarnated. In any case, I hope you see results very soon.

[LizK]

Aloe Vera gel will be your friend...keep it in the refrigerator and apply after laser zapping. I used to have it in a "cool bag" in my car when I was doing laser and it was sooooo soothing.....like being "snapped with a rubber band"...feels like one heck of a big rubber band

[Serana95]

on my face and neck and it bleeping hurts!  Wow.  I kept hearing that it felt like being "snapped by a rubberband."  It felt a lot hotter and sharper than that.

The nurse noted that my facial hair is very thick, which means there's a lot of energy going into my face each time she activated the laser. 

Also bleeping expensive.

I'm so happy for you! I can't wait for mine.

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[AnneK]

I'm so happy for you! I can't wait for mine.

Masochist!   

[Serana95]

Masochist!   

Lol!

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[Becca Kay]

Aloe Vera gel will be your friend...keep it in the refrigerator and apply after laser zapping. I used to have it in a "cool bag" in my car when I was doing laser and it was sooooo soothing.....like being "snapped with a rubber band"...feels like one heck of a big rubber band

is it that much more expensive because of the time involved?  or is it just more expensive per session? 

I have an electrolysis appointment in a couple of weeks.  it's for my chest, which has almost no hair on it.  I literally have a few hairs around each nipple, which is just unacceptable.  LOL.   I figured I'd try electrolysis on that area because the immediate side effects would not be visible (as they would on my face) and i could probably get it cleared out in one or two sessions.

i booked 45 min at $50 for my first session.  Is that a high or low rate for electrolysis?

[LizK]

I had 17 treatments over the period of about 18 months and I could still be going but I am getting electrolysis now. Laser wasn't anywhere near as expensive Electrolysis but a combination of the two worked well for me. I don't know about the price you are paying for your treatment but cheaper is not always necessarily better especially in this case.

[jill610]

I feel your pain hun, I also had my first laser session on the face/throat on Friday afternoon... 1380 zaps in 40 minutes or so. I am pretty good with pain, but I had to ask for a breather once or twice because it just was unbearable when they were doing my jawline and the middle of my chin. My face is still a bit swollen and it looks like I haven't shaved in a day or so, hopefully by Tuesday I'll be back to normal and able to shave. Still a bit sensitive to the touch. I bought a package of 12 sessions, and hoping that does the trick, and then just a little electrolysis for the few grey hairs that I have... maybe 5-10%. Here's to hoping!

I found that taking some Benadryl when I got home really helped a lot with bringing down the swelling, particularly on my throat which looked like severe razor burn.

Whoever said it feels like getting snapped with a rubber band needs their head examined. More like being shot in the face with duck shot, repeatedly and voluntarily.


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[staciM]

^ 1380 zaps over 40min?  Are you sure you're not getting IPL treatment?  That seems really long for a face.  Mine takes about 15min.

[Megan.]

^ 1380 zaps over 40min?  Are you sure you're not getting IPL treatment?  That seems really long for a face.  Mine takes about 15min.

Second this,  mine is usually about 15 mins too.

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[jill610]

It is not IPL.


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[MyMichele]

^ 1380 zaps over 40min?  Are you sure you're not getting IPL treatment?  That seems really long for a face.  Mine takes about 15min.

Most I was zapped on my face/neck was around 400 with a Gentlelase. Takes not even 10 minutes. Probably less.

[jill610]

The place I went to uses a lumenis lightsheer diode laser. They told me to expect as many as 1500 the first round given the density and coarseness of the hair on my face/throat. Going to a different place in a few weeks that uses nd:yag for my chest on a groupon I got, so will see how they compare. I was told to expect 15-20 minutes from here on out.

[Pisces228]

I use a thin layer of hydrocortisone after laser treatments twice a day for a few days.  It really helps with the redness and irritation.  Do you take anything beforehand?  Motrin, Tylenol, etc?

[Becca Kay]

although i'm doing laser on my face i started electrolysis on my chest earlier this week.  The hair on my torso is relatively sparse, so i seemed to make sense financially to go right to electrolysis. 

I found electrolysis to be not bad at all.  In terms of discomfort prefer it to laser.  Although, i think my memory of laser has faded a bit.  Until I reread this thread I was thinking that it didn't hurt all that badly. 

with both methods i didn't seem to experience much in the way of side effects.  Very little skin irritation. 

I had been told that with laser to expect the hair to 'fall out' and that i'd not have much growth for a while.  but i've shaved every single day since the laser treatment.  my face does feel smoother, though, but it feels like i've had just as much daily growth as i did prior to the first treatment

[LizK]

Hi Becca

Laser takes awhile to really notice the results where with electrolysis the results are immediate as the hairs are gone...Over a period of time you will get regrowth with laser and some with Electrolysis (depending on how good your tech is)...I had another laser session (my first in 6 months) about 2 weeks ago and it zapped well over 60% of what was remaining...you need a magnifying mirror to see them they are so small and fine. This was session 18 or 19 over a period of 2 years...it is a long term process...I hope the rest goes well

[Becca Kay]

I've now had 2 laser treatments on my face.  the first didn't seem to do much.  But it's a few days now since my second session and my face looks a little different.  It might be that i've already shed some hairs.  Today i noticed some odd patches where hair should be.  And even after shaving this morning i had and odd stubble.  I got curious and tweezerd one hair on my chin (i know you're not supposed to do that) and it litterally just fell out.

i wish i didn't have to wait so many weeks until my next session.